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Ultra easy to make once you gather the ingredients together, this shoyu ramen is absolutely, insanely delicious and soul warming.
Shoyu ramen is made from a pork stock flavored with soy sauce (among other ingredients) and has just the most amazing umami taste that you will fall in LOVE with just like we did.
Just like we fell in love with this spicy miso ramen, shio ramen and this tan tan ramen. Yes, we are ramen LOVERS around here.
And guys, did I tell you how easy it is? SO EASY. And the flavor is just so deep and incredible you would think a lot more effort went into it.
We really love topping our with Japanese fish cake (can be found at Asian grocery stores) and I take the extra time to make ramen eggs.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Well, #1 because it's easy to put together and perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
- It is packed with delicious umami flavors from the soy sauce, MSG and bonito flakes.
- You can be creative with toppings and use whatever you like - the world is your oyster!
- It's waaaaay cheaper to make it at home than it is to go out - it's a win/win!
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The recipe does call for pork stock as I believe it imparts a bit more flavor than chicken stock. However, you can use chicken stock as well if you don't have pork.
It also calls for a dashi powder to be used for the menma which can be found at most Asian grocery stores or just bought online.
You can use any soy sauce, but I find a higher quality one works really great in recipes like this (and other soy sauce forward recipes like this soy sauce chicken or this instant pot chicken adobo). This is the soy sauce I like to use.
I know there is a lot of concern surrounding the use of MSG but I use it all the time. It works amazing as a flavor enhancer and gives dishes so mush umami flavor. I recommend reading this article from Healthline if you are concerned about the health effects of MSG (spoiler alert - it's not bad for you).
Any kind of dried or fresh ramen noodles will work for this recipe. I personally use these dried ramen noodles, but use what you are comfortable with.
Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine and can be found at most grocery stores.
Bonito flakes are basically thin flakes of dried fish and really help amp up that umami flavor. You CAN leave them out, but for the best flavor I always recommend using them.
As far as making the menma, or seasoned bamboo shoots, it's certainly not required for this recipe. But guys...it is soooo good and totally worth making (plus it's super easy).
Step By Step Instructions
Combine all the ingredients except the ramen noodles, corn, bamboo shoots and optional toppings in a large pot.
Bring to a simmer and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low heat, covered.
Strain the broth and place it back in the pot.
Place cooked ramen noodles, corn and bamboo shoots in a bowl and pour the broth over the top.
Garnish with the optional ingredients and serve hot. See how easy that was?
How to Make Menma
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. Again, so easy to make and totally worth the time.
Serving Options
One thing I love about ramen is it's versatility. You can serve it however you like and use whatever toppings (try these 50+ ramen topping ideas) you like. Here are some fun ideas:
- Ramen eggs or these sous vide soft boiled eggs are amazing;
- Sliced green onions
- Fried garlic and/or shallots
- Strips of nori (dried seaweed)
- Roasted vegetables (any kind)
- Slices of fish cake
- This kakuni (braised pork belly) is amazing in ramen or you can try this sous vide pork belly too
- Pieces of this duck confit, ground pork, leftover chicken or turkey, bacon
- Slices of American cheese or Velveeta. Yes, I said it.
- Chili flakes or sliced spicy peppers (whatever kind you like)
Expert Tips
- You can substitute chicken stock for the pork stock if you need to.
- Using a good quality soy sauce will improve the flavor of the broth.
- You can use ginger paste instead of fresh ginger if that's all you have.
- You can leave out bonito flakes and substitute with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce - or just leave them out.
- The toppings listed in the recipe are what I typically use and is what is typical in this ramen, but try one of the options in the post above if you want to be more creative.
- Cook the menma while the ramen broth is simmering so everything is ready together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shoyu ramen is a type of ramen where the broth is made with a soy sauce base. It has a deep, umami flavor and is served with a variety of topping and light and springy ramen noodles.
Tonkotsu ramen uses a pork bone broth as the base, while shoyu ramen uses soy sauce as a base. Shoyu may still use a pork stock as part of the ramen broth, but it is heavily flavored with soy sauce.
Typically, shoyu ramen is not made with a spicy broth. You can certainly add spicy ingredients in if you want spice, but it is not typically made with spice.
Storage and Reheating
When storing, store the noodles and broth in separate containers. They can both be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat the broth and noodles together on the stovetop and top with any of the topping mentioned above
The broth can be frozen for up to 6 months and thawed in the fridge when ready to use. I don't recommend freezing leftover noodles as they will become mushy.
More Favorite Ramen Recipes
Guys, ramen is just so good. There are so many different kinds (well just 4 traditional: shio, shoyu, tonkatsu and tsukemen) and they can be so fun to make:
- Duck ramen
- Vegetarian ramen
- Korean ramen
- Birria ramen
- Instant pot ramen
- Curry ramen
- Spicy chicken ramen
- Tsukemen
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Recipe
Shoyu Ramen
Ingredients
- 8 cups pork stock substitute chicken stock
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger peeled (substitute 1 teaspoon ginger paste)
- 2 green onions cut in half
- ¼ cup bonito flakes
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 4 ounces bamboo shoots
- 1 cup corn
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles cooked according to package instructions
- 2 sheets nori cut in strips (optional)
- Ramen eggs optional
- Green onions chopped (optional)
- Japanese fish cake sliced (optional)
Menma:
- 5 ounces sliced bamboo shoots
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except the ramen noodles, corn, bamboo shoots and optional toppings in a large pot.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low heat, covered.
- Strain the broth and place it back in the pot.
- Place cooked ramen noodles, corn and bamboo shoots in a bowl and pour the broth over the top.
- Garnish with the optional ingredients and serve hot.
Menma:
- Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated.
Expert Tips:
- You can substitute chicken stock for the pork stock if you need to.
- Using a good quality soy sauce will improve the flavor of the broth.
- You can use ginger paste instead of fresh ginger if that's all you have.
- You can leave out bonito flakes and substitute with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce - or just leave them out.
- The toppings listed in the recipe are what I typically use and is what is typical in this ramen, but try one of the options in the post above if you want to be more creative.
- Cook the menma while the ramen broth is simmering so everything is ready together.
Nutrition
Heather
I can't believe how easy this was to make! And it came out so yummy 🙂
Danielle
Glad to hear it - thanks!