Miso Ramen Soup With Noodles and Chicken

Easy ramen noodle soup for supper.

This easy miso ramen recipe can be ready in 30 minutes and yields a ramen bowl of flavorful miso broth full of chicken and fresh vegetables. Plus: Learn which type of miso is best.

Meet this miso ramen recipe.

What feels like a million lifetimes ago, I spent a semester of law school in Tokyo, Japan. And I’ve been thinking about the ramen ever since. I have been working on a good, easy miso ramen recipe to make at home for a while. I wanted to check the right boxes: soup that’s easy to make; nourishing; flavorful; substantial. Chicken miso ramen noodle soup is the way to go.

The importance of miso paste

I consider miso paste a magical ingredient. Miso builds an umami flavor profile — that magical combination of rich and salty — quickly, without the fat or time investment required of a pork broth, for example. And the addition of pulled chicken and simple vegetables turns it into a well-rounded meal.

There is no one type of Japanese-style ramen, just like there is no one type of pasta or one type of soup. Rather, ramen can be ordered in many variations: types of ramen broth (miso! shoyu! tonkotsu!); types of protein; types of vegetables; types of ramen noodles (straight! curly!); add-ons like jammy eggs and scallions; and so on.

What is miso ramen made of?

This homemade ramen bowl contains an easy white miso broth, noodles (of course!), pulled chicken, vegetables, and any other toppings you’d like. Have fun and use what you have; there are no set rules.

Some vegetable ideas for your homemade ramen bowls:

• corn
• wilted greens, such as spinach
• bamboo shoots
• steamed carrots
• mushrooms
• cabbage
• kimchi

Some topping ideas for ramen bowls:

• scallions
• jammy eggs
• nori
• extra meat
• extra vegetables

What type of miso is best for ramen bowls?

I use white miso paste for this ramen. White has the sweetest, mellowest flavor, which pairs well with the mild chicken and vegetables.

What’s the difference between white, yellow, and red miso paste?

There are three types of miso paste, all of which are made from fermented soybeans ground to a paste: white, yellow, and red.

• White miso paste: has a mild, sweetly funky/salty flavor
• Yellow miso paste: a little earthier, yellow miso makes a versatile option for soups, sauces, and dressings
• Red miso paste: the most robust, funkiest, saltiest flavor, red miso paste should be reserved for very bold dishes

What is the difference between ramen and miso ramen?

Miso ramen differs from miso soup. Simple miso soup is made from dashi (a steeped broth, often made from kombu and bonito flakes) combined with miso, tofu, and simple ingredients such as scallions and seaweed.

Miso ramen is a heartier affair. Starting with a simple miso broth base, the recipe then builds into a big meal with the addition of noodles, chicken, and a variety of other add-ins like vegetables and toppings.

Ramen is really a broad, catch-all category, consisting of noodles in any of a variety of broths.

Variation: Vegetarian Miso Ramen

To make this recipe vegetarian, simply eliminate the chicken and substitute water or vegetable stock for the chicken broth. The miso, noodles, and vegetables carry enough flavor and heft. You can substitute tofu for protein.

Variation: Spicy Miso Ramen

To make this miso ramen spicy, you have several options. One is to find a fermented chili paste, such as doubanjiang. You could also add some chili oil (this homemade chili oil recipe is fabulous, if I do say so myself). Togarashi is a very common Japanese condiment, a spicy mixture of seasoned ground chili flakes.

Easy Miso Ramen Recipe Steps

This is an easy ramen recipe combining miso, cooked chicken, and different vegetables and toppings. I use a rotisserie chicken, but if you have uncooked chicken breasts instead, just season and roast them in the oven at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool, then pull into chunks.

Here’s how you make these easy miso ramen bowls:

1. If using, cook the eggs and set aside.
2. Simmer the stock and water with ginger.
3. Add miso and soy sauce, and whisk to combine.
4. Add the mushrooms and spinach and simmer until wilted. Add the pulled chicken and simmer just until heated through. Taste for seasoning.
5. While the above it simmering, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and divide into the ramen bowls.
6. Ladle broth, chicken, and vegetables over the noodles. Top with egg and scallions, and serve hot.

If you love Japanese-inspired recipes, you should also check out:

• Homemade Miso Soup
• Okonomiyaki (Japanese cabbage pancake)
• Miso Black Cod
• Spicy Noodles With Broccoli

Quick Miso Ramen Noodle Soup With Chicken

This miso ramen soup recipe serves four. Enjoy these warming bowls of noodles, chicken, and vegetables in an easy, umami miso broth.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Keywords:: easy, japanese recipe, miso broth, miso ramen recipe, umami

Servings: 4 people

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Ingredients 

1x2x

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 2 large eggs
• 2 quarts unsalted chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1" piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
• 4 ounces mushrooms, such as sliced shiitake or enoki, cleaned
• 3 large handfulls fresh baby spinach leaves (about 5 ounces)
• 10 ounces dried Japanese-style curly wheat noodles (I use two 5-ounce packages)
• 4 sheets nori (optional)
• 3 scallions, sliced very thin
• Togarashi seasoning, to serve (optional)

Instructions

• Pull the chicken meat from the chicken and set aside.
• If making jammy eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Add the eggs, making sure they are fully submerged in the water, and cook for exactly 8 1/2 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside.

  PRO TIP: My method is to actually cut the eggs in half with a knife first, and then use a spoon to scoop the hemispheres from the shell in one neat move. No muss, no fuss!
• In a medium-sized pot, heat the stock, water, and chunk of ginger to a boil. Lower to a simmer.
• In a separate pot, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and divide among the bowls along with the nori sheets, if using.

  PRO TIP: I like to arrange the nori sheets upright against the side of the bowl, sticking above the rim. It gives a nice look.
• While the noodles cook: In a little bowl or cup, make a slurry with the miso paste and a tablespoon or two of water, whisking with a fork until smooth. Add to the simmering stock, along with the soy sauce, mushrooms, spinach, and chicken. Simmer until warmed through and the mushrooms and spinach soften and wilt, about 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

  TIP: Don't forget to fish out the chunk of ginger!
• Ladle the miso soup among the noodle bowls. Arrange a jammy egg on top, along with a generous amount of scallions. Serve immediately, with togarashi seasoning if you'd like a little spice.