Tonkotsu ramen, a traditional Japanese ramen dish that can easily be made vegan- and vegetarian-friendly with a simple broth that uses dairy-free soy milk to add depth, color, and richness to this classic Asian noodle comfort dish.
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| Time: | 75 min (15 prep, 60 cook) | ||||
| Calories: | 463 (per serving) | ||||
| Good For: | Asian comfort food, lunch or dinner | ||||
What is Tonkotsu?
Tonkotsu is a Japanese style of broth that is traditionally made by simmering pork marrow bones for hours on end, which gives the broth a milky texture and nearly-white color.
Please note that this is different than tonkatsu, a Japanese term that’s only one letter off and instead refers to a pork cutlet that is breaded and fried.
How to Make Tonkotsu Broth Vegan or Vegetarian
The challenge in making tonkotsu vegan or vegetarian lies in replicating that fatty composition and signature color. Luckily, we stumbled across a brilliant solution to that problem on another food blog.
Marc, the ingenious blogger from No Recipes, describes a way to make tonkotsu broth using soy milk as the base. We followed his recipe and it was every bit delicious as the pictures suggest.
While Marc’s version was absolutely amazing, it did include some obscure ingredients and had some steps that required a lot of work. We came up with a simpler version of the recipe, which we think gets you almost as much deliciousness but with half the work.
When choosing a soy milk to use, try to find a unflavored soy milk that has a lower sugar content, but isn’t completely sugar-free. The brand we use* contains a touch of sugar, and that little bit of sweetness helps to round out the flavor of the broth.
The most challenging ingredient to find will probably be the dried mushroom powder, but it is worth looking for as it will definitely up the deliciousness of the broth if you can get your hands on some.
Dried mushroom powder* is a great flavor enhancer which will boost the umami, or savory, flavor in the broth.
However, if you are not able to find it in any of your local Asian grocery stores, it may be omitted from the recipe as the kombu (a type of Japanese seaweed)* and shiitake mushrooms* will help provide some of that umami flavor.
Ingredients
- 32 fl oz. plain soy milk*
- 4”x2” strip of dried kombu*
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms*
- 2 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Amino*
- 1 teaspoon dried mushroom powder*
- 6 servings of fresh ramen noodles (or Rice Ramen*, for vegans)
- 4 bundles of baby bok choy, rinsed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 10 oz. beech mushrooms, with bottoms trimmed off and rinsed
- 6 oz. enoki mushrooms, with bottoms trimmed off and rinsed
- ½ medium onion, julienned
- 14 oz. firm tofu, cubed
- Green onion, sliced
- Black sesame seeds*
- 2 packages of seasoned nori (dried seaweed)*
- Mayu
Supplies
- Knife and cutting board
- 7-quart stockpot
- Ladle
- Strainer
- 12-inch skillet
- Stove
- Measuring cup*
- Measuring spoons*
How to Make Tonkotsu Ramen - Step by Step
Tonkotsu Broth
Step 1. Combine the soy milk with 6 cups of water in a large pot. Add the strip of kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms, then heat on medium low until steaming. Do not allow to boil.
Step 2. Let it sit while you prepare everything else, but remove the kombu approximately 15 minutes in, before it starts falling apart.
Step 3. Skim off foam or film that develops on the surface of the broth and discard. If you’ve left the konbu in too long and it starts falling apart, you may also need to strain the broth to remove the pieces.
Step 4. Add cubed tofu.
Step 5. Season to taste with Bragg's Liquid Amino, dried mushroom powder, and salt. Let soup cook for another 5 minutes before serving.
Beech Mushrooms
Step 1. Combine mushrooms and julienned onions in a large saute pan with some cooking oil.
Step 2. Saute over medium high heat approximately 6 minutes or until onions turn brown.
Step 3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
Bak Choy
Step 1. Place in a large saute pan with some cooking oil.
Step 2. Cook over medium heat with lid on pan approximately 5 minutes or until bok choy begins to soften.
Step 3. Remove lid and allow moisture to cook off.
Step 4. Season to taste with Bragg’s Liquid Amino and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
Assembly
Step 1. Prepare ramen noodles according to package instructions.
Step 2. Place noodles in a large bowl, then add broth with tofu.
Step 3. Top with beech mushrooms, bok choy, raw enoki mushrooms, and a dollop of mayu.
Step 4. Garnish with sliced green onion, black sesame seeds, and a few pieces of seasoned nori.
Variations & Substitutions
As with most soup-type dishes, there are many items that you could add to this recipe or swap the bok choy or beech mushrooms for.
Keep in mind that the broth and mayu are incredibly flavorful together, so it is best to choose ingredients that won’t clash with the soup itself.
Here are some good suggestions:
- Straw mushrooms
- Oyster mushrooms
- Choi sum
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Cooked bean sprouts
- Soft-boiled egg
It is also common to serve ramen dishes with kim chee or potstickers on the side.
RECIPE CARD
Vegan Tonkotsu Ramen
Tonkotsu ramen, a traditional Japanese noodle dish that can be made vegan with a soy milk broth that adds depth, color, and richness to a rather ordinary ramen bowl.
Ingredients
- 32 fluid oz. plain soy milk
- 4”x2” strip konbu
- 3 dried shitake mushrooms
- 2 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Amino
- 1 teaspoon dried mushroom powder
- 6 servings fresh ramen noodles (or Rice Ramen, for vegans)
- 4 bundles baby bak choy rinsed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 10 oz. beech mushrooms with bottoms trimmed off and rinsed
- 6 oz. enoki mushrooms with bottoms trimmed off and rinsed
- ½ medium onion julienned
- 14 oz. firm tofu cubed
- green onion sliced
- black sesame seeds
- 2 packages seasoned nori
Instructions
- Combine the soy milk with 6 cups of water in a large pot. Add the strip of kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms, then heat on medium low until steaming. Do not allow to boil.
- Let it sit while you prepare everything else, but remove the kombu approximately 15 minutes in, before it starts falling apart.
- Skim off foam or film that develops on the surface of the broth and discard. If you’ve left the konbu in too long and it starts falling apart, you may also need to strain the broth to remove the pieces.
- Add cubed tofu.
- Season to taste with Bragg's Liquid Amino, dried mushroom powder, and salt. Let soup cook for another 5 minutes before serving.
- Combine mushrooms and julienned onions in a large saute pan with some cooking oil.
- Saute over medium high heat approximately 6 minutes or until onions turn brown.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Place in a large saute pan with some cooking oil.
- Cook over medium heat with lid on pan approximately 5 minutes or until bok choy begins to soften.
- Remove lid and allow moisture to cook off.
- Season to taste with Bragg’s Liquid Amino and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare ramen noodles according to package instructions.
- Place noodles in a large bowl, then add broth with tofu.
- Top with beech mushrooms, bok choy, raw enoki mushrooms, and a dollop of mayu.
- Garnish with sliced green onion, black sesame seeds, and a few pieces of seasoned nori.
Notes
Variations & Substitutions:
As with most soup-type dishes, there are many items that you could add to this recipe or swap the bok choy or beech mushrooms for. Keep in mind that the broth and mayu are incredibly flavorful together, so it is best to choose ingredients that won’t clash with the soup itself. Here are some good suggestions:
- Straw mushrooms
- Oyster mushrooms
- Choi sum
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Cooked bean sprouts
- Soft-boiled egg
It is also common to serve ramen dishes with kim chee or potstickers on the side.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6Amount Per Serving Calories 463Total Fat 19.4gSaturated Fat 5.7gCholesterol 0mgSodium 1555mgCarbohydrates 60.3gFiber 15.2gSugar 7.8gProtein 23.8g
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