Ramen looks a lot like fast food. A bowl of noodles in broth, served after a few minutes at a counter where you barely have room to sit. Yes, sometimes there aren't even chairs and you slurp your soup standing up. And yet there is more craftsmanship, tradition, and passion behind it than in many Michelin-starred restaurants. The broth, which simmers for 24 hours. The noodles, which are painstakingly handmade (including a secret ingredient). The toppings, where each individual element adds another layer of flavor. Once you've sat in a real ramen shop in Japan, you'll understand: this is not a quick meal. It's dedication. What's more, it tastes amazing – just the right mix of sophisticated and down-to-earth. And that's exactly why we want it at home too. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about ramen: what exactly it is, what makes it so special, what varieties there are – and how to make it yourself at home. From instant to advanced. Including the viral TikTok spaghetti trick with natron.
What Is Ramen?
Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish consisting of three components: a flavorful broth, special wheat noodles, and one or more toppings. When you think of ramen, you might immediately think of chashu, the typical rolled pork belly that is braised until the meat falls apart in your mouth when you eat it. However, chashu is not a must-have ingredient for a bowl of ramen. But it does make it especially delicious.
The noodles are the key ingredient. They are yellowish in color and have a particularly firm and elastic texture—which is due to a special ingredient that we will tell you more about in a moment.
Ramen originated in China and came to Japan in the 19th century. There, the dish was further developed over the decades until it became one of the most popular Japanese dishes in the 20th century. The story behind it is quite exciting, as it is closely linked to the events of World War II. With the US subsidizing wheat as an occupying power, ramen suddenly became an inexpensive, nutritious food for the working class.
Today, there are over 80,000 ramen restaurants in Japan, ranging from simple standing bars to Michelin-starred gourmet temples.
What Types of Ramen Are There?
There are countless varieties of ramen. Every city, and sometimes even every neighborhood, has its own specialty. Did you know, for example, that in Ouchi-juku, people eat noodles with a leek instead of chopsticks? (Or at least try to.) Did you know that there is breakfast ramen? Or so-called tsukemen—ramen noodles that are served separately from the broth, which you dip into and then slurp with relish?
Here is an overview of the most important varieties:
Tonkotsu Ramen (Kyūshū)
The broth is made from pork bones and cooked until it becomes milky white and creamy. The flavor is very strong, fatty, and umami. This variety originates from Fukuoka on the island of Kyūshū and is one of the most famous types of ramen.
Fun fact: Locally, this variety is called Hakata ramen, after a district of Fukuoka. It is said to have been created when a chef cooked his broth for too long, unintentionally creating the creamy emulsion that characterizes tonkotsu ramen.
Shōyu Ramen (Tokyo)
This ramen features a clear, brown broth seasoned with soy sauce (shoyu). The flavor is hearty, but lighter than tonkotsu. This variety is mainly served in and around Tokyo and is one of Japan's oldest ramen traditions.
Miso Ramen (Hokkaidō)
The broth is enriched with miso paste, which gives it a slightly sweet, fermented flavor. This variant originates from the northern prefecture of Hokkaidō and is real soul food, especially on colder days. In Hokkaidō, corn and butter are often added as toppings.
Shio Ramen (Okinawa/Hokkaidō)
Shio simply means “salt.” This ramen has a light, almost clear broth that is very subtly seasoned. The focus is on a lighter taste experience—often based on fish or chicken stock. Tip: If you find a restaurant on your trip to Japan that offers shio ramen with yuzu (Japanese lemon), be sure to try it.
What Makes Good Ramen?
Although ramen is a simple dish, there are huge differences in taste. The quality depends on the interplay of all the components. Here are the most important ones:
The Broth – The Heart of the Dish
The broth is the core of every ramen dish. It can be made from pork bones, chicken, fish, seafood, or a combination of these, and often takes 12 to 24 hours to develop its full flavor. A good ramen broth tastes really umami and coats your mouth – almost like a thin sauce. The difference between a homemade broth and one from a packet is enormous.
The Seasoning Concentrate – tare
The ingredient that gives the dish its individual flavor is called tare in Japanese. This seasoning concentrate can be made from soy sauce (shoyu), miso paste, or pure salt (shio). It is added to the bowl before the broth is poured over it, allowing each serving to be seasoned individually.
The Noodles – Not Without kansui
Without the right noodles, there is no real ramen. Japanese ramen noodles are made from wheat, water, salt, and an alkaline powder called kansui. It is this ingredient that gives the noodles their characteristic yellow color and elastic texture. Without kansui, they would simply be wheat noodles—delicious, but not ramen. We'll explain exactly how this works in the section “Making ramen yourself.”
The Toppings – The Finishing Touch
This is where creativity really comes into play. Classic toppings include ramen egg (ajitsuke tamago), chashu (rolled, slow-cooked pork), nori seaweed, spring onions, bamboo shoots, and narutomaki (the jagged, white slices of fish with a pink swirl in the middle).
Regional variations also include corn, butter, mussels, fried chicken, beef, or mushrooms.
In addition, almost every ramen restaurant in Japan offers a selection of sesame seeds (often in exactly this sesame grinder), hot chili oil, and ramen pepper so you can season your soup exactly how you like it.
Tip: Gyōza are the perfect accompaniment to ramen. That's why they're on the menu at most Japanese ramen restaurants. To find out exactly what they are and how you can make them yourself, read here.
Making Ramen Yourself – From Simple to Elaborate
There are many different ways to make ramen at home – depending on how much time and effort you want to invest.
Option 1: With Instant Ramen
This brings back memories of college. Instant ramen is the quickest and easiest way to enjoy a delicious meal. This ingenious invention from Japan comes with a ready-made broth and pre-cooked noodles – all in one package. The trick is not to just follow the package instructions, but to upgrade it: a soft-boiled egg, a few drops of sesame oil, freshly chopped spring onions, and a piece of nori turn a simple instant meal into a really good meal.
Option 2: With Fresh Ramen Noodles
This is the happy medium: You buy fresh, high-quality ramen noodles and combine them with a homemade or ready-made broth (we have our Signature Organic Ramen Broth for you, also in vegan). The fresh noodles have a much better texture than instant noodles—they are firmer, more elastic, and are just like real ramen. Preparation is very simple: cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water for about three minutes, drain, rinse briefly with cold water (to stop them cooking further and remove the starch from the cooking water), and then add to the broth. For the topping, chop some spring onions and garnish the bowl with one or two sheets of nori.
Tip: To get you started quickly, we have put together a ramen set for you.
Variation 3: Make Your Own Noodles and Broth
This is the ultimate ramen project—time-consuming, but also incredibly satisfying. Here, you make everything yourself: the broth, the noodles, and the toppings.
The Broth
For a tonkotsu-style broth, you need pork bones. It is important that the bones contain a lot of collagen. The shank, the part below the knuckle, is particularly suitable for this. Alternatively, you can also use the thigh. To achieve a more intense flavor, combine a mixture of spine and marrow bones.
The key to a creamy, milky white broth is to briefly blanch the bones in boiling water and then rinse them before simmering them in fresh water for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours, with the lid on.
For a lighter chicken or fish-based broth, 4–6 hours is often sufficient.
The Noodles With kansui
This is where the ingredient that makes ramen truly ramen comes into play: kansui. This is a powder made from potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate, which gives the noodle dough an alkaline note. This alkalinity is responsible for giving the noodles their characteristic yellow color and a springy, elastic texture that you would never get with normal wheat noodles.
We have already covered the topic of kansui in a separate article, where you can also find the detailed recipe.
In short: mix 500 grams of wheat flour with 125 milliliters of water, 3 grams of kansui powder, and a little salt. Mix the dough briefly in a food processor, then let it rest for 30 minutes and knead thoroughly. To shape the noodles, it's best to use a pasta machine. To prevent them from sticking, dust them with flour and roll them out in portions. They only need about a minute and a half in the pot.
If you want to buy kansui powder yourself, you can find it in our shop.
The Toppings
You can get creative with the toppings. For many, chashu is a must-have—tender, braised pork that is cut into wafer-thin slices. To make chashu, you need pork belly, which you first tie into a roll with kitchen twine, fry until golden brown on all sides, and then simmer for about two to three hours in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and, depending on your taste, ginger and garlic. The meat becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender and absorbs the sweet and salty flavor of the marinade. After braising, it is best to let the chashu rest overnight and cut it into thin slices the next day.
In addition to meat, a homemade bowl of ramen also includes other classic toppings, most notably marinated ramen eggs with their creamy yolks. The soup becomes even more delicious with crisp spring onions, a strip of crispy nori seaweed, and, depending on your preference, pickled bamboo (menma), sesame seeds, or a dollop of spicy chili paste. The trick is to combine the toppings in such a way that they complement the broth without overpowering it.
The TikTok Trend: “Turning” Spaghetti Into Ramen Noodles With Natron
A while ago, a trend swept through social media that piqued many people's curiosity: normal spaghetti is cooked in water with natron and supposedly turns into ramen noodles. How does this work, and is it true?
The Science Behind It
The trick is based on the same principle as kansui – alkalinity. Kansui contains potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate; baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a much milder alkaline substance. When you cook spaghetti in natrona water, the alkalinity reacts with the gluten in the wheat in a similar way to kansui – the noodles become slightly more elastic and take on a slightly yellowish color.
Does It Really Work?
Partially, yes. The texture does become noticeably different – slightly more al dente and elastic than normal cooked spaghetti. A slight yellow discoloration also occurs. However, there are a few important differences from real ramen noodles: the taste is not the same, as spaghetti is made with a different flour and has a different structure than traditional ramen dough. You should also be careful with the natron – too much of it and the noodles will taste soapy and unpleasant. A good rule of thumb is about one teaspoon per liter of water.
Our Opinion
The baking soda trick is a nice little experiment and gives you a rough idea of what kansui does in real ramen noodles. For a truly authentic ramen experience, however, we recommend using fresh ramen noodles or making the noodles yourself with kansui powder.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ramen
What exactly is ramen? Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish consisting of a hearty broth, chewy wheat noodles, a concentrated seasoning (tare, for example with soy sauce or miso) and various toppings. The soup has its roots in China and was further developed in Japan during the 20th century. Today, ramen is a global trend.
How do ramen noodles differ from regular noodles? The key difference is the ingredient kansui—an alkaline powder made from potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate. It gives the noodles their typical yellow color and a springy texture that regular wheat noodles don't have.
Can I make ramen without meat? Absolutely. A vegetarian or vegan ramen broth can be made from shiitake mushrooms, kombu seaweed, and miso, for example. It can be just as aromatic and flavorful as a meat-based version. If you're in a hurry, we also have a ready-made version for you.
How long does homemade ramen broth keep? Homemade broth will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 4–5 days. You can also freeze it and keep it for up to three months.
Why are ramen noodles yellow? The yellow color comes from kansui, the alkaline ingredient in the dough. It reacts with the gluten in the wheat, producing the characteristic discoloration. Eggs, which are added to some recipes, can also contribute to the yellow color.
What is the difference between ramen, udon, and soba? We answer this in detail in our article The differences between ramen, somen, udon & co.. In short: ramen is made from wheat with kansui, udon is thick, white wheat noodles without kansui, and soba is made at least partly from buckwheat.
How do you pronounce ramen correctly? In Japanese, the word is pronounced with a long “a.”
Do I need special equipment to cook ramen? To do it properly, you need a Japanese noodle strainer. But that's more of a gimmick, and of course you can also use your good old noodle strainer that you normally use.
How do I eat ramen authentically? To get as close as possible to the feeling of a Japanese noodle soup shop, it's best to serve your ramen in a suitable bowl and eat it with chopsticks and a wooden soup spoon.
Ramen Troubleshooting
If you're having trouble making your own ramen, the following tips will help:
My homemade ramen noodles stick together. How can I prevent this? When your noodles come fresh out of the noodle machine, it's best to dust them with a little flour to prevent them from sticking together. During preparation, it is important to rinse the noodles in clean water immediately after cooking to remove any starch residue. If you know that they will be left to stand for a while after cooking before being added to the broth, you can also mix them with a small amount of sesame oil.
Why is my tonkotsu broth brown instead of white? You probably didn't clean the bones thoroughly enough at the beginning. If there are any traces of flesh or blood vessels left on the bones, they will turn your broth dark.
Why isn't my tonkotsu broth turning milky? Either you didn't use the right bones (a high collagen content is essential) or you didn't simmer the broth long enough. It's also important that the liquid doesn't just simmer, but is brought to a boil every now and then. This is the only way to create the emulsion that gives it its typical creamy consistency.
The yolks of my ramen eggs are turning hard. What should I do? Once the yolks of your ramen eggs have become firm, there is nothing you can do about it. Next time, try boiling the eggs for one to two minutes less. Only add the eggs to the water once it is already boiling and, most importantly, plunge them into ice-cold water immediately after boiling to stop the cooking process and prevent the yolks from becoming any firmer.
Summary: Your Path to Perfect Ramen
Ramen is one of those dishes that looks simple on the surface but offers a whole world of possibilities when you get into the details. Whether you go for a quick instant bowl with upgraded toppings, combine fresh ramen noodles with a homemade broth, or tackle the whole project from scratch yourself—it's always delicious. And that's what makes ramen so great: in the end, it doesn't matter how you enjoy it—the most important thing is that you like it.