If you asked me to list off some of my favorite things to eat, ramen would most certainly be one of them. I find few foods more enjoyable than a big steaming bowl of noodles and broth, and it's the perfect comfort food amid a cold winter. Thankfully, I've passed my love for this umami delicacy on to my son, who happily slurps up all of my ramen creations on an almost weekly basis.
The flavor combinations for a good bowl of ramen are practically endless, but I keep things fairly simple in this variation. While traditional ramen is made with Chinese-style wheat noodles, I'm using ramen made from brown rice and millet flour to keep it gluten-free. Meaty shiitake mushrooms add some earthy flavor and a bit of texture, and the quick cooking time prevents them from becoming too soft or mushy. The bok choy provides just a touch of bitterness to help round out all that salty broth, and the leafy texture is a nice contrast against all those soft noodles. There's plenty of fresh ginger and garlic, and a sprinkle of red pepper adds just the right amount of heat to finish it off. Don't skimp on the onion and sesame seeds, but feel free to skip the pepper if you're serving this to kids with sensitive taste buds.
Gluten-Free Ramen
I get my gluten-free noodles from Whole Foods, but they're available on Amazon too. I really like the texture of these noodles, and they're probably the best gluten-free version I've found. If you're not gluten-free and looking for something more traditional, these noodles from Japan are excellent.
The Broth
The Ocean's Halo Ramen Broth is fantastic to use in this ramen because it's vegan and gluten-free. Kitchen Basics makes a delicious vegetable stock that also works great here, and I love the brand's allergen policy. If you aren't vegan you can also use your favorite bone broth.
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
If you're new to being gluten-free, you may find that gluten hides in many unexpected foods, such as your standard soy sauce. Thankfully tamari is a great option and is fairly easy to find. If this is a new ingredient to you, tamari is a Japanese sauce made from fermented soybeans, but it's made without wheat. You could also use coconut aminos if you'd like, but the flavor will differ slightly. Reduced sodium soy sauce works perfectly if you aren't restricting wheat.
Storing Leftover Ramen
If you have leftovers or want to make this ahead of time, I recommend storing the broth and the noodles separately. Once your noodles are cooked (and rinsed if the directions call for it) give them a hearty drizzle of sesame oil. This will prevent them from sticking together.
Vegan Gluten-Free Ramen
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 large head bok choy chopped
- 2 shallots diced
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 inch ginger peeled and grated
- 6 cups vegan ramen broth vegetable broth works too
- 3 tablespoon lower sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 20 oz gluten free ramen
- green onions, black sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the bok choy and cook it for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's softened. Remove it from the pot and set it aside on a plate.
- If your pot is dry add another tablespoon of sesame oil. Add in your mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook it for about 2 minutes, just until it becomes fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, cover, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the broth come to a gentle simmer.
- While your broth is heating up, cook your noodles in a separate pot according to the packaging directions. My noodles required 3 minutes of boiling, then a rinse with cold water. I drizzle mine with the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and give them a gentle toss to avoid having the noodles stick together.
- Once your noodles are cooked and your broth is simmering, add your bok choy, tamari, and rice vinegar to the broth.
- Add some noodles to your serving bowls (about 3 oz per serving). Ladle the broth over your noodles and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Did you make this Vegan Gluten-Free Ramen?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and rate the recipe.
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