Name: Instant Pot Ramen (Pork Ramen)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork shoulder/butt; 2 tablespoons cooking oil; 4 cups chicken broth; 2 cups water; 1 teaspoon dashi powder; 1/4 cup sake; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce; 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (unseasoned); 1/2 cup brown sugar; 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 4 packages ramen noodles; 4-8 slices braised pork belly ((optional but recommended)); 6 ramen eggs ((optional but recommended)); 1 cup sliced green onions; Crispy garlic and/or shallots (for garnish (optional)); Sesame seeds (for garnish (optional))

Pin20K

Share1K

Yum236

Tweet62

21K Shares

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Jump to Recipe

Rich pork broth, sweet and salty caramelized pork, jammy ramen eggs and thick, chewy noodles make this Instant Pot Ramen just incredible! Using the Instant Pot makes this recipe super easy to make.

pork, egg and noodles in a bowl with broth

Restaurant quality ramen right in your own home. And making it in the Instant Pot just makes it SO EASY!

Sticky, caramelized pork, tender melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and jammy ramen eggs is really all you need in life in my opinion. So you don't HAVE to include the pork belly or ramen eggs, but good god why not????

**If you want to include the Ramen Eggs and Pork Belly, I highly recommend making them in advance.

It's totally worth the extra work. I'm not going to tell you this recipe is quick and easy. It is easy, but there are a few steps involved and it takes a little bit of time.

If you want an ultra quick and easy ramen recipe without using the Instant Pot, this spicy chicken ramen, tan tan ramen, shoyu ramen or shio ramen is awesome!

But it's totally worth it. This Instant Pot Ramen is one of the most popular recipes on the blog, so you guys must agree!!

If not, I've also included slow cooker instructions in the recipe card.

Check out the Instant Pot Pork Ramen story!

Ingredients

Don't be intimidated by all the ingredients, it's not one bit difficult to make this.

I use the prepackaged ramen noodles you buy in the store (discard the seasoning packet - or save it for something else). You can also buy ramen noodles on Amazon HERE (affiliate link).

Dashi powder is a Japanese soup stock that is typically made from dried kelp, bonito flakes, and/or anchovies. It has a wonderful umami flavor and adds depth to the soup. You can buy it on Amazon HERE (affiliate link), or learn how to make dashi.

Dark soy sauce is used to season the pork when caramelizing it under the broiler. Dark soy sauce is typically aged with a touch of molasses and cornstarch. It is thicker and less salty than regular soy sauce. Buy it on Amazon HERE (affiliate link).

Fish sauce is a sauce made from anchovies fermented in salt. While the smell can sometimes be strong, the flavor is out of this world delicious. When added to marinades and sauces, it does not have a fishy flavor as you would expect. It just adds a wonderful savory flavor. Buy it on Amazon HERE (affiliate link).

You will definitely want to make these Ramen Eggs. They are simple to make (they need to marinate overnight) and are just perfection in this ramen. While optional, I HIGHLY recommend them!

This Braised Pork Belly (Kakuni) is also optional, but I absolutely love it in this recipe. It does take some time to make, but can easily be done in advance. You could also use these braised pork shanks in the ramen!

Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients.

Ingredients for Caramelized Pork:

Ingredients for Ramen Broth:

Please scroll to the recipe to get a full listing of ingredients.

Step By Step Instructions

Like I said earlier, there are a few steps, but it's all totally worth it. And I really hope you took the time to make the Braised Pork Belly and Ramen Eggs in advance!

Step 1: Brown the pork on all sides right in the Instant Pot, about 6 minutes per side. Searing it on the outside helps to keep the juices in.

pork shoulder browned in the instant pot

Step 2: Add the chicken broth, water, sake and dashi powder. Use the pressure cooker setting (high) to cook for 45 minutes.

Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then use quick release to release any remaining pressure. Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and place on a lined baking sheet.

Step 3: Using a fork or your hands, shred the pork into bite sized pieces (about 1 inch).

Be sure to line your baking sheet. I did not and the baking sheet in this photo has now been thrown away. It had a good life.

Sprinkle the brown sugar and dark soy sauce on the pork pieces, mix well and broil until pork is caramelized (5-10 minutes), being careful not to let the sugar burn.

caramelized pork pieces on a baking sheet

Step 4: Set the Instant Pot to sauté (normal) and add the fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, chili garlic paste, and rice wine vinegar to the broth. Simmer the broth for 5 minutes.

Step 5: While the broth finishes, cook the noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Drain and divide noodles into bowls.

Step 6: Add the broth, braised pork belly, caramelized pork pieces, green onions, 1-2 ramen eggs (halved) and garnishes, if desired.

bowl of pork ramen with chopsticks and fresh herbs

Ramen Topping Ideas

Sprinkle with sesame seeds;
Try this spicy numbing Chili Oil - I use this stuff on everything!
Drizzle fresh lime juice on top when serving;
Top with fried garlic, shallot or onions;
Sliced jalapenos or other spicy pepper;
Sriracha is always a good option;
Cooked edamame, shredded carrots, bean sprouts and/or fresh cilantro are all great ideas to add some veggies.

Expert Tips

Make the Braised Pork Belly and Ramen Eggs in advance.
For an extra rich broth, remove the fat from the pork after it has cooked and place it back in the Instant Pot with the pork cooking liquid. Pressure cook for another 20 minutes and use the quick release to release the pressure.
Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper before broiling the pork. The sugar will burn to the pan if you don't line it and your pan will likely be ruined.
For leftovers, store the noodles and broth separately as the noodles will soak up the broth.
To make ahead, cook the pork, shred it and store it in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the broth separately in a container. When ready to serve, broil the pork with the sugar and soy sauce and cook the noodles. Combine remaining ingredients in the bowls and serve.

You'll probably also want to try this Coconut Curry Ramen or this cheesy Turkey ramen! They're both made in the Instant Pot.

Make it a Meal

Start with these Pork Belly Buns or this Chicken Yakitori;
Check out these 15 Japanese Salads from Just One Cookbook;
Serve with Miso Grilled Corn;
If you like rice with your meal, try this Chinese Fried Rice or this Kimchi Fried Rice - both incredible options!
Finish the meal off with this Japanese Cheesecake (Souffle Cheesecake).

The Slow Cooker Option

Now I know not everyone has made the leap to the Instant Pot yet, so I've also included instructions in the recipe card for using a slow cooker. The steps are somewhat similar, but the slow cooker takes so much looonger. But it works.

Step 1: Sear the pork for 6 minutes per side in a cast iron skillet (a nonstick skillet will work too if that's all you have).

Step 2: Place pork in slow cooker with chicken broth, water, sake and dashi powder. Cook on high heat for 4 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker and break into pieces on a baking sheet.

Step 3: Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, chili garlic paste, and rice wine vinegar to the slow cooker.

Step 4: Sprinkle the brown sugar and dark soy sauce on the pork pieces, mix well and broil until pork is caramelized (5-10 minutes), being careful not to let the sugar burn.

Step 5: Cook the dried ramen noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain.

Step 6: Place the noodles in bowl and cover with broth. Add braised pork belly, caramelized pork pieces, green onions, 1-2 ramen eggs (halved) and garnishes, if desired.

pork ramen in a bowl with a soft boiled egg, green onions, noodles and a spoon

More Instant Pot Favorites

Vietnamese Pho;
Chicken Paprikash Recipe;
Vietnamese Pork;
Browse all the Instant Pot Recipes!!

Don't forget to sign up for the email list (don't worry, it's only one a week and it's packed full with AMAZING recipes!) and get your FREE Instant Pot Cookbook!!

Did you make this Instant Pot ramen? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!

This recipe was originally published in January 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.