Easy Miso Ramen Soup
Like most everyone, the pandemic changed a lot (wait, all?) of our daily habits. Daily routines and shopping habits were the first to get a giant overhaul. It is now impossible for me to go to Costco and not come home with that massive carton of eggs. I get there, make my way over to the dairy section and think, “yeah, we probably need five dozen eggs” like it’s NORMAL. Its not normal (right?) I can’t stand the fear of running out of eggs so I always get them. But hey, at least I’ve had complete freedom to make the occasional angle food cake or chocolate pudding without worrying that I’m depleting our egg supply. #blessed.
Another habit that I’m grateful for is our weekly bowl of ramen. I love that this has one sneaked into our lives. I can’t tell you how comforting it is to tuck into this bowl of soup. Noodles, yummy broth infused with lime and miso, enough veggies to make it feel nutritious and a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg. We’ll make it for lunch fairly regularly (we’re both home for lunch. Every day, all the time.) and it really makes a mundane Monday feel quite luxurious. If you don’t have the time this is a perfect quick weeknight dinner.
This is a great use-what-you-have dish. Over the last few months we’ve had lots of different iterations: shedded carrots and frozen peas with barley miso paste, tofu and bok choy with Chinese five spice and rice vinegar, shredded carrots and mushrooms with miso (our current fave). Top it with scallions, cilantro, jalapeños or shallots and an egg and you’ve got happiness in a bowl.
Let’s talk about the eggs. There are many different methods for getting the perfect soft boiled egg but this one has worked the most consistently for me. Cooking the egg for 9 minutes in already boiled water results in a soft set white and a creamy, velvety yolk. The amount of water and number eggs will change the cooking time ever so slightly so if you are cooking more that four eggs use a bigger pot and more water so that the water temperature doesn’t drop too much, thus cooking the eggs more slowly.
When choosing your own ramen adventure I do recommend that you use carrot. It adds a really nice sweetness to the broth that works well with miso. So give this one a try and put your own spin on it. We can all use a little (or a lot) of ramen in our lives.
Easy Miso Ramen Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons miso paste (light or dark works)
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced or cut in quarters
- 2 3 ounce packages ramen noodles
- 1 lime
- 2 scallions, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 eggs
Instructions
- For the eggs: Fill a small pot with water, about 3-inches deep, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and carefully, with a large spoon, drop in the eggs, cover and let sit for 9 minutes. Quickly plunge the eggs in cold water. Once they are cool enough to to handle, peel and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring your broth and 1 cup of water to a boil then stir in the miso paste. Miso can be reluctant to break up so this is easiest if you place it in a small bowl with 1/2 a cup of the hot broth and whisk till it is dissolved, then pour it back in the pot. Add the shredded carrots and mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the ramen and simmer for 3 minutes. (Be sure to add the ramen just before you are ready to peel your eggs, you don’t want to noodles to cook too long.) squeeze half of the lime over the soup and add salt to taste.
- Dish up the soup and top with cilantro, scallions, whole egg and another squeeze of lime.