Basic Ramen Broth Recipe

Introduction

This Basic Ramen Broth recipe offers a rich and flavorful foundation for homemade ramen. Combining chicken, traditional Japanese ingredients, and a slow simmering process, it creates a deeply satisfying soup perfect for any ramen lover to customize.

Ingredients

• 0.35oz (10g) Kelp
• 0.35oz (10g) Bonito flakes (or 1 cup)
• 0.7oz (20g) Shiitake mushrooms (or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms)
• 6 cups (1.5L) water
• 2 Chicken carcasses (cleaned)
• 4 Chicken wings
• 1/2 onion, cut into quarters
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1oz (30g) ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped into one-third length
• 1/2 cup sake
• 12 cups (3L) water
• 1/4 cup dashi stock
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2.5 tbsp leftover chashu sauce
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• White part of 1 scallion
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (all natural, no sugar added)
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp rayu chili oil
• 1/2 cup miso paste

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the overnight dashi stock by placing kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and 6 cups of water in a large jar. Cover and soak overnight.
2. Step 2: Clean the chicken carcasses and wings under running water. Remove any organs and wash away blood.
3. Step 3: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Briefly poach the chicken carcasses and wings for about 30 seconds until the color changes to white. Strain and discard this water.
4. Step 4: In a large pot, add the chicken carcasses, wings, onion quarters, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, chopped scallions, 1/2 cup sake, and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Step 5: Once boiling, reduce heat to low and skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
6. Step 6: Simmer gently on low heat for about 3 hours, occasionally removing scum and adding the overnight dashi stock as needed.
7. Step 7: After 3 hours, add the remaining overnight dashi stock ingredients. Remove the pot from heat and strain the soup through a fine sieve or kitchen paper-lined strainer into another pot. Discard solids.
8. Step 8: Simmer the strained broth gently for an additional 2 hours to further concentrate flavors.
9. Step 9: Remove from heat and strain again through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper towel for clarity.
10. Step 10: The broth should reduce to about 10 cups (2.5L). Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
11. Step 11: For shio tare, mix sake, mirin, salt, leftover chashu sauce, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and peanut butter. Stir well and add 2.5 tbsp to each ramen bowl before adding 2 cups (500ml) of broth.
12. Step 12: For shoyu tare, place 3 tbsp shoyu tare in your bowl and pour in 2 cups (500ml) of broth, stirring to combine.
13. Step 13: For miso tare, blend sake, mirin, rayu chili oil, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and peanut butter until creamy. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in miso paste, then add 2 tbsp of this tare to each bowl with 2 cups of broth, mixing well.

Tips & Variations

• Soaking the dashi ingredients overnight helps extract maximum flavor with minimal bitterness.
• Skimming scum carefully during simmering ensures a clear, clean broth.
• Adjust tare seasonings to your taste—less salt or more chili oil can personalize your ramen experience.
• Use leftover chashu sauce for added depth and umami in the tare mixtures.

Storage

Store the finished broth in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove without boiling to preserve the delicate flavors before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this broth without chicken wings?

Yes, you can use just chicken carcasses, though wings add extra richness. Alternatively, adding pork bones can deepen flavor for a tonkotsu-style broth.

How can I make the broth clearer?

Consistently skimming off any scum during the simmering process and straining the broth carefully through fine kitchen paper towels will help achieve a clear broth.

Basic Ramen Broth Recipe

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4.5 from 94 reviews

This Basic Ramen Broth recipe is a comprehensive guide to making a rich, flavorful ramen soup base from scratch. It features an overnight dashi stock, a long-simmered chicken broth enriched with kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and a blend of aromatic vegetables and seasonings. Additionally, three types of tare sauces—Shio, Shoyu, and Miso—are provided to customize your ramen bowl perfectly. This broth delivers a deep umami taste essential for an authentic Japanese ramen experience.

• Author: Isabella
• Prep Time: 12 hours (including overnight soaking)
• Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 17 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 10 cups (2.5L) of ramen broth, serving 4-5 bowls 1x
• Category: Soup/Broth
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Japanese
• Diet: Halal

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dashi Stock Ingredients

• 0.35oz (10g) kelp
• 0.35oz (10g) bonito flakes (or 1 cup)
• 0.7oz (20g) shiitake mushrooms (or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms)
• 6 cups (1.5L) water

Chicken Broth Ingredients

• 2 chicken carcasses (or 1 large carcass)
• 4 chicken wings
• 1/2 onion, cut into quarters
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1oz (30g) ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped into one third length
• 1/2 cup sake
• 12 cups (3L) water

Ramen Broth Final Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dashi stock (prepared overnight)
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2.5 tbsp chashu leftover sauce
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• White part of 1 scallion

Miso Tare Ingredients

• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (all natural, no sugar added)
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp rayu chili oil
• 1/2 cup miso paste

Instructions

1. Prepare Overnight Dashi Stock: Place the kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and 6 cups (1.5L) of water in a large jar. Seal the jar with a lid and soak the ingredients overnight to create a flavorful dashi stock.
2. Prepare Chicken Broth: Clean the chicken carcasses and wings under running water, removing all organs and blood. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (water not specified in initial ingredients), then briefly poach the chicken pieces for about 30 seconds until the color changes to white to remove impurities. Strain and discard this poaching water.
3. Simmer Chicken and Vegetables: Place the cleaned chicken carcasses, wings, 1/2 onion (quartered), 2 smashed garlic cloves, sliced ginger, chopped scallions, 1/2 cup sake, and 12 cups (3L) water into a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and remove any scum forming on top of the soup.
4. Simmer Gently for 3 Hours: Maintain a gentle simmer over low heat for about 3 hours to extract maximum flavor from the chicken and aromatics.
5. Add Dashi Stock and Continue Simmering: Occasionally skim off any scum that appears. Add the overnight dashi stock along with its kelp, bonito flakes, and shiitake mushrooms. Remove from heat briefly and strain the broth through a sieve, discarding solids including chicken carcasses and vegetables.
6. Simmer Again for 2 Hours: Return the strained broth to the pot and simmer gently for an additional 2 hours. After this time, strain the broth again using a sieve lined with kitchen paper towels to achieve clarity.
7. Reduce Broth: Continue simmering until the broth reduces to approximately 10 cups (2.5L). This concentrated broth can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
8. Prepare Shio Tare: Combine 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp salt, 2.5 tbsp chashu leftover sauce, 1/2 finely chopped onion, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger, and white part of scallion. Stir thoroughly to dissolve salt. Place 2.5 tbsp of this tare in a ramen bowl and add 2 cups (500ml) of ramen broth, stirring to combine.
9. Prepare Shoyu Tare: Place 3 tbsp shoyu tare (prepared separately or from chashu sauce) in a ramen bowl. Pour 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth over it and stir well.
10. Prepare Miso Tare: In a small container, combine 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter, 1 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp rayu chili oil, and 1/2 cup miso paste. Use a stick blender or food processor to beat until creamy. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat, add miso paste if not already combined, and mix well. Place 2 tbsp miso tare in a ramen bowl, add 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Notes

• The overnight soaking of dashi ingredients infuses the broth with deep umami flavors without boiling, ensuring clarity.
• Brief poaching of chicken removes blood and impurities, resulting in a cleaner-tasting broth.
• Skimming scum during simmering is critical for a clear and aesthetically pleasing broth.
• Straining with kitchen paper towels helps remove fine particles for a smooth soup texture.
• Broth concentration affects intensity of flavor; reducing to about 10 cups ensures sufficient depth for ramen.
• Tare sauces are essential seasoning components for ramen, allowing customization to personal taste.
• Miso tare requires gentle heating and constant stirring to avoid burning and to develop flavor and creaminess.
• Broth can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.

Keywords: Ramen broth, Japanese soup base, dashi stock, chicken broth, ramen tare, miso tare, shio tare, shoyu tare, authentic ramen recipe