A Guide to Miso Ramen
What is miso?
Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans. It's used in a variety of dishes but is most commonly associated with soup. In fact, miso soup is considered one of the national dishes of Japan.
What is miso ramen?
Miso ramen is a type of Japanese noodle soup that is typically made with a miso-based broth. Once the broth is made ramen noodles are added and various toppings such as different types of meats, vegetables, and tofu.
What is the flavour of miso ramen?
Miso ramen's flavour mainly comes from the broth so it depends on what type of broth you use, but the broth will always be flavoured with miso. So the final broth will have a strong umami flavour with a salty and savoury flavour. Miso ramen broth is also slightly thicker and creamier than other types of ramen broth.
Miso ramen broth
Miso ramen is normally made with a chicken or fish-based broth to which the miso tare is added. The tare is the flavouring component of the broth. To make a meat-based chicken or pork broth, the bones are boiled in water for 6+ hours until you have a cloudy, opaque broth. Fish broth is made using dashi, a Japanese stock made by heating kombu and flakes of bonito fish in the water before straining. You can also buy instant dashi in powdered form to make a quick broth.
Choosing the right miso
The most common type of miso used in miso ramen is white miso, but there are also other types of miso available. White miso will provide you with the most rounded flavour and is slightly milder than red miso. Whereas red miso is made by fermenting the soybeans for longer so will have a stronger, more umami flavour.
What to put in your miso ramen
The number one ingredient in your ramen will be your noodles. Stick with wheat-based noodles or specific ramen noodles for an authentic dish. Then miso ramen is typically topped with pork, seaweed, and green onions. Then served with different toppings, such as nitamago eggs, pickled bamboo shoots, katsuobushi salt and sesame garlic sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between miso ramen and tonkotsu ramen?
The main difference is in the broths. Tonkostu ramen is made with a pork bone broth with pork belly as a topping, whereas miso ramen is normally made with a chicken-based broth and flavoured with a miso tare. Tonkostu ramen is also a style of ramen that has become popular whereas miso ramen is a flavour of ramen. This is why you can get miso tonkostu ramen as a separate dish.
Is miso ramen vegan friendly?
Not all miso ramen is vegan friendly, due to the chicken or fish-based broth. However, it can be made vegan or vegetarian by using a vegetable-based broth before adding the miso tare. Ramen noodles are also vegan, so this dish is perfect for plant-based eaters.
Is ramen the same as miso soup?
While both ramen and miso soup are noodle dishes that originated in China, they are quite different. For one, ramen is made with wheat noodles while miso soup is made with rice noodles. Ramen also has a stronger flavour due to the addition of meat and vegetables, while miso soup is more delicate. Finally, ramen is typically served in a broth, while miso soup is more like a soup or stew.
