I feel like most people can think of a time in their life where they ate a lot of ramen. It was most likely to save money, but there are always those who love it. Mine time was in high school: I would buy ramen noodle cups in the cafeteria and have a hot lunch within minutes. After high school, I stopped eating ramen and often missed those days of a warm cup of noodles.
This recipe brought me back to highschool, but with a more sophisticated twist. I was for sure not eating this many vegetables in ramen then. I’m pretty sure that cup had small carrots and peas, and that’s it.
Easy homemade vegetable ramen isn’t just great because it’s so easy, it’s also because you can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can use packaged ramen noodles, or make your own. You could even use thin spaghetti noodles if you are unable to find packaged ramen in your grocery store.
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili paste (more if desired)
- 5 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 4 ounces mushrooms ( pick your favorite)
- 1½ cups grated carrots
- 2 packages of ramen (discard seasoning packet)
- 4 cups baby spinach ( about one bag)
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- Heat the sesame oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in the ginger, soy sauce, and chili paste.
- Slowly add in the the broth. Next, add in the mushrooms, and carrots, bring to a low boil, reduce heat,cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want the mushrooms to become soft. Next stir in ramen noodles (discard seasonings). cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add spinach to the pot and cover with a lid. Let the spinach wilt for 2-3.
- Taste the soup to make sure it is at your desired taste. Add more soy sauce or chili paste if desired. Serve immediately with chopped green onions on top.
Recipe adapted from Chow