Spicy Miso Ramen (Shortcut)
I used to think real ramen required a 12-hour broth. Then I learned the miso shortcut and my weeknight dinner options expanded dramatically.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth 1.5L; good quality, rich
- 3 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chilli garlic sauce or sambal oelek
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 packs ramen noodles fresh or instant — discard the seasoning packets
- Soft-boiled eggs 6.5 minutes in boiling water, immediate ice bath
- Toppings: corn, nori sheets, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, chilli crisp
Method
Build the Broth
- Heat a splash of sesame oil in a pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger — 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Ladle out about 1/2 cup of hot broth into a small bowl and whisk in the miso paste until dissolved. Don't add miso directly to boiling broth — high heat kills the beneficial enzymes and dulls the flavour. Pour the miso mixture back into the pot. Add soy sauce and chilli garlic sauce. Stir. Taste. Adjust: more miso for depth, more chilli for heat, more soy for salt.
Cook the Noodles
- Cook the ramen noodles separately per package directions — usually 2-3 minutes. Drain. Divide between bowls.
Assemble
- Ladle the hot miso broth over the noodles. Arrange your toppings: halved soft-boiled egg, corn kernels, sliced green onions, a sheet of nori, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, and a spoonful of chilli crisp if you want heat. The assembly is where ramen becomes personal — everyone loads their bowl differently. My husband goes heavy on the egg and nori. My daughter wants corn and nothing else. My boys want "everything plus more noodles." I add chilli crisp and eat in meditative silence.