This umami vegan ramen is sure to tick all the boxes! The homemade broth is savory and rich built on a base of aromatics, shiitake mushrooms and kombu seaweed slowly simmered until concentrated into the most delicious pot of soup for your noodles to swim in.
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion with a pinch of sea salt until translucent.
1 small yellow onion
Add the pepper and the 2 scallions and cook a few more minutes until the veggies start to get some color.
1 cup bell pepper, 2 scallions
Push veggies to the side and drizzle a drop of olive oil in the center then add the garlic to the hot oil. Let it cook for about 45 seconds until fragrant then give it a mix with all the veggies. (add the chili paste if using)
3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp chili paste
Add the shiitakes and cook everything together for a few more minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated.
8 oz shiitake caps
Add the ginger, maple syrup, shoyu, water and Kombu seaweed and bring to a simmer. Partially cover with a lid and simmer on medium low heat for about 45 minutes. We want the broth to concentrate in flavor mostly, a little reduction is okay but not too much. Remove from heat. (At this point you can strain if desired but I love to keep all the goodies in the broth and only discard the kombu).
1.5 tsp ground ginger, 6 cups water, 3 Tbsp shoyu, 2 tsp maple syrup, 3x3 inch piece Kombu seaweed
In a small bowl whisk together the miso with a ladle or two of the hot broth until completely mixed. Pour back into the soup pot and combine.
2 tsp white miso
Prep Jackfruit Meat - Preheat oven to 400”F.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit pieces discarding any tough seeds or seed pods you might find. (If using Tofu make sure to drain + press it first).
2x15 oz cans green unripe jackfruit
In a large bowl combine the jackfruit with the olive oil, Shoyu, onion, garlic, maple syrup and paprika. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes giving it a toss half way. Roast until the jackfruit starts to get little caramelized golden edges. Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little bit of toasted sesame oil before serving over the ramen noodles.TOFU Version - Once pressed just tear the tofu block into bite size pieces and toss with the seasonings. Bake in the preheated oven and check for doneness at the 18-20 minute mark as to avoid drying it out. This will all depend on how much the tofu was pressed and its moisture content so check early for best results).
2x15 oz cans green unripe jackfruit, 2 Tbsp shoyu, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp granulated garlic, 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions just until al dente (discard any seasoning packets or save for other uses).
12 - 16 oz ramen noodles
Drain the noodles in a colander and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent them from breaking. (I love long wavy noodles to slurp on).
Divide the noodles between 4 bowls and ladle some of the broth on top. Top with the roasted jackfruit pieces, a few broccoli florets, blanched baby bok choy and a sprinkling of scallions. Serve with a few drops of Sichuan chili crisp hot sauce for extra flavor
Sichuan Chili crisp hot sauce for serving, Scallions, Steamed broccoli florets, Red chili pepper - sliced, Basil leaves, Blanched baby bok choy, Sesame seeds
Video
Notes
The Broth - Once the broth has finished cooking you can strain it if desired, I love to keep all the goodies in the broth and only discard the kombu.
Make it Creamy - If a creamy broth is desired you can whisk in 1/3 cup or so of Tahini. I would do this at the same time with the miso whisking everything together in a separate bowl with some of the hot broth until fully incorporate. Then add it back into the rest of the broth.