Best Ramen Noodle Recipes

Creamy Tonkotsu-Style Ramen

True tonkotsu ramen is prepared by boiling pork bones for 12 hours or more until the stock becomes
cloudy, thick, and nearly creamy due to the collagen having been broken down. It’s amazing — yet it’s
also not something that the average person would attempt to make on a Tuesday night.
This recipe provides you with a bowl that is just as smooth and rich as one you’d find in a restaurant,
thanks to a trick which is widely sworn at by home cooks after they’ve given it a try—adding a little
coconut milk (or heavy cream) to seasoned chicken stock. Although it isn’t authentic in the traditional
way, it does offer the same desirable creaminess in around 30 minutes rather than half a day.

Why This Shortcut Actually Work

The distinctive consistency of traditional tonkotsu comes from collagen and fat which are extracted
from pork bones after being cooked for many hours. It is impossible to fully achieve that chemistry in a
short time — but it is possible to get very close by focusing on copying the texture rather than the
cooking process.
Coconut milk (or cream) coats the noodles in the same way that a long-simmered broth does, providing
the same smooth, velvety texture. When garlic, ginger, sesame oil and a little miso are added to give it
umami depth, the broth ends up tasting much richer than one might expect given the short cooking
time.

Creamy Tonkotsu-Style Ramen Recipe (best ramen noodle recipes)

This recipe for Best Ramen Noodle Recipes can produce a richand smooth broth in just 30 minutes by using a quick coconutmilk method, without the need for simmering the bones for anentire day

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ● 2 packs ramen noodles discard the seasoning packet
• ● 4 cups chicken broth
• ● 1/2 cup canned coconut milk or 1/3 cup heavy cream
• ● 2 cloves garlic minced
• ● 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
• ● 1 tablespoon miso paste
• ● 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ● 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ● 1 soft-boiled egg halved
• ● Sliced pork belly or chashu store-bought or leftover roast pork works well
• ● 2 green onions sliced
• ● Chili oil for drizzling (optional)
• It is the coconut milk or cream that is carrying most of the weight in this recipe—thanks to it the broth
• goes from being “just okay” to having the flavour of something that has been simmering all day.

Method

 

How to Make Creamy Tonkotsu-Style Ramen

Step 1

1. Place the pot over medium heat and heat the sesame oil. Add the minced garlic and the grated ginger, then cook for approximately 30 seconds until the aroma has developed. Keep the heat at a moderate level so that the garlic does not burn and become bitter.

Step 2.

1. Prepare the broth by pouring in the chicken broth and then whisking in the miso paste and soy sauce until they are completely dissolved. Allow it to simmer gently for five minutes so that the flavours can combine.

Step 3.

1. Give it a creamy texture by adding the coconut milk (or heavy cream) and then simmering it for another 3 to 5 minutes; the broth should become a light, smooth colour and thicken a bit — this is the part that reproduces the texture of long-simmered tonkotsu.

Step 4.

1. Prepare the noodles separately. While the broth is simmers, boil the ramen noodles in a different pot in accordance with the instructions on the package, generally taking 3 to 4 minutes. Drain them thoroughly and put them aside.

Step 5.

1. Heat the pork. When using leftover or store-bought pork belly or chashu, heat the slices for a short time in a pan or in the broth just before serving.

Step 6.

1. Put the bowl together by placing the noodles into it and then pouring the hot creamy broth over them.

Step 7.

1. Finish it off by adding the sliced pork, the halved soft-boiled eggs, the green onions, and, if you’d like it to be spicier, a drizzle of chili oil. It should then be served right away while all the ingredients are still hot.

Substitutions and Add-Ins

1. The coconut milk is naturally free from dairy and provides a rather mild sweetness which goes well with the savoury broth.
2. To give it extra richness, a little amount of butter is added right before serving, which brings the broth even nearer to traditional tonkotsu.
3. For the vegetarian version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and use marinated tofu or mushrooms in place of the pork.
4. A protein alternative would be shredded chicken from the rotisserie or very thin slices of pork tenderloin in the event that you don’t have chashu available.
5. Adding a small amount of fish sauce to the broth enhances the umami taste without making much difference to the overall flavour.

Tips for the Best Results

1. Mix in the coconut milk slowly and stir continuously for the first minute since this will help it combine smoothly with the broth and prevent it from separating.

Notes

When adding the coconut milk or cream, use low heat and don’t boil it vigorously — a gentle
simmer will keep the broth silky, whereas a rolling boil may cause it to separate and result in the loss of
its creamy texture