Our granddaughter Angelika spent seven days of her precious summer vacay with us before going home to prepare for her second year of a Business program at the University of Alberta. We had fun visiting with her and, of course, feeding her. Asked what she would like for her second-last evening with us, she requested a Ramen noodle bowl.
Because we originally thought we would eat out every night, we checked out our local ramen noodle restaurant but thought that we could likely put together an equally delicious meal using fresh veggies from our own garden and some stuff in the fridge-- shitake mushrooms and tofu-- that is begging to be in the Ramen bowls. Also, we have neighbors on two sides of our yard with chickens, so she could even round out her bowl with some fresh eggs...(we are vegan, she is not).π
We decided to make the three bowls distinctly different in flavor so they give Angelika and our Veggie School readers some real choices: miso-ginger, spicy garlic-sesame, and ginger-soy garden vegetable. The first contains the hard-boiled egg; the other two are completely vegan.
1. Savory Shiitake–Miso Ramen with Egg
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A rich, comforting ramen bowl with shiitake mushrooms, tofu, garden greens and a hard-boiled egg.
Serves 2
Ingredients
π€2 packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
π€1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
π€1 cup firm tofu, cut into small cubes
π€1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
π€1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
π€1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved
π€1 cup chopped bok choy or chard
π€2 green onions, sliced
π€1 hard-boiled egg, halved
π€2 teaspoons sesame oil
π€Sesame seeds, for garnish
Miso-Ginger Broth
π₯4 cups vegetable broth
π₯2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
π₯1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
π₯1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
π₯1–2 cloves garlic, minced
π₯1 teaspoon rice vinegar
π₯½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
π₯Pinch of chili flakes, optional
Direction
1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
2, In a large saucepan, combine the vegetable broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3, Whisk the miso with a little of the hot broth in a small bowl until smooth, then stir it back into the saucepan. Don't boil the miso broth, as gentle heating preserves more of its delicate flavor.
4, Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a skillet. Add the tofu and cook until lightly golden. Add the shiitakes and cook for 2–3 minutes.
5, Add the zucchini and red pepper and cook until just tender. Stir in the tomatoes and bok choy or chard and cook for another minute or two, just until the greens wilt.
6. Divide the noodles between two large bowls. Ladle the hot miso broth over them.
7. Arrange the tofu and vegetables on top. Add half a hard-boiled egg to each bowl.
8. Finish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Flavor tip: A tiny drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the table makes this bowl especially fragrant. For someone who likes a little heat, add chili crisp or chili-garlic sauce.
2. Spicy Garlic-Sesame Ramen with Garden Vegetables
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Serves 2
Ingredients
π§2 packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
π§1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
π§1 cup firm tofu, cut into small cubes
π§1 medium zucchini, sliced
π§1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
𧽖1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
π§1 cup chopped chard or bok choy
𧽠cup cherry tomatoes, halved
π§2 green onions, sliced
π§1 tablespoon sesame oil
Spicy Garlic-Sesame Sauce
π₯2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
π₯1 tablespoon tahini or Chinese sesame paste
π₯1 tablespoon rice vinegar
π₯1 tablespoon maple syrup
π₯1–2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or sriracha, to taste
π₯1 large clove garlic, minced
π₯½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
π₯½ cup warm vegetable broth
π₯1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Directions
1. Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, tahini, rice vinegar, maple syrup, chili-garlic sauce, garlic, ginger and warm vegetable broth. Stir in the sesame oil.
3. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the tofu and cook until golden on several sides.
4. Add the shiitakes and cook until beginning to soften.
5. Add the green beans, zucchini and red pepper. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, keeping the vegetables slightly crisp.
6. Add the chard or bok choy and tomatoes and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
7. Add the cooked noodles and pour the sauce over everything. Toss gently until the noodles and vegetables are coated and heated through.
8. Divide between two bowls and sprinkle generously with green onions and sesame seeds.
Flavor tip: This one is particularly good with a squeeze of lime juice just before serving. If your granddaughter likes heat, put the chili-garlic sauce on the table so she can add more herself.
Make it less spicy: Simply leave out the chili sauce. The garlic, ginger, sesame and soy still make a very flavorful bowl.
3. Ginger-Soy Ramen with Tofu & Garden Veggies
A lighter, fresh-tasting ramen bowl that lets the vegetables—and those beautiful garden greens—shine.
Serves 2
Ingredients
π±€2 packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
π±€ 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
π±€1 cup firm tofu, cubed
π±€1 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
π±€1 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
π±€ ½–1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed
π±€ 1 cup chopped chard or bok choy
π±€ ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
π±€ 2 green onions, sliced
1π±€ 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Ginger-Soy Broth
π₯4 cups vegetable broth
π₯3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
π₯1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
π₯1 clove garlic, minced
π₯1 teaspoon rice vinegar
π₯1 teaspoon maple syrup
π₯½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
π₯Pinch of black pepper
Optional: a few drops of lime juice
Directions
1, Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Combine the vegetable broth, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, maple syrup and black pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a skillet. Add the tofu and cook until golden.
4. Add the shiitake mushrooms and green beans. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the zucchini and red pepper and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
6. Stir in the chard or bok choy and tomatoes and cook just until the greens wilt.
7. Divide the noodles between two bowls. Pour the hot ginger-soy broth over them.
8. Spoon the tofu and vegetables over the noodles. Sprinkle with green onions.
9. Add a few drops of lime juice and toasted sesame oil if desired.
Flavor tip: This is the bowl I'd choose if you want the freshest garden flavor. The chard, green beans, zucchini and tomatoes don't need a heavy sauce; the ginger-soy broth gives them plenty of character.
A little Veggie School ramen wisdom
πThe beauty of these bowls is that the vegetables don't all have to appear in every recipe. That's actually what makes ramen so much fun.
πShiitake mushrooms: Bring deep, savory umami. SautΓ©ing them first makes them especially flavorful.
πTofu: Cubes are wonderful pan-fried until golden before adding them to the bowl.
πZucchini: Add near the end so it remains slightly firm rather than becoming mushy.
πRed bellpepper: Adds sweetness, color and crunch.
πCherry tomatoes: Add them right at the end. They become warm and juicy without completely falling apart.
πChard: Your garden chard would be lovely in ramen. Chop the stems fairly small and add them before the leaves.
πBok choy: Add the stems first and the leafy portions last.
πGreen beans: They add a surprisingly nice crunch and work particularly well with spicy garlic or ginger-soy flavors.
πHard-boiled egg: Wonderful with miso ramen. If you want a vegan bowl, simply leave it out.
Sauces and flavor boosters to keep on the table
A little "ramen condiment bar" would make supper fun:
Soy sauce or tamari • toasted sesame oil • chili-garlic sauce • sriracha • chili crisp • rice vinegar • lime wedges • sesame seeds • sliced green onions
And one important little trick: don't cook the noodles in the broth for very long. They can absorb a surprising amount of broth and become soft. Cooking them separately and assembling the bowls at the end gives you much better texture.
- Rinse with Cold Water: Right after draining, rinse the noodles under cold running water. This washes away excess surface starches that cause sticking and stops the cooking process so they don't get soggy.
- Toss with Oil: Add a small splash of neutral oil or sesame oil (about a teaspoon) to the drained noodles and toss thoroughly. The oil creates a protective barrier around each strand to keep them separated (plus, sesame oil adds extra flavor).
- Shake Off Excess Water: Ensure the noodles are drained well before oiling/rinsing so they don't get waterlogged.
- Reheat with Hot Broth: Don't worry if the noodles are cold when you're ready to serve—pouring your boiling hot ramen broth directly over them in the bowl will warm them right back up instantly.
If you, dear reader, are deciding which of the above to feed your teen grandchild, I'd vote for #1 if your grandie wants something cozy after finishing a projectπ or a singing class, #2 if s[he's hungry and likes spicy food, and #3 if you want to showcase the vegetables from your garden. π±
π our granddaughter is a youtuber and an arty, insightful, Christian mentor to younger youtubers interested in having a happy, successful experience in their life from their current year in school and forward. You can refer them to Angellika's youtube channel HERE.
Adults and teenagers are both interested in these particular Veggie School snack articles: Reclaiming Popcorn as a Saturday Night Snack (with 10 vegan, spicy, herby popcorn topper recipes). Also, 25 Toppings for a Baked Potato Bar.
**Above recipes were researched and edited with a.i. assistance.++ Images generated by a.i.
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