Eggie Or Vegan Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe

Rehydrate the dried shiitake (and cremini/porcini) by covering them with 400 ml warm water in a bowl for 20–30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid by straining through a fine sieve or coffee filter and set aside; discard sediment and sliced debris but keep liquid.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tbs neutral oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the roughly chopped onion, sliced leeks, smashed garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized, about 12–15 minutes. This browning builds savory base flavor.

Add the rehydrated mushrooms (reserve 4–6 whole caps for topping if desired) and sauté 3–4 minutes to bloom their flavor.

Pour in the vegetable (or chicken) stock, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (carefully, leaving sediment behind), and add kombu. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce to low so the broth barely bubbles. Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes to extract maximum flavor.

Remove kombu after 20–30 minutes if the broth becomes slimy or overly strong. After simmering, taste and strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.

Stir in soy sauce, mirin, miso paste (whisk miso with a ladle of hot broth before adding to avoid lumps), sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and optional mushroom powder or powdered dashi. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

For non-vegan rich finish: heat the bone broth concentrate gently and whisk or use an immersion blender to emulsify the concentrate into the mushroom broth. For vegan option: blend silken tofu with soy/oat milk and 2 tbs neutral oil until very smooth.

Temper the emulsified mixture by slowly adding 200–300 ml of the hot strained mushroom broth into the blender or bowl while blending or whisking. This creates a creamy, opaque emulsion reminiscent of tonkotsu mouthfeel.

Whisk or blend the emulsion back into the main pot of hot mushroom broth. Heat gently (do not boil vigorously once miso or soy milk/Tufu is added) and adjust seasoning with salt or soy sauce to taste. Keep warm.

Cook

Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower 4 large eggs using a spoon and boil for 6 minutes for jammy yolks (6–6.5 minutes depending on egg size).

Cool & Peel

Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop cooking. Gently crack and peel each egg under running water to help remove shells cleanly.

Marinate

Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar in a jar or shallow container. Stir to dissolve sugar. Submerge peeled eggs in the marinade (use a weight to keep them submerged). Marinate in the fridge at least 2 hours, ideally 6–8 hours or overnight for deeper color and flavor.

If using braised tofu (vegan protein): press tofu 20–30 minutes to remove excess water. Slice into 1-cm thick slabs. Pan-sear in 1 tbs oil until golden brown both sides, then simmer briefly in a mixture of 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs mirin, 1 tbs water and a pinch of sugar for 5–7 minutes to infuse flavor. Keep warm.

If using prepared chashu pork: warm gently in a skillet with a splash of stock or in the oven until heated through, keeping juices to drizzle into bowls.

Cook ramen noodles according to package directions in a large pot of boiling water (fresh usually 1–2 minutes, dried 3–4 minutes). Stir so they don't stick. Drain and briefly rinse only if using very starchy dried noodles; otherwise drain well.

Divide cooked noodles among 4 bowls (one serving per bowl).

Ladle 500 ml (about 2 cups) of the hot mushroom-cream emulsion broth over the noodles in each bowl so they are generously covered.

Top each bowl with 2 slices of chashu or several pieces of braised tofu, one halved soy-marinated soft-boiled egg, reserved sautéed mushroom caps or menma, a handful of sliced green onions, nori strips, toasted sesame seeds, and a light drizzle of chili oil if using.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra soy sauce, chili oil, and pickled ginger at the table for customization.