I am in love with this simply delicious vegan ramen! I have been a fan of ramen for quite a long time and have always preferred the veggie-based options, even when I still ate meat. Vegetable based ramen is healthy, light, and can be full of flavor and wonderful textures! Ramen is also super easy to make since all you need are some classic ramen staples and asian flavors to make the perfect dish!
Ramen Recipe Staples
As mentioned above, there are some core ingredients that we need to take into consideration to make a proper bowl of ramen!
- Asian Noodles- My go-to is of course ramen noodles but you can really use any type of asian noodle here. I have had ramen with rice noodles and egg noodles as well (although that would not be vegan!). Even if you go to a ramen restaurant you will find that there are usually a few different noodle options.
- Mushrooms- Shiitake mushrooms seem to be the most popular asian mushroom but you can use whatever mushrooms you prefer. Shiitake mushrooms are very good in this recipe and are filled with nutrients so I would definitely recommend trying them!
- A “Meat”- Usually, but not always, ramen dishes have a source of protein that is used as a topping. Pork and beef strips are very common but as a vegan I have discovered that tempeh slices work just as well! You can season the tempeh with soy sauce, peanut butter, and sesame oil to give it an asian flare!
- Asian Flavors- There are some traditional asian condiments you can use in your ramen to give it that true restaurant flavor. These are soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and peanut butter! You can use these for your tempeh seasoning, broth, or topping.
Ingredient Recommendations
There are a few ingredients that I would recommend using but feel free to explore! You can also use this list as a reference for options and substitutions for what you may have already tried.
- LightLife Organic Tempeh (Link)– This tempeh is great since it comes unseasoned and organic! You have all the freedom you want to make the flavor appropriate for the dish. This style of tempeh is also great since you can make slices that are great for ramen.
- Vegetable Broth (Link)- I really like the Great Value Organic Vegetable Broth since it is cheap, organic, and tastes great! Some boxed broths are too oily, thick, or just don’t have the right flavor for the dish. This broth’s flavor is simple and light and tastes great as a base for most soups!
- Ramen Noodles (Link)- These noodles are great if you are planning on using ramen noodles! You don’t have to use this brand but I wanted to provide you with a link incase you wanted to check them out!
Let me know what you think about this vegan ramen recipe in the comments below!
- The Tempeh
- 8 oz original tempeh (I used LightLife Organic)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I prefer low-sodium)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional but good)*
- 2 tablespoons water
- The Soup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (diced)
- 2 boxes (32 oz) vegetable broth (I like Great Value Organic Veg Broth)
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 1 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (or another mushroom)
- 2 cups sliced bok choy
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- The Noodles
- 1 box (8oz) ramen noodles (I use Simply Asia Japanese Style Noodles)
- The Toppings
- 1 medium carrot (sliced into long, thin pieces with a peeler)*
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 package roasted seaweed pieces
1
Turn tempeh on its (long) side and cut across the whole piece so you have two equal-sized thin pieces of tempeh. Now stack the 2 thin slices and cut both into 4 pieces so you have 8 thinly sliced pieces total that look like the tempeh in my pictures.
2
Prepare the marinade by combining all other ingredients in a bowl and mixing together until combined.
3
Put the tempeh and the marinade in a large ziplock bag and shake around until all tempeh is coated with marinade.
4
Zip the bag shut and let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes, flipping halfway though. (Work on the soup in the meantime)
5
Once marinated, you can remove the tempeh and pour it and the remaining marinade into a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Cook both sides of your pieces for 5-6 minutes each or until they start to brown.
6
Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot in the sesame oil on low heat until fragrant.
7
Add the vegetable broth and water and turn to a medium/high heat.
8
Add the green onion, mushrooms, bok choy, and all seasonings to the broth.
9
Cover and allow to simmer until the bok choy is wilted. Remove from heat.
10
Cook your rice noodles according to the package instructions.
11
Prepare the toppings as they cook.
12
Once everything is prepared, add your broth mixture and noodles to a bowl. Top with tempeh and other toppings 🙂
*I use my own peanut butter but natural store bought peanut butter is also fine.
*You can cook the sliced carrots with the mushrooms and bok choy if you prefer soft cooked carrots.