10-Minute Vegetable Ramen Noodles

Easy Vegetable Ramen Noodles with a spicy miso broth. Loaded with veggies, plant-based protein, and an optional soft-cooked egg, this vegetarian ramen noodle bowl is ready in just 10 minutes and is the perfect quick lunch or dinner. 

I don't know about you, but a bowl of loaded vegetable ramen noodles is one of my go-to meals year round. 

Is there anything better than slurpable ramen noodles, a spicy, fragrant miso broth, and an endlessly customizable parade of vegetables to throw into the mix? I think not. 

I got on the ramen train after trying Roi Choi's perfect instant ramen, which includes an egg poached right in the broth, and a slice of American cheese melted over the top. Throwing a processed cheese slice into your ramen sounds weird, right? But man oh man is it ever good.

But I am not Roi Choi, and this is Hey Nutrition Lady, so you know I'm stepping up the vegetable game hardcore, right? Even so, those gorgeous veggie-packed ramen noodles are delicious, crave-able comfort food at it's best. 

Whether you choose a packet of instant ramen and fancy it up (totally fine) or cook up some authentic soba noodles as I have done today, this dish won't take you much more than 10 minutes to get on the table. Make it for one, or make it for many, just make it your way. 

Let's get going!

What do I need to make vegetarian ramen?

You just need a few basics ingredients to get started and then the rest is up to you! Here's what you'll need:

• Noodles --> I used some super legit soba noodles that a friend brought me from Japan, but a packet of instant ramen is totally fine too!
• Broth --> Your favourite vegetable broth will do the trick. We're going to fancy it up.
• Ginger --> Pro tip: keep your ginger in the freezer and it grates like a dream.
• Garlic --> Giving this broth some pow!
• Miso --> I used a dark barley miso, but white miso is totally fine too.
• Vegetables --> Pick your favourites! I used bok choy, carrots, enoki mushrooms, scallions, snow peas, and chilis. 
• Protein --> I used a soft-boiled egg and a handful of shelled edamame. 
• Soy sauce and Sriracha --> For extra flavour and zing. 

Do I need any special equipment?

Not particularly. Just a pot big enough to hold your noodles and broth, and otherwise you're good to go. 

How do you make vegetarian ramen? 

It all starts with making the broth! Today we're making quick and easy veggie ramen, so we're starting with a pre-made broth and adding some zing to it. Here's what you do:

Step 1: Heat a bit of oil in your pan. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes to soften. You'll want to stop just as the garlic is starting to brown (see above photo).

Step 2: Add the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up all of the flavour, and let it come to a simmer. 

Step 3: Add the miso paste. I like to put the miso in a small bowl and add a few tablespoons of broth. Whisk into a smooth slurry, and add back into the broth. 

Step 4: Add your noodles to the broth and cook until just softened. Note! You can also cook the noodles separately and add them to the soup at the end.

Step 5: Add the vegetables to the broth just before the noodles are finished, and let them cook until they're softened just a bit. 

Step 6: Add your protein of choice. 

Step 7: Season your vegetable ramen with a bit of soy sauce, Sriracha, or whatever else you like. 

Step 8: Serve!

Confession time!

Pretty food photos are fairly essential on a recipe blog, so when I made this "10-Minute Vegetable Ramen" to photograph for the blog, I cooked every vegetable individually so that I'd be able to style them on top of my soup. Don't expect your ramen to look like this! 

When I make it  just to chow down on at home, I find bite-sized veggies are easier to eat and quicker cooking. If I hadn't of been taking photos I would have chopped all of the veg up like so.

Can I use different veggies?

Yes! You do you. I also love snow peas, baby corn, broccoli florets, spinach leaves, and bean sprouts tossed in with the hot broth. Use what you have on hand and what you like and you can't go wrong. 

How do you cook the egg?

I did a six-minute soft-boiled egg, which I cooked in a separate pot alongside the ramen. It's an extra dish to wash, yes, but it doesn't add to your cooking time whatsoever.

For me the step of soft-cooking the egg separately is fully worth it for getting the perfect (to me) egg texture of a well-cooked white and a medium-soft yolk.

Can I make vegan ramen?

You sure can! Just leave out the egg and it's vegan all the way. 

Can you make ramen in advance?

Once the noodles hit the broth you've got a fairly limited window before they start to get mushy, so I don't recommend making the ramen bowls in advance. However, you can certainly prep all of the components in advance to make things extra quick.

For example, if you had the veggies pre-chopped, the egg pre-cooked (stop the cooking in an ice bath so it doesn't over cook), and the broth ready to go, all you need to do is heat it up and add the noodles. You can even pre-cook the noodles, drain, rinse in cold water, and toss in a bit of sesame oil so they don't get too clumpy. 

Hey Nutrition Lady, what's the deal with bok choy?

Bok choy, also known as pak choy, is a member of the brassica family which also includes broccoli, collard greens, and kale. Pak choy is host to a number of antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, carotenoids (a pre-curser to vitamin A), manganese, and zinc, as well as a range of phytonutrients.

There are also many anti-inflammatory nutrients in pak choy, including the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and vitamin K. Pak choy, like other cruciferous vegetables, are a good source of glucosinolates – unique sulfur-containing compounds that have been shown to have cancer-protective properties. It’s also a good source of potassium, folate, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, vitamin B2, phosphorus, and dietary fiber.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Miso Veggie Soup in a Jar
Vegan Poké Bowls
Vegan Rice Noodle Bowls
Black Bean Noodle Bowls with Spicy Sesame Sauce

This recipe was originally published May 22, 2017. It was retested, rephotographed, and last updated on April 2, 2020.