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An easy favorite comfort food recipe – Ramen Noodle Bowls are a crazy tasty 15-minute dinner. Everyone can build their own bowl with their favorite mix-ins and toppings.
You know those days when everyone is tired and hungry, and the fridge is empty? Those are the days you need a quick meal that is delicious, nourishing, and easy enough to throw together in 15 minutes flat.
You need some ramen.
What Kind of Noodles Do You Use For Ramen?
Your choices are pretty endless; there are so many great options! Udon noodles are a thick and chewy noodle that will add extra hardiness to your soup. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat and will add a bit of nuttiness to your ramen noodle bowl.
You could also easily buy your favorite brand of ramen soup, ditch the flavoring packet, and just use the noodles. I buy the Lotus Foods brand from Costco because the price is fantastic (cheaper in person). They also happen to be gluten-free so if that is your jam, check them out.
How to Make Easy Ramen Broth
There are loads of homemade broth recipes that can make your ramen noodle bowls rival those of an authentic noodle house. But, if you’re like me and live in a wee little town with a #basicAF grocery store, many of those items can’t be purchased locally.
For these noodle bowls, we’re rocking:
- broth of your choice* (veggie, beef, pork, shrimp, or chicken (related: How to Make Chicken Bone Broth))
- soy sauce (use coconut aminos or tamari for gluten-free peeps)
- toasted sesame oil (heaven in a bottle)
- Miso paste (white, yellow, or red. Basically, whatever you can find)
- Minced garlic (meal prep hack: freeze your own garlic!)
How to Make Homemade Ramen Noodle Bowls
In a large pot, bring your broth to a boil. Add the soy sauce, garlic, miso, and sesame oil. Cook for two minutes to soften the garlic.
Add the noodles, and reduce to medium heat. Use a fork to start breaking them apart after 1 minute. Cook for 3 minutes for “al dente” noodles, or 4 minutes for a more thoroughly cooked noodle.
Transfer to bowls and add your favorite toppings! Slurp happy my friends.
Ramen Toppings & Variations
Gosh, there are so many things you can put in your noodle bowl! And that is why my kids love when this soup is on the menu because they can make it just how they want it.
Protein:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Pork
- Shrimp
- Tofu (related: Air Fryer Tofu)
- Eggs (most people prefer soft-boiled “jammy” eggs, but my kids are too picky so I do full-on Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs)
- Gyoza/ air fryer pot stickers
Veggies:
- Green onions (related: How to Freeze Green Onions) or Pickled Shallots
- Cabbage
- Shredded carrots (related: How to Freeze Carrots)
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Green beans (related: Freezing Green Beans)
- Snap peas (related: How to Freeze Peas)
- Cilantro
Misc.
- Chili oil
- Chili flakes
- Sriracha
- Curry paste
- Sesame seeds
- Bonita Flakes
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Don’t overcook the noodles unless you want a mushy cloudy broth. I’ll even turn the heat off after 2 minutes of cooking to keep the noodles super firm. The hot broth means your soup will continue to “cook” for a bit even off the heat.
- If you have kids and everyone wants to eat at the same time, adding a splash of cold broth or ice cubes to their bowls will help cool soup for the littles.
- Do yourself a favor and cut up the noodles for your kiddos to prevent an excessive mess. We use our kitchen shears which are used about 10 times a day in our household. These shears are a parent’s dream.
OTHER RECIPES You’ll Love
Homemade Ramen Noodle Bowls WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS
One serving of Homemade Ramen Noodle Bowls has 2 WW Freestyle SmartPoints.
Homemade Ramen Noodle Bowls
Ingredients
- 8 cups broth
- 2 tbsp miso paste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 noodle “cakes”
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring your broth to a boil. .8 cups broth
- Add the soy sauce, garlic, miso, and sesame oil. Cook for two minutes to soften the garlic2 tbsp miso paste, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the noodles, reduce to medium heat. Use a fork to start breaking them apart after 1 minute.4 noodle “cakes”
- Cook for 3 minutes for "al dente" noodles, or 4 minutes for a more thoroughly cooked noodle.
- Transfer to bowls and add your favorite toppings!2 green onions
Notes
- Don’t overcook the noodles unless you want a mushy cloudy broth. The hot broth means your soup will continue to “cook” for a bit even off the heat.
- If you have kids, adding a splash of cold broth or ice cubes to their bowls will help cool soup for the littles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hilarious. This so reminds me of when we are both sick at the same time. Or when I have to be sick and take care of the three kids for a week and he comes home from his business trip with the sniffles and sleeps for 2 days. SERIOUSLY guys! Suck it up.
Thank you Samantha. Since my husband doesn’t cook and sometimes doesn’t even think to get me something to eat when he gets something “to go” (“You were sleeping.”), he thinks I am fine, just FINE, when I drag myself out of bed and cook something. Then everything is right with his world. I had pneumonia when our youngest was about 18 months old and the doctor told him that the baby needed to be out of the house during the day or he’d hospitalize me. He complained that he had to take the baby to a friend at six in the morning and be late to his (stockbroker) job, as if the poor woman wanted ANOTHER KID at 6AM (that’s the earliest she was willing to commit to). He should have kissed her feet! They’re grown now, but still a handful at times! ; )
This looks awesome! Thanks!
(Laughing myself silly)~~ we just went through this at my house too… are those soba noodles? Is there a difference? The soup looks good, I just made a big pot of turkey vegetable with everything-you-can-inmagine- thrown in…(leftover wild and brown rice, leftover turnip greens cooked with bacon and onions, leftover small bowl of vegetable soup), carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and a jar of homecanned turkey and broth.
Thinking about making a meatloaf today, because I’m feelig better and want some smashed potatoes. (Meatloaf legitimizes smashed potatoes, in case you don’t know). I actually just want some comfort food in general. It’s 10 degrees here, with a wind chill of 1.
Love your blog. Friend of mine has a shirt that says, “Sarcasm- just another service I offer.”
Bahahahaha….
I have no idea if they’re actually soba noodles, but they felt much thinner and lighter. I have soba noodles at home already, but I wanted something closer to an actual ramen noodle.
Mmmmm, smashed potatoes!
um ditto. to the sodium engorged Ramen noodles (ick) and to the currently sick/whiney husband. If only I didn’t already spend way too much at the grocery store this week, and already threw out the leftover chicken broth I used in a recipe last night. Although, he probably is going to ask me to get him some sprite and cranberry juice- his need to feel better drink of choice- by the end of the day.
Sprite and cranberry juice sounds pretty awesome right now. Will you bring me some too please?
What is it about men that makes their illness like 10 times worse?
I am really excited to try this ramen. I have been wanting ramen for a while, but I didn’t want the sodium or the chemicals that you find in the packaged stuff. So excited to try this recipe.
I kinda want to eat this every day this week because I’m feeling LAZY.
I also have no h… however I DO love reading your blog and I also appreciate anyone who, (like me), incorporates hefty doses of sarcasm into their blogging. Whoever said sarcasm is a cruel form of humor was obviously… not funny.
So excited to try this…ramen tempts me everytime I walk by it in the grocery store…
You sound like me… My friends ask me if I’m feeling ill, and I tell them no, just a bit off. I will not own up to being sick unless I’m like, 5 days into a bronchitis infection (like 2 years ago). Though then again, I’m not sick. At that point, I’m just dying.
The soup looks amazing. Is that just regular cooked ham? I’ve been having a very unusual and terrible luck finding ham to use, so I stopped using ham all together.
Our local butcher makes this specialty ham called “honey ham nugget” and it tastes exactly like BBQ pork from a Chinese restaurant. It’s precooked (smoked), so all I have to do it slice it and put it on the soup! It’s delicious.
I absolutely love your blog. Hope your feeling better.
Thanks love!
Dear Sarah,
I love you, and your blog, and will probably love this soup.
Love,
Sara-no-h
Sara,
I’ll forgive you for not having an “h” since you enjoy my blog! ;-D