This Spicy Vegetarian Ramen has a quick trick for a super tasty vegan broth that infuses the ramen noodles with oodles of flavor! Add all your favorite toppings and get ready to faceplant!
This spicy vegetarian ramen has rocked my world!
Spiking the vegetable broth base with garlic, scallions, dried mushrooms, tomato paste , soy sauce, and sriracha leads the most amazing flavorful, savory broth for the noodles to soak in.
Feel free to keep things mild with just a dash of Sriracha or embrace the heat by adding extra, the spice level is up to you! My idea of perfection is 2 glorious spoonfuls. Start small, and add more as you go for a totally customizable heat level.
Tasty Vegetarian Ramen Topping Ideas
- fresh cilantro
- sliced green onion (scallions)
- toasted sesame seeds
- chili garlic sauce
- thinly sliced carrots
- edamame (cooked + shelled)
- baby bok choy
- pan-fried or oven-fried tofu
- bean sprouts
- thinly sliced jalapeño
- lime wedges
- fried garlic
- crushed red pepper flakes
- jammy soft-boiled eggs
- chili oil
More Rockin’ Ramen Recipes
Pescatarian friends can whip up a fiery bowl of Sriracha Shrimp Ramen Soup or simply add sautéed shrimp to the spicy vegetarian recipe below.
Vegan friends, skip the optional soft-boiled egg topping for this recipe, or whip up my Spicy Sesame Ramen Noodles or Vegan Ramen Bowls with Edamame and Mushrooms.
Vegetarian Ramen
Serving 4 or more? Simply double or triple the recipe below! The noodles cook so quickly that you won’t spend any additional time making a larger batch.
Let’s get our ramen on!
Spicy Vegetarian Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP light sesame oil or avocado oil
- 3/4-1 cup chopped dried porcini mushrooms * (.5 oz)
- 3 cloves garlic , smashed and minced
- 4 scallions , thinly sliced white + greens
- 3-4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 1-2 TBSP Sriracha
- 1-2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
- 4-5 ounces uncooked ramen noodles see notes
FRIED GARLIC + CHILI OIL
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
- 1 TBSP sesame seeds
- 1 TBSP crushed red chili flakes
TASTY TOPPING OPTIONS
- thinly sliced jalapeño
- edamame (cooked + shelled)
- jammy soft-boiled egg (skip for vegan ramen)
- chopped green onion and/or cilantro
- baby bok choy
- chili garlic sauce
- see blog post for even more topping ideas
Instructions
- First make the fried garlic in chili oil. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Once hot, add thinly sliced garlic and pan fry, stirring often, until garlic is just beginning to turn golden, approx. 3 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds and cook an additional minute until garlic is crisp and toasty. Carefully transfer mixture to a small bowl and add crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside.
- Bring the same pot to medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil and add garlic, chopped green onion (whites only – save the greens for topping) and chopped dried porcini mushrooms. Sauté until fragrant, approx, 1 minute.
- Add your broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, and Sriracha.
- Simmer, covered, on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, prep your choice of toppings.
- Once your broth is fragrant and ready, strain by pouring through a fine mesh sieve/strainer and add back into the pot, removing the onion and dried mushroom bits.
- Give the broth a little taste and further season if/as desired. A little extra Sriracha will add heat while extra soy sauce will add saltiness and umami. For a brothier, soup-like ramen bowl feel free to add an extra cup of broth and adjust seasoning to taste.
- For a thicker ramen broth, cook your noodles directly in the simmering broth for approx. 3-4 minutes or until tender. For a thinner broth, feel free to cook ramen seperately and add before serving.
- If you prefer any of the other veggies softened versus raw (sliced carrots or jalapeños for instance) you can absolutely add them to the broth to simmer/cook until tender as well! This soup is crazy easy to customize.
- Ready to eat? Top ramen and broth with a drizzle of chili oil and add all your favorite toppings and feel free to check out the blog post for even more topping ideas! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this spicy vegetarian ramen recipe, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
For absolutely *PERFECT* jammy soft boiled eggs, I used my friend Stefanie’s tutorial for Instant Pot Jammy Eggs.
After slicing, I drizzled the halved eggs with the fried garlic chili oil from my ramen recipe and topped them with black sesame seeds. Easy peasy!
Our Favorite Japanese Restaurant Inspired Recipes
On the appetizer front, we love making edamame every which way! My latest obsession is Sweet Chili Edamame with crushed red pepper flakes on top – delicious!
When it’s time for a date night dinner at home, we always default to make-your-own-sushi nights! I have a complete Homemade Sushi Tutorial with photos and you can even try your hand at the beloved Volcano Roll or Philadelphia Roll!
On the side dish front, I can’t enough of this restaurant-style Kani Salad which features cucumber noodles, imitation crab, fresh avocado, and a kiss of sriracha chili sauce!
The result was not worth the effort, expense, or waste (i.e. discarding mushrooms and onions after cooking). I used one tbsp of Sriracha and it was SPICY. Like, nearly too spicy. Will not make again. Nothing personal, kid.
It is so good I couldn’t be happier.
what can i use as a replacement for tomato paste i need to make in now and i dont have tomato paste
Hi Elina! You can use a little canned tomato sauce to give the broth some richness or 100% just leave it out and make a clear broth for your ramen. The recipe will be different but simply season your broth to taste and use what you have on hand. I usually mix and match scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, etc… and just create a ramen broth on the fly based on what I have at any given time. Hope this helps! xo
Can you use spaghetti noodles instead?
Hi Rachel! It may be a little different as the noodles have a little bit different taste and texture but it’s worth a try.
I love this recipe!
I had to skip making the chilli oil because I didn’t have any garlic 🙁 and when making the broth, I used shallots instead of garlic.
I also didn’t strain the broth because I didn’t want to waste the mushrooms and onion – I actually really liked it this way because there was lots of texture in my broth, and the mushrooms were lovely and juicy!
I topped my broth with jammy eggs, sesame seeds, and chilli oil (from a bottle). I also added some sliced baby bok choy to the broth for 1 minute before serving.
Will definitely be making this again, and I’ll make sure I have garlic this time!
I’ve never left a review on a recipe before. I’m not trying to sound mean but this was just not good. It tastes nothing like ramen. Honestly anything you can get from a packet is better. This is just a waste of your time and money. Do not make it.
I legit make this ramen twice a month at least + love it but *totally* understand that not every recipe will be everyone’s cup of tea.
I’ve never left a review on a food blog before but this ramen was so amazing I had to! Can’t wait to make it again already.
Ahhh yay! Thank you Polly!
This is the BEST homemade Ramen I have tried – I’ve already made it three times. My husband, who is not a vegetarian, even loved it. This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you Nita! So happy you both enjoyed the recipe! xo
I made this for my dad (and snuck bites, because yum), who got put on a low sodium diet because of his heart. I can’t tell you how happy it made me to get a call later and have him say it was the best thing he’d had all year. This is so customizable for low sodium, but still has so much flavor! Thank you so much!
Gahhh thank you Anna! So happy he loved the ramen and that you were able to make it low sodium so he could enjoy it. Hugs!
This turned out really good. I used both dried porcini and shiitake mushrooms and added a bit of honey. My husband doesn’t like spicy foods so I only used about half a tablespoon of sriracha. For me it was too mild by doing those things so next time I will try adding some ginger.
Those jammy eggs were SO good in this too! I always thought soft cooked eggs were a weird thing to add but I was wrong.
Thank you for the recipe:)
Hello Jenn, quick question. After you put your broth through the strainer, is there anyrhing you can so with the strained porcini mushrooms, shallots?
It seems a bit wastefull to throw it away like that
Hi Michelle! I used to separate them, trying to copy the restaurants with their super smooth broth and fresh toppings on top. The last several times I’ve made it I just chop them up extra small first and then leave them in. Feel free to follow suit!
Whenever I make broths, I puree the spent vegetables and add them back into bowl for a richer profile and thicker consistency. That fiber helps fill you up and nothing goes to waste.
Great idea! I’ll for sure try it.
This was amazing I didn’t drain the broth I added carrots and celery because I didn’t have mushrooms. Plus I don’t like them. I added the higher end of all the Ingredients and it was amazing will def make again yummmmm
Made this dish this evening and it was amazing!
So happy you enjoyed it, Kesa! Thanks!
thank you – I love ramen but never really knew how to approach cooking it, but these ingredients are certainly doable so thank you for the recipe!
Made this tonight and it turned out so great – the broth was so delicious and flavorful! Thanks for the great recipe
Woot woot! So happy to hear it Alex, thank you!
This looks great. We’r are trying to go more plant based. I find that many vegetable broths are kind of flavourless or alternately they are over flavoured and don’t match Asian dishes. Can you tell me what broths you use?
Thanks!
Hi Jen! My favorite broths lately are the ones from the Fresh Market (store brand) and Pacific broths. My husband, however, likes to buy whatever is buy-one-get-one-free and alternatively I’ve used those cheaper broths and just adjusted the spices/flavors as needed. Broths can also be made homemade if desired! I will save up veggie bits and pieces in a bag in the freezer until I have enough to throw into my Instant Pot to make a yummy broth.
This is a keeper for sure. I used dried shiitake mushrooms. The broth is so easy and so full of flavour. Family loved it as well thank you.
Hi! I’m just wondering if it’s possible to use porcini powder instead of chopped? I can’t find the dried ones unfortunately. If so, how much would you recommend?
Hi Heidi! I had no idea porcini powder was a thing but that’s awesome!! Since I haven’t had a chance to test it in my own kitchen, you might want to err on the side of under seasoning with the porcini and then adjust to taste. xoxo
Thanks for the quick response, I made it tonight and it turned out awesome with the powder! Definitely keeping this recipe 🙂
Yay!!! I’m stoked the ramen was a hit! I’m for sure hunting down this powder – I bet it’s so super convenient.
Obsessed is an understatement. My husband and I are IN LOVE with this ramen. We just want it every night haha
I tried the tour spicy ramen recipe but got a bit confused with when I am meant to add the garlic we set aside at the start? Is that the same garlic mention when adding the chopped green onion?
Any tips welcome!
It was super tasty and my housemates (who said they would only try a little) finished it all off! Thank you!
Hi Tamsin, I’m so glad the recipe was a hit! Yay!
I’m trying to find the part you’re referring to but I’m not sure what you mean? (I may need a cup of coffee, it’s early lol) So there’s the garlic chili oil, which you make with sliced garlic and set aside for drizzling on top of the ramen, then there’s the garlic you sauté along with the dried mushrooms and the lower portion of the green onion. I like to sauté the white parts of the green onion and use the top green part as a ramen topping for flavor and garnish. Happy to help clarify – keep me posted!
This is absolutely amazing. It wasn’t too hard to make, and it beats expensive takeout. Will 100% make again, thank you so much.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This instantly became a weekly go to in our household!
YAY!!! Ohmygosh I’m so glad you’ve tried this one. Hands-down one of our weekly staples here too and I want to scream it from the rooftops lol!
Hey jenn I want to know if I add the baby bok Choy how do I cook it before I add it?
Hi Tina! I like to chop it into thin strips and add the light green parts along with the broth and then toss the darker green slices in with the noodles! This way everything is perfectly tender and delish! When I made it the other night I added the jalapeños in with the broth as well and it got super spicy – so good!
The fried garlic and chili oil, is that optional to add at the end?
Hi Lauren! It’s optional (and omg so toasty and tasty!) and drizzled on at the end. Yesterday when I made it I drizzled a little into the pot while cooking the broth/ramen and then extra on top. I’m already craving it again lol.
I sort of combined this recipe with your ‘Vegan Ramen Bowl with Edamame and Mushrooms’ one and I absolutely adored it. We cooked our noodles in the soup and they tasted absolutely delicious! We ended up adding some more vegetable broth to make it a little thinner because our noodles had absorbed a lot of moisture. We also swapped the jalapenos for habanero chillis to give the ramen a little more zing.
Your recipe is so incredible I am forever in love with it, it’s just the perfect mixture between the tasty veggies and the awesome tomato/spice flavor of the soup.
Just AMAZING!
The recipe doesn’t say how much water to add.
Hi Misty! No water needed for this one unless you prefer to boil your noodles outside the sauce for a brothier ramen bowl. I had used water in place of some of the broth during one of the test runs but the all-broth version was my favorite – I updated the recipe and thank you so much for pointing that out so I could fix it! xoxo
This recipe was delicious and the leftovers were even better!
Thank you Katie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!