Looking for a tasty tofu ramen with a flavorful slurpable broth? Authentic ramen from a Japanese restaurant is the absolute best. But the next best thing is trying it homemade! This tofu ramen is one of our favorites. The tofu is crispy and bursting with flavor from soy sauce and miso. Alex and I kept sneaking bites while making it! It’s served in a broth that’s filled with savory umami, and it’s 100% plant based.
Ingredients in tofu ramen
Ramen is a traditional Japanese dish of broth and wheat noodles (here’s a Ramen Guide for more). We love getting ramen at restaurants, especially when we’re traveling. But when we want it at home, we make a ramen recipe like this one! The tofu is so good, you could also make it separately and just snack on it. We couldn’t stop eating it! You’ll need a few special ingredients to make ramen at home, but it’s not hard to put together:
Extra firm tofu (make sure it’s not soft, silken, or firm!) Miso paste of any type Onion, garlic and green onion for aromatics Spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and Napa cabbage for the veggies Ramen noodles (more below!) Vegetable broth Sesame oil, soy sauce, and mirin Coconut milk for creaminess
More great ways to serve tofu? Try all our tofu recipes, especially Tofu Curry, Tofu Stir Fry, Pan Fried Tofu, and Grilled Tofu.
How long does it take?
This tofu ramen takes about 45 minutes to put together, but the time is well worth it! The most important thing about ramen is the nuanced, savory broth. This broth doesn’t take too long to make because it relies on miso pasta. Much of the time in this recipe you’ll be preparing the tofu and chopping the vegetables. If you do eat vegetarian and not vegan, you can top with a soft boiled egg to speed up prep time to 30 minutes! Go to Miso Ramen.
Can anything be made ahead?
Yes! You can prepare the tofu in advance, and then refrigerate until serving. It will become a little harder in the refrigerator, so you’ll want to reheat it in a skillet over medium heat before serving. You can also serve this tofu ramen with our Easy Marinated Tofu, which doesn’t require cooking. It just doesn’t have the nice crispy texture that pan-fried tofu has.
Storing leftovers: keep broth and noodles separate!
You’ll notice that this tofu ramen recipe indicates to keep the broth and noodles separate, then place them into serving bowls together. This is important because as the noodles sit in the broth, they absorb it. You’ll find that if you store leftover noodles in the broth, they’ll soak up all the “juice” and all your tasty broth will be gone! When you store leftovers, make sure to place the noodles and broth in separate containers. You’ll thank us later!
More about miso paste
Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s full of nutrients and savory flavor. It’s full of umami, the so-called fifth flavor that is the definition of savory. You’ll find umami in meats, mushrooms, cheese…and of course, miso! You can find miso at most major grocery stores near the other Japanese ingredients. There are many different types of miso, all with different flavors: red, yellow, and brown. You can use any type for this tofu ramen recipe! An unexpected use for leftover miso? Our Vegan Pesto.
How to cook tofu for ramen
Tofu types are important, because guess what: all tofu is not created equally! Here are some pointers for this recipe:
Do not buy silken or soft tofu! Check your container and make sure that it is not labeled silken or soft. This type of tofu is not intended for pan-frying; it’s used for smoothies and puddings. Firm can work, but extra firm tofu is best. Some grocery stores only carry firm tofu: and that should work! But if you have the option, use extra firm: it yields the best results when you pan fry it. Pan fry the tofu. Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Then pan fry the tofu for about 10 minutes until lightly browned and crisp on all sides, turning occasionally.
Finding noodles for tofu ramen
Where to find ramen noodles for this tofu ramen? Here are a few tips on types of noodles and where to find them:
Standard grocery vs Japanese or Asian grocery: Most grocery stores give you 1 or 2 options for ramen noodles: usually you’ll find them dried. You can also can go to your local Japanese or Asian grocery; they will have a wider variety including fresh and frozen. Fresh vs dried: You can use either fresh or dried noodles in this tofu ramen! Fresh are our favorite, but dried are easier to find. Curly vs straight: You’ll find noodles packaged with the word “ramen” that are curly or straight. Ramen is basically a wheat noodle served in broth, so there’s a lot of variation. You can use either! Here we’ve used a straight noodle, which works just as well as a curly like in our Mushroom Ramen.
Want to learn more about noodle types? Here’s a review of 6 different packaged ramen noodles.
Dietary notes
This tofu ramen recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Want more ramen recipes?
We’ve got ’em! Because we love the stuff, we’ve got several more ramen recipes in addition to this tofu ramen. Here are some of our favorites: 4.7 from 3 reviews
Easy Vegetarian Ramen The original! A quick and easy vegetarian ramen recipe that’s packed with umami. Vegan Mushroom Ramen This savory broth features both dried and fresh mushrooms. So good! Easy Miso Ramen Using miso brings huge flavor to this quick to make ramen. Instant Pot Ramen Yep, you can even use an Instant Pot to make ramen.
