Quick & Tasty Miso Ramen - GF option

If your picture of ramen is those instant noodles from the store with the little MSG packets, do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Make this recipe now so you can redeem the word ramen in your mind. I grew up loving miso ramen. It was one of my favorite foods! Even my husband (who grew up eating the instant kind) loves this recipe. So...

I won't claim that this recipe is authentic, but it's easy, free of additives, and tastes pretty amazing! I can't tolerate soy very well (sad for a girl who loves Japanese food!) but I have found that fermented soy such as miso sits a lot better with me. If you can find organic or non-GMO miso, that's even better. Be sure to check that it's gluten-free if gluten's an issue for you.

INGREDIENTS:

For broth:

2 lbs. Bone-in chicken thighs (or a small whole chicken)

3 quarts water

1 onion, cut in half

5-6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground ginger

Salt to taste

1/2 cup white or red miso*

1/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce

1 TBSP fish sauce

For chili-garlic sauce:

1/4 cup avocado oil

6 TBSP raw sesame seeds

12cloves garlic

1-3 TBSP crushed red pepper

1/4 cup sesame oil

Salt to taste

Other:

Cooked ramen noodles**

INSTRUCTIONS:

Boil chicken, water, onion, garlic, ginger, and salt in an instant pot on high pressure for an hour or so, or in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

While broth cooks, make chili garlic sauce. Toast sesame seeds in avocado oil and add garlic when the sesame is just starting to brown. Stir often to avoid burning. Once the garlic is crispy, stir in crushed red pepper, sesame oil, and salt. Turn off the heat and remove sauce from pan. Save the pan for the next step.

When the broth is done, strain out the chicken, bones, and onion, and set aside. Add the miso, coconut aminos or soy sauce, and fish sauce to the broth.

Shred the chicken and toast it in the pan you used for the garlic sauce.

Distribute broth, noodles, chicken, and chili-garlic sauce in bowls. Top with green onion, boiled eggs, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, nori, or enjoy as-is.

*White miso is milder. Red miso has a stronger flavor.

**I use Lotus Foods brown rice & millet ramen noodles from Costco.

Photo credit: Unsplash @ montatip lilitsanog