Veggie Ramen Recipe with Mirin – Perfect for a Cozy, Comforting Meal

This easy, 10-minute veggie ramen recipe will please both kids and adults. Just add vegetables, ramen noodles, & mirin for a quick and simple meal.

My kids are obsessed with ramen. And, If you haven’t noticed already, there has been a massive explosion of ramen bars popping up. There is an obsession with this bowl of noodles with or without broth because it satisfies your cravings at any time of the day.

We all love the ability to customize our foods and this veggie ramen recipe with mirin does just that, from the type of noodles to varieties of broths, and a plethora of toppings, there is a veggie ramen bowl out there to satisfy your taste buds!

What do you like in your ramen bowls? Leave a comment below and be sure to send me pictures @veggiecurean! BON APPÉTIT!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty, fresh, and filling, this ramen dish makes a wonderful vegan lunch or dinner, similar to my other recipes like One Pot Mexican Soup and Cumin Lentil Soup. Ramen recipes are usually quite easy to modify as you can add different vegetables and seasonings to them, or top them with different garnishes. This ramen noodle recipe is no different as you can really use 3 cups of whatever vegetables you have on hand such as bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots. Here are some other reasons why this is a meal you will want to make again and again:

• Fast to Make: Ramen noodles only take minutes to cook, and since the veggies should still be brightly colored and have some texture to them, they don’t need very long on the heat either. In total, this dish only takes around 20 minutes to make from start to finish.
• A Clear-out-the-fridge Dinner: Similar to other stir-fry recipes, you can use whatever fresh veggies you have left in your fridge to help you use them up. Good options include bok choy, fresh greens, mushrooms, shredded cabbage, and more. If you have meat eaters in your home, you could also add any leftover meat that you have, or toss in some tofu as extra protein for your plant-based friends and family.
• A Three-ingredient Sauce: Requiring only soy sauce, sesame oil, and coconut sugar, the sauce for this veggie ramen recipe is salty, savory, and full of umami flavor.
• Easy to Turn into a Ramen Soup: If you love brothy ramen noodles, feel free to replace the water with your favorite homemade or store-bought vegan broth so you can serve it as a soup. You can then add all of your desired ramen toppings to make it look extra special. If you would like to try another soup with garnishes, consider trying this Black Bean Soup which has Mexican flavors and a garnish of avocado.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

This homemade ramen recipe has a simple list of ingredients that you should be able to find in any grocery store, no specialty Asian grocery store necessary! Here is what you will need to make this heartwarming noodle dish:

Sauce

• low sodium soy sauce
• toasted sesame oil – or peanut oil
• coconut sugar

Noodles

• uncooked ramen noodles – such as buckwheat ramen noodles
• sesame oil – or peanut oil
• scallions
• veggies – such as julienne carrots, red peppers, small broccoli florets
• mirin

Step-by-Step Instructions

This healthy vegetarian ramen recipe makes a quick and easy dinner made on top of the stove. Here is how to make them:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, oil, and sugar together for the sauce, and set it aside.
2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain them and set them aside. Discard the spice package that your noodles come with as you won’t need it for this recipe.
3. In a large wok or skillet, heat the oil.
4. Add the white parts of the scallions and vegetables to the hot pan and stir fry until they are fork-tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the mirin, cooked noodles, and about half sauce mixture, tossing gently to combine. Add more sauce if needed.
6. Serve topped with remaining green parts of the scallions, and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Results

If you have been looking for easy ramen recipes, this one will be a great place to start due to its simple ingredient list and how quickly it comes together. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to make this recipe come out the best it can be:

• Don’t Overcook the Noodles: Use the package instructions as a guide for cooking the ramen noodles as you don’t want them to become soft or soggy in the final outcome. They should have some bite similar to when you cook other types of pasta.
• Add More Sauce as Needed: Start with only adding half the sauce and then if you find that the sauce isn’t coating the noodles enough or the flavors aren’t as strong as you would like, you can add the rest. If you like them really saucy, you could even scale up the sauce if you prefer.
• Don’t Overcook the Vegetables: You want the vegetables to be brightly colored at the end of the cooking process and still have some texture to them. In total, the vegetables should only need 5 minutes or so over the heat to reach the perfect texture.
• Add Garnishes if Desired: When you get ramen noodles in ramen bars, they often have plenty of beautiful toppings. If you want to get creative, feel free to garnish the ramen noodle bowls with grated carrots, sesame seeds, hot sauce, and more. You could even add soft-boiled eggs if you aren’t vegan, or top the noodles with kimchi or nori if you enjoy those flavors.

What Are Ramen Noodles?

Many around the world enjoy ramen because they are low in cost, easy to find, and quick to prepare. Typically, the instant ramen packages contain dried noodles and a packet of seasoning that you add to hot water.

Instant ramen evolved from Japanese ramen and Nissan Foods invented it in 1958. The average Japanese person eats about 40 packs of instant ramen each year. Other major lovers of ramen include China, Indonesia, and India. One of the largest non-Asian consumers is the United States, with about 4.4 billion servings consumed in 2018.

With all that said, ramen is Chinese in origin and is traditionally made up of a chewy wheat noodle. This chewy texture comes from a combination of high-protein and medium-high gluten flour and kansui, a key alkaline ingredient containing sodium and potassium carbonate that also gives the noodles a light-yellow shade.

Ramen noodles can be wavy or straight and some fresh ramen noodles may also contain eggs. There are five types of ramen to be familiar with to help when making it from scratch or even when ordering out.

1. Tonkotsu – Has a thick pork bone broth that is cooked for hours and has a creamy texture.
2. Shoyu – Has a rich and clear chicken or vegetable soy sauce that is typically topped with bamboo shoots and green onions.
3. Shio – Has a clear chicken, fish, or vegetable salted broth that is typically topped with barbecued pork and pickled plums.
4. Kare – Has curry flavor, pork bone, and vegetable broth.
5. Miso – Has a slightly thick, miso-infused broth that is typically made with chicken or fish.

Which Ramen Noodles Should I Buy?

Choosing the best noodles for your veggie ramen is up to personal fondness, but the most common ramen noodles are soba, somen, and udon. I searched far and wide on the internet and found the noodles that will guarantee the best veggie ramen bowl, and you can purchase them all at your local grocery store or on Amazon.

If you prefer to use fresh noodles instead of prepackaged ones they can be found at your local Whole Foods. Here’s my list of the best ramen noodles.

1. Maruchan Soy-Sauce Flavor Ramen Noodles – instant and affordable
2. Sukina Buckwheat Soba Noodles – rich texture and flavor
3. Hakubaku Organic Japanese Noodles – great value
4. Hana Buckwheat Noodles – a classic choice
5. Lotus Foods Millet & Brown Rice Ramen – gluten-free and low in sodium

What Vegetables Are Good Toppings for Ramen?

The choices are endless when it comes to adding vegetable toppings to your veggie ramen bowl. Using what is fresh or in your refrigerator will work, which is what makes this fun! Here are a few favorites:

• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Bok choy
• Peas
• Corn
• Spinach
• Cabbage kimchi
• Thinly-sliced garlic
• Bean sprouts
• Oyster mushrooms
• Baby spinach
• Cucumbers

How to Use Ramen with Vegetables?

In making this simple 10-minute veggie ramen bowl recipe, sautéing the vegetables is key. We use carrots, red peppers, broccoli florets, and the white parts of the green onions in a hot pan and stir-fry until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Feel free to use your favorite vegetables or any you may have on hand.

Is This Veggie Ramen Easy to Make?

This veggie ramen is SO easy to make, guaranteeing a healthy meal will be on the table in 10 minutes flat! Here is the rundown:

1. Make the sauce.
2. Cook the noodles.
3. Sauté the vegetables.
4. Add mirin.
5. Toss everything together, garnish, and serve!

Is This Recipe Vegetarian?

When you purchase ramen in the pack, it typically comes with a seasoning packet. Although the noodles may be vegetarian, the packet contents may not be. In this veggie ramen recipe, the seasoning packet was removed making it 100% vegetarian.

Is Vegetarian Ramen Spicy?

Typically, vegetarian ramen is not spicy, but the good thing is that you can make it as spicy as your taste buds would allow. You can add fresh chilis, jalapenos, or even some Asian chili sauce for some zing.

Is Veggie Ramen Served in Broth?

As you can tell, the above recipe can be used as-is or as a foundation that you can build on with your favorite ingredients. We boiled the noodles and strained the water in this recipe but using a homemade ramen broth recipe or store-bought vegetable broth in place of the water will turn this delicious veggie ramen into a veggie ramen noodle bowl. Just keep the broth instead of discarding it.

How to Serve Veggie Ramen

Deciding on how to serve veggie ramen recipe is where all the creativity and fun can come in, there is no right or wrong way.

• If you are making a family dinner, try serving it on a pretty platter so it becomes the centerpiece.
• Planning a picnic? This is perfect on the go and can be served in individual, disposable containers.
• The kids will be so surprised when they open their lunch boxes to find yummy veggie ramen with their favorite vegetables mixed in. It is a perfectly seasoned and balanced meal.
• This is also ideal if you have a friend or family member who just had a baby or surgery and needs a meal. It is easy to transport, and you can double the recipe, as it is easy to make a big batch.

This unbelievably easy and simple recipe for veggie ramen with mirin will be a winner for both kids and adults alike! It will easily become one of your go-to recipes, so here are a few things to remember here…

• This recipe is 100% dairy-free because it contains no milk.
• This veggie ramen is made with all vegetables, no meat here!
• Eat as your main dish or side dish, take to lunch, or on a picnic.
• Can be ready in under 10 minutes.
• Add as many vegetables as you like.
• Your topping game can be as simple as peanuts or as complicated as chilis.

Storage & Reheating

While this healthy vegetarian ramen recipe is best served immediately, you can store your leftover noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days if needed. However, if you would like to do some meal prep ahead of the week, you could easily mix the sauce and pre-cook the vegetables before storing them separately in the fridge. Then, all you will need to do is boil the ramen noodles and toss them with the toss and vegetables when you plan to serve them.

Nutritional Information

There are a multitude of health benefits to this veggie ramen if prepared as directed. Here are a few you can gain by using the ingredients in this dish.

• Sesame Oil – Can help in lowering blood pressure levels, preventing diabetes, and promoting good skin health.
• Green Onions – This can help to promote good eye and heart health. It is anti-inflammatory and can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
• Carrots – Helps to maintain good digestive health, regulate blood pressure and sugar levels, and prevent macular degeneration.
• Red Peppers – This is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
• Broccoli – It is packed with vitamins like A, C, E, and K and can aid in healthy digestion, reduce inflammation, and boost immune and bone health.
• It’s healthy.
• It’s dairy-free.

FAQ