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I’ve officially lost count of how many brothy bowls we eat around here, and this Creamy Coconut Ramen is my newest brothy obsession! It’s the same red curry coconut broth and crispy tofu “mince”meat” from my broth bowls, just with ramen noodles instead of rice. BONUS: it’s on the table in about 30 minutes!
Love a good ramen recipe? You need to try our Peanut Miso Ramen as well as our Simple Homemade Ramen and our Easy Vegan Ramen!
Why you’ll love this creamy ramen recipe!
My original Vegetarian version of the viral broth bowls was such a hit that I figured I would make another version of it using ramen noodles instead of rice. Truthfully, I think I prefer this version even better. The noodles just suit the dish better (although the rice is really good in this too!).
Why you’ll love this:
- About 18g of protein per bowl thanks to the super firm tofu “mince”meat” that eats just like ground beef!
- Everything cooks at the same time – broth, tofu, and noodles all happen at once (different pans but still!), so dinner is done in just 30 minutes!
- Delicious curry flavor with just pantry staples like coconut milk, peanut butter, and red curry paste, no special ingredients needed.
- Way better than the packet – a rich, creamy curry broth for not much more effort than instant ramen
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Ramen noodles – any dried ramen noodles work (toss the seasoning packet if using instant), or use rice ramen to keep it gluten free. You could also make the rice version of these broth bowls.
- Red curry paste – the base of the broth! It bringing tons of flavor and a little heat, so add more if you like it spicy.
- Coconut milk – lite keeps it lighter, but full fat makes the curry broth extra rich and creamy. I typically go with the lite coconut milk but really either will work well!
- Veggie broth – a good quality broth makes a big difference, and Trader Joe’s Miso Ginger broth is especially delicious here! I also love the Better than Bouillion broth bases.
- Peanut butter – use a creamy natural peanut butter so it melts smoothly into the broth (almond butter works too). You do NOT want a thicker peanut butter such as Jif as it’ll be much harder to whisk into the broth.
- Lime – fresh juice brightens up the broth, so don’t skip it!
- Soy sauce – adds salty, savory depth to both the broth and the tofu (use tamari for gluten free).
- Super firm tofu – this is my favorite tofu right now because it requires no pressing and is higher in protein. Extra firm works great too – just be sure to press it first or else it won’t get crispy.
- Vegetarian beef bouillon – gives the tofu mince its meaty flavor, but a regular veggie bouillon works in a pinch.
- Tomato paste – adds a big boost of umami and color to the tofu that we love!
- Maple syrup – a touch of sweetness to balance the sauce, and honey or agave work too.
- Fresh ginger – brings the tofu mince to life, or use ground ginger if that’s what you have.
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- Cook your ramen according to package directions. Once done, add to 2 separate serving bowls.
- Grate your tofu using the large side of a box grater (or crumble it finely with your hands). Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tofu and saute for 10 minutes, stirring often until browned and a little crispy.
- Make the broth by combining the broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and red curry paste. Stir until combined and let simmer gently to heat through.
- Assemble the bowls by layering in the ramen noodles and tofu ground “meat”. Ladle in the broth and any desired toppings such as cucumber slices, lime wedges, cilantro, green onion, and chili crisp oil.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the noodles separately – if you try and cook them in the broth, they’ll soak up all the broth or turn starchy and mushy. I’ve tried and it’s just not my favorite but can be done.
- Give the tofu the full 10 minutes to crisp up – it’s tempting to rush, but that’s what makes it browned and crispy instead of soggy. Trust me!
- Keep the curry broth at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the coconut milk stays smooth and creamy.
- Taste before serving and add more lime, soy sauce, or curry paste to suit your liking.
Frequently Asked Questions
It has a gentle warmth from the red curry paste, but the coconut milk keeps it pretty mild. Curry paste brands vary a lot in heat, so start with the recipe amount and add more (or a drizzle of chili crunch) if you want it spicier.
Red curry paste is my go-to here for its balanced flavor and mild heat. Yellow curry paste works for a milder, more turmeric-forward broth, and green curry paste makes it brighter and spicier.
Either one works. Lite coconut milk keeps the broth a little lighter, while full fat makes it richer and thicker. Just avoid the coconut milk sold in cartons for drinking – it’s too thin to give you that creamy curry broth.
Absolutely! Just discard the seasoning packet and cook the noodles according to the package. The homemade curry broth brings all the flavor.
Creamy Coconut Ramen
Ingredients
For the ramen
- 6-9 oz of uncooked ramen noodles, I do 6oz for 2 people and 9-12 4 people
For the broth
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 1 can 15 oz lite Coconut Milk, full fat also works
- 2 Tablespoons natural creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For the tofu “meat”
- 15 oz Super-firm tofu, Extra-firm tofu also works great!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon vegetarian beef bouillon*
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon of fried ginger)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For serving
- Green onions
- Cucumber
- Cilantro
- Chili crunch
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the ramen according to package directions.
- Make the broth combining the broth, coconut milk, peanut butter, red curry paste, lime juice, and soy sauce in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Using the large side of a box grater, shred the block of tofu. Some large chunks will fall off, so I take those and very gently push them through the grater. You can also finely crumble the tofu with your hands as desired.
- Meanwhile, cook the tofu. In a large, heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add in the shredded tofu and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for about 10 minutes or until the tofu turns a golden brown color and most of the moisture has cooked out.
- Make the sauce by whisking together ½ tablespoon of olive oil, bouillon, soy sauce, water, maple syrup, ginger, and tomato paste. Once the tofu has turned golden, add the sauce, stir, and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Assemble the bowls by dividing the broth, ramen, and tofu “meat” into 4 bowls. Layer on desired toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Curry paste – brands vary in heat, so adjust to taste.
Bouillon – Better Than Bouillon’s vegetarian base works great, but plain veggie bouillon is fine too.
Storage – store the curry broth separately from the noodles and tofu in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles soak up broth as they sit, so combine when reheating (or cook fresh noodles).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
