Ramen was always an easy, go-to dish of mine. Yes, I’m talking about the instant, college dorm room kind. But recently as I set out to cook an at home Asian dinner, homemade Spicy Vegetarian Ramen happened. And friends, it is sooo good.
Now let me stop you before you panic about how complicated it must be to make your own Spicy Vegetarian Ramen at home. This is simply a recipe to elevate a tried-and-true favorite, and it takes maybe five minutes to make. You can, of course, find fresh ramen noodles at a local Asian market, but you can just as easily use the dried ramen noodles (they still work great!). Here, I’ve used the dried noodles simply for convenience and you would never be able to tell the difference.
Since these ramen noodles are flavorless, you can mix literally anything you want into the base of the dish, which for me consists of garlic, organic vegetable broth and toasted sesame oil. (Note: Sesame oil is one of the quickest ways to infuse an Asian flavor that we all know and love into a dish, and I’ve found that the Toasted version is my favorite). For the accompaniments of my ramen, I included grilled bok choy (made so easy on one of these guys) and fresh cilantro, and since you know I love to pack a punch with extra heat whenever I can, I added Sriracha and tons of fresh peppers…jalapeños, serranos and Thai chili peppers. And you can never forget about the garnish! I squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice and maybe additional Sriracha if I’m feeling extra dangerous. Tell me friends, how do you like your ramen? Did you, too, have an obsession with the instant stuff way back when?! Truly, MKR
P.S. Don’t miss my other must-try recipes for your homemade Asian dinner: Grilled Bok Choy, Spicy Vegan Lettuce Wraps and my Lemongrass Gin Fizz with Mint (recipe coming tomorrow!). xo
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha paste
- 16 ounces ramen noodles (fresh if possible)*
- Grilled baby bok choy (and any additional vegetables such as grilled green onions, grilled brocolli, grilled carrots, shiitake mushrooms)
- Cilantro for garnish
- Limes for garnish
- Jalepenos or thai chili for garnish
- chili sauce for garnish
- In a large pot, heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 quart broth and bring to a simmer. Add soy sauce and Sriracha paste, bring to a boil and then immediately reduce to a simmer approximately 10 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles until just tender; 3-4 minutes.
- Grill desired vegetables on a grill pan, cooking until just barley tender.
- To serve, place noodles in a bowl and top with broth and vegetables. Garnish with cilantro, peppers, lime and garlic chili sauce.
I must have been one of those crazy college students . . .because I didn’t eat much ramen or pizza when I was college. As a matter of fact, I remember having all my friends over and cooking fancy pot roasts and the like. The only time I really had ramen when I was volunteering during the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts where dinner choice was either those fast ramen cups or a Snickers bar. I chose the Ramen cups. Your ramen is a far cry from what I experienced and I must say that I just might get on the ramen bandwagon if ramen can be this divine. And that grilled bok choy. . .superb!
LOVE this!! We use toasted sesame oil all the time – such amazing flavor. I need to try this recipe with some fresh ramen noodles asap!
I cannot wait to make this!! I love that you post so many delicious vegetarian recipes 🙂 🙂
Yum! Ramen is so good!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com