Better than take out: packed with protein and veggies, with a flavourful ginger + soy broth. Everything comes together in one pot, in less than a half hour!
Ready in about 20 minutes, all in one pot, this brothy vegan ramen is a complete plant-based meal!
Friends, there are few things that hit like a big bowl of noodles. I’m always into it: a rich, umami packed broth so good, it’s drinkable. Chewy, tender noodles to slurp up, the noisier the better!
And THIS is exactly the kind of vegan recipe that will satisfy any plant-based skeptic: the chewy smoked tofu gives the broth an almost pork-like flavour. You can use any greens you have on hand, so grab whatever is on sale this week at the store! Make it classic with fried ramen bricks or keep it lighter with non-fried ramen…OR gluten free ramen if you need it. I’m still a dietitian, after all…wanna make sure you’ve got OPTIONS.
My not-so-secret ingredient for making instant broths that taste as good as one you’ve simmered for an hour? Better than Bouillon vegetarian “beef” concentrate. If you’ve been here for a while, you know how obsessed I am with the BTB – it’s all I use in my book Plant Magic because it just tastes SO much better than boxed broths and it’s a lot more affordable and eco-friendly because you don’t have to buy all those cartons.
I know some of my American friends have a harder time finding smoked tofu so here’s the hookup: Trader Joe’s baked tofu is similar, I recommend the Sriracha version! Whole Foods typically has one too. If you don’t have access to a neighbourhood Asian grocer like I do, these are the best options. And of course, this will be delicious with regular tofu too… though, if you want to kick it up a notch, my crispy baked tofu would be the perfect addition.
Ramen is a comfort food staple: from the budget-friendly instant varieties I grew up on, to the incredible hand-crafted ramen in restaurants that takes hours to prepare. My version is not exactly traditional, but it was born of wanting to create something flavourful and nourishing at home.
How to make this 20-ish minute vegan ramen
Ready for some weeknight comfort food? With just 9 ingredients and a wee bit of chopping, we’ll have you slurping and satisfied in no time! We’re cooking the ramen right in the pot with the broth and veggies…so clean up is a breeze. I highly recommend you have all the ingredients ready to go as this ramen is so speedy, you don’t want to be rummaging through the pantry while things cook!
Make this recipe your own: use whatever veggies, tofu and hot sauce you have on hand. You could also totally do this spaghetti or rice noodles if that’s what you’ve got. Your house, your rules!
First things first: grab those ingredients! You’ll need some fresh garlic, green onions, ginger, a bunch of greens (I use kale or baby bok choy most often), soy sauce, gochujang or your fave hot sauce, Better than Bouillon vegetarian beef concentrate, a brick of smoked tofu and 4 portions of ramen. Plus a bit of oil for cooking! Exact measurements and recipe in the recipe card below.
Low waste tip! If using a stemmed green, separate and finely chop the stems, then cook them with the aromatics.
once the aromatics are cooked, add your greens and cook for a couple of minutes.
Step One: Heat the oil in a soup pot and cook the garlic, green onions and ginger on medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Then add the kale leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
Step Two: Add the water, bouillon concentrate, gojuchang and soy sauce and bring to a boil on medium high. Once boiling, add the tofu and ramen and cook to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes).
Step Three: Eat. Yep, it’s actually that easy.
I love the flavourful heat of gochujang, a Korean hot sauce but if you can’t find it, sriracha or even Valentina’s will work!
Not all ramen is fried! These are un-fried, and you can use gluten free if needed too.
Swaps and stuff…cuz we all like to eat good food.
Gluten free? If you have celiac disease, Lotus Foods ramen is a great choice. Make sure to use gluten free soy sauce or tamari, and that your hot sauce brand is GF. BTB is not celiac-friendly although it doesn’t use gluten-containing ingredients, so use GoBio or Knorr instead for plant-based and gluten free options! I might add a bit of extra garlic powder and soy sauce to add umami.
Low FODMAP? As above, use GF ramen and tamari. Use a garlic-free hot sauce and FODY low FODMAP bouillon. Swap garlic for two extra green onions and use only the dark green tops.
This non-traditional take on ramen is the perfect easy vegan weeknight dinner!
More easy vegan dinners:
Vegan Mac and Cheese with Silken Tofu Sauce
Smoky Red Lentil Chili
Buffalo Shredded Tofu Wrap
30 Minute Smashed Black Bean Tacos
Carrot, Lentil and Fresh Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk
Weeknight Vegan Ramen with Smoked Tofu and Greens
Better than take out: packed with protein and veggies, with a flavourful ginger + soy broth. Everything comes together in one pot in less than a half hour!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil or other, neutral oil4 whole green onions thinly sliced, see notes for LoFO2 cloves garlic chopped1 inch piece ginger finely chopped1 small bunch greens thinly sliced (kale, chard, bok choy, gai lan are all good)4 cups water or swap 4 cups of your favourite broth and omit bouillon concentrate1 tablespoon better than bouillon vegetarian beef concentrate see below for GF/LoFo options2 tablespoons soy sauce gluten free if needed1 – 2 tablespoons gochujang or your favourite hot sauce, GF/LoFo if needed1 package smoked tofu diced4 bricks ramen any kind!
Imperial – Metric
Instructions
Low waste tip! If using a green with a stem, separate the stems, and finely chop them…we’ll use them next.
Heat the oil in a soup pot and cook the garlic, green onions, ginger and chopped stems (if using) on medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Then add the kale leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the water, bouillon concentrate, gojuchang and soy sauce and bring to a boil on medium high.
Once boiling, add the tofu and ramen and cook to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes) and enjoy!
Flavour tip: If using something other than BTB concentrate, taste and adjust with more soy sauce, hot sauce or even a bit of garlic powder or miso if desired.
Notes
Gluten free? If you have celiac disease, Lotus Foods ramen is a great choice. Make sure to use gluten free soy sauce or tamari, and that your hot sauce brand is GF. BTB is also not celiac-friendly although it doesn’t use gluten-containing ingredients, so use GoBio or Knorr instead for plant-based and gluten free options! I might add a bit of extra garlic powder and soy sauce to add umami.
Low FODMAP? As above, use GF ramen and tamari. Use a garlic-free hot sauce and FODY low FODMAP bouillon. Swap garlic for two extra green onions and use only the dark green tops.
Make this recipe your own: use whatever veggies and hot sauce you have on hand. You could also totally do this spaghetti or rice noodles if that’s what you’ve got. Your house, your rules!
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Low FODMAP? As above, use GF ramen and tamari. Use a garlic-free hot sauce and FODY low FODMAP bouillon. Swap garlic for two extra green onions and use only the dark green tops.
Make this recipe your own: use whatever veggies and hot sauce you have on hand. You could also totally do this spaghetti or rice noodles if that’s what you’ve got. Your house, your rules!
The post Weeknight Vegan Ramen with Smoked Tofu and Greens appeared first on Desiree Nielsen.
