Miso Ramen — Rich, Deeply Savoury Noodle Soup

About This Recipe

Miso ramen originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido in the 1950s and is beloved for its rich, robust, warming character — the ideal ramen for cold climates. Unlike the delicate shio (salt) or the soy-seasoned shoyu styles, miso ramen has a depth and body that makes it uniquely satisfying. The key is the miso tare — a concentrated paste of fermented miso, sautéed aromatics and sesame that is stirred into hot broth per bowl. The characteristic Sapporo toppings of corn, a knob of butter and bean sprouts stirred in at the table are as iconic as the ramen itself.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 portionsfresh ramen noodles(or 2 dried portions (150g dry weight))
• 800 mlgood pork or chicken stock(rich, preferably homemade or good-quality)
• 4 tbspwhite or mixed (shiro/awase) miso paste
• 2 tbsptahini or Japanese sesame paste (nerigoma)
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspmirin
• 2 tspsesame oil
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 2soft-boiled ramen eggs (ajitsuke tamago)(halved)
• 4 sliceschashu pork belly(or sliced char siu)
• 80 gtinned sweetcorn(drained)
• 100 gbean sprouts(blanched 30 seconds)
• 2 stalksspring onion(thinly sliced)
• 2 tspunsalted butter(the defining Sapporo touch)
• 1 sheetnori(halved)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the miso tare

   In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Reduce heat to low. Add miso, tahini, soy sauce and mirin. Stir to combine into a smooth, fragrant paste. Remove from heat. Add sesame oil and mix well. This is your tare — it will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.

   The tare is the soul of the miso ramen. Made right, it turns simple stock into something extraordinary.

2. 2

   Heat the broth

   Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Do not boil vigorously — miso loses its probiotic benefits and some of its nuance above a rolling boil.

3. 3

   Cook the noodles

   Cook ramen noodles in a separate large pot of boiling water according to packet instructions (usually 1–3 minutes for fresh, 4–5 for dried). Drain well and divide between two large, warmed deep bowls.

4. 4

   Combine tare and broth

   Add 3 tablespoons of miso tare to each bowl. Ladle in 400ml hot broth per bowl and stir vigorously to dissolve the tare completely into the broth. Taste and add more tare if a stronger flavour is desired.

5. 5

   Assemble toppings

   Arrange chashu or char siu slices, halved ramen egg, corn and bean sprouts over the noodles. Place a small knob of butter in the centre of the bowl — the heat of the broth melts it into a rich, glossy pool. Add spring onion, nori and an extra drizzle of sesame oil.

   Warm your bowls in the oven for a few minutes before serving — ramen cools quickly and should be eaten immediately.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian miso ramen: use kombu-shiitake dashi broth, replace chashu with roasted mushrooms and add a soft-boiled egg.

• •

  Spicy miso ramen: add 1–2 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) or togarashi to the tare.

• •

  Tan tan men (tantanmen): inspired by dan dan noodles, this miso-sesame-spicy ramen has ground pork and rayu chilli oil.

Storage

Tare keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks. Store broth, toppings and noodles separately. Assemble fresh per bowl each time for the best result. Leftover assembled ramen does not store or reheat well.

Frequently Asked Questions