Easy Vegetarian Ramen with Tofu

Ready to warm up with an elevated hot bowl of ramen? Perfecting this Vegetarian Ramen with Tofu recipe totally reignited my love for these skinny little noodles in a hot, flavorful broth.

Growing up, instant ramen was my go-to for an after-school snack. I wasn’t quite the home cook I am today, but I remember adding pounds of Tabasco sauce to give it more flavor.

So, I wanted my adult attempt at instant ramen to be much better than a microwaveable pre-packaged cube of dry noodles cooked with tap water and a packet of salty dust and hot sauce. Plus, I needed to make it vegetarian to fit my current dietary preferences.

This broth has complex flavor even without using the chicken flavor packet, and you can really taste every note. (I’ve also upleveled the noodles in other ways, like in these Spicy Garlic Noodles)!

Still, as a mom with a hectic schedule and a gourmet palate, I wanted to ramp up the flavor while keeping it as easy as possible! This tofu ramen recipe requires just 10 ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes!

This is quite honestly my third update on this recipe, making it easier and (in my humble opinion) tastier each time. I’ve tested this ramen recipe over and over again to land here, where I believe we can achieve the most flavor with the least amount of time & effort.

Instant Ramen with Tofu Ingredients

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Here’s everything you’ll need for the Tofu:

• Tofu. For the crispiest tofu, use extra-firm and get as much moisture out as you can by pressing it.
• Olive Oil. Or sesame oil.
• Soy sauce. Or Tamari.

Here’s everything you’ll need for the broth:

• Olive oil. Again, you can substitute sesame oil to add more flavor.
• Garlic.
• Shiitake mushrooms. I usually use fresh but have also tried with dried shiitake mushrooms and they work too!
• Vegetable Broth. Grab it from the store or make your own veggie broth from vegetable scraps. Veggie stock also works. Regular and low sodium varieties both work in this recipe.
• Soy sauce. Or Tamari.
• Thai Red Curry Paste.
• Rice Vinegar.
• Ramen noodles. I honestly just use the noodles from the instant ramen packets and save the little seasoning packet for my husband to use in marinades.
• Eggs. You can totally leave these off, but it’s truly one of my favorite parts of this dish!

How to Make Tofu for Ramen

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Press Your Tofu

Always use extra-firm tofu in this easy vegetarian ramen and take the time to press it to dry it out. It’ll get you that crispy tofu you’re looking for as contrast to the wet soup.

To get crispy tofu, it’s best to get as much moisture out as you can! If you don’t have a tofu press, you can fashion your own at home!

Just wrap your tofu in a large clean kitchen towel and put something heavy on top. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes (the longer, the better!).

This will push the moisture out of the tofu to be absorbed by the kitchen towel. The tofu will get nice and crispy and add welcomed texture to your ramen.

Pan-Fry Your Tofu

Now, it’s time to pan-fry your crispy tofu for ramen. If you like instant ramen as is and just want to make some tofu for it, you can totally just make this tofu recipe and add it!

Cut your tofu into small cubes, about one square inch in size. Then, put your tofu cubes in between a second, dry kitchen towel and press down with your hands to get any leftover excess moisture out.

Get the oil hot in a frying pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Then, carefully lower the tofu into the hot oil, spreading out the cubes in a single layer. Try to leave a little space in between each cube, or they may stick together.

Once your tofu is crispy on both sides, add the soy sauce and toss to coat. Then, remove from the heat and set aside until you’re ready to serve.

How to Make Easy Vegetarian Ramen

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Cook Your Mushrooms and Garlic

While the tofu is pressing and cooking, you can get started on your vegetarian broth.

Start by cooking your garlic and shiitake mushrooms in the oil to release their liquids. This will give us the best texture on the mushrooms. Skipping this step may make your shiitake’s a little bit spongy.

Clean and slice the shiitakes and peel and mince the garlic. To a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and prepped mushrooms and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until most of the liquid released from the mushrooms.

If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms you can skip this step, and they will just rehydrate in the broth.

Develop Your Broth

Add your vegetable broth, soy sauce, red curry paste, and rice vinegar to the pot with your mushrooms and garlic.

Stir to combine and bring the broth up to a low boil. Half cover it to allow some steam to escape, while not reducing the broth too much (if the broth reduces too much it will become too salty).

Boil Your Eggs

Rinse your eggs under cold water and slowly lower them into the boiling broth. If the idea of the shell cooking in your broth freaks you out, you of course can boil a separate pot of water, but I’m always for less clean up.

Time the eggs for 6½ minutes with the broth at a boil to get that perfect soft-boiled egg. If you want them hard boiled, leave them in there for 9 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath by adding a handful of ice and some water to a large bowl. You just need enough for the eggs to be submerged.

When the timer goes off, carefully remove the eggs from the broth and place them in the ice bath.

If your sieve grabs any garlic or mushrooms while you are fishing out the eggs, use your finger to roll the egg off the sieve into the ice bath and dump the garlic and mushrooms back into the broth.

Allow the eggs to sit in the ice bath until they are cooled. This stops the cooking (this is especially important if you are going for soft-boiled and want a runny yolk) but also makes them easier to peel.

Once cooled, crack the shell and remove it. Then, slice your egg in half and serve atop the ramen.

Cook Your Noodles Last

When too overcooked, ramen noodles can get “gummy”. Only cook your noodles right before you are ready to serve them.

Follow the directions on the noodle packaging to get your cook time just right. It usually takes about 2 or 3 minutes for the noodles to cook.

How to Serve Ramen

Once all your elements are ready, dish out two bowls of the noodles, mushrooms, garlic, and broth.

Then, add your tofu and egg on top. I like to garnish it with some green onion and usually put Sriracha on the table in case myself or my husband feels like adding a little kick. You can also sprinkle with sesame seeds for a little added flavor and texture!

How to Store and Save Ramen

This broth stays delicious for about 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat it in the microwave on high for about 2 minutes or over the stove on high heat for about 10 minutes.

You can also freeze the broth for up to 6 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.