Most Tokyo-style shoyu ramen broths lean heavily on soy sauce and fish, yet fall short on depth and dimension. Sure, there are ramen shops here turning out beautifully balanced bowls, but good luck getting one without lining up an hour before they open. This got me wondering: could I apply some of the same techniques I used for my miso ramen and tsukemen to craft a top-tier shoyu ramen recipe at home? After a few months of experimentation I'm happy to report that this soulful soy sauce ramen broth hits just the right balance of soy sauce and chicken, with smoky dashi and earthy shiitake dialing the umami knob up to eleven. It tastes like it's been simmering all day, but it comes together from a handful of ingredients in just 20 minutes!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using ground chicken and grated aromatics creates lots of surface area, so you can brown everything quickly and extract big flavor into the broth in minutes instead of hours.
- A pinch of baking soda raises the pH of the mixture, helping it brown even faster.
- Caramelizing some of the soy sauce with the meat adds a toasty depth that anchors the broth.
- A small amount of powdered gelatin instantly gives this chicken shoyu ramen broth the rich body of a slow-cooked bone broth.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken - I like using ground chicken thigh meat because it has more flavor and fat than ground breastmeat, lending the right amount of richness to the broth without being cloying. You could also use ground pork, but I think chicken works better for this bowl of ramen.
- Onion - Adds natural sweetness and depth to balance the saltiness of the soy sauce in this ramen. Grating lets you quickly caramelize it, creating deep flavors that enhance the chicken broth.
- Ginger - Fresh ginger accents the broth with a gentle heat and cuts through any gamy or fishy notes. I add garlic to my other homemade ramen broths, but this soup is more delicate, so I leave it out of this recipe.
- Tamari soy sauce - Adds a bold, toasty backbone to the meat as it browns, creating a layer of flavor that builds complexity in the shoyu ramen base. You can use regular Japanese soy sauce if you don't have any.
- Baking soda - A small amount raises the pH of the meat mixture, speeding up the Maillard reaction without affecting the taste.
- Dashi stock - Shoyu ramen is traditionally made with a blend of meat and fish stocks. I like using a homemade dashi stock with kombu and katsuobushi (a.k.a. bonito flakes), which gives this soy sauce ramen recipe a marvelous smoky depth without overwhelming the other ingredients.
- Gelatin - The silky, full-bodied mouthfeel of ramen broth comes from cooking chicken bones for hours to render their collagen into gelatin. Adding powdered gelatin instantly achieves this texture in the broth.
- Dried shiitake mushroom - Mushrooms are a rich source of nucleotides, which synergize with amino acids in the chicken broth to create mouth-filling umami.
- Soy sauce - Using tamari alone makes the shoyu flavor overpowering, so I like using Japanese dark soy sauce as my primary seasoning for this shoyu ramen recipe.
- Ramen noodles - I like using fresh ramen noodles that are moderately curly and have a medium thickness. The wavy noodles are springy and chewy, but aren't too heavy for the light broth. If you're in the US, Sun Noodle makes fantastic ramen noodles, but other Chinese noodles or dried ramen will work in a pinch.
Shoyu Ramen Toppings
For this bowl of shoyu ramen, I used thick slabs of chicken chashu, menma, a white ramen egg, narutomaki, and green onions. That browned ground chicken you used to build the broth makes a fantastic topping with loads of umami. A sheet of toasted nori adds a briny hit that pairs beautifully with the soup, while daikon sprouts bring a peppery freshness that cuts through the richness. If you want some extra heat, freshly cracked black pepper is a winner, as is Japanese chili oil.
How to Make Shoyu Ramen
Start by combining the ground chicken, grated onion, ginger, dark soy sauce, oil, and a pinch of baking soda in a wide stock pot or deep frying pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and use a spatula to break up the meat into fine crumbs as it cooks. Once the chicken is cooked, you can spread it out evenly to boil off all the liquid. Then, stir-fry the chicken until it's nicely browned. You're aiming for deep golden bits and a dark fond coating the bottom of the pan. This forms the foundation of flavor for the soup, so take your time here.
Once the meat is well browned, pour in the dashi stock, then add the gelatin, dried shiitake, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then skim off any foam that rises to the top while leaving as much chicken fat behind as possible. This keeps the shoyu ramen broth clear but still full-bodied. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. The gelatin melts into the liquid, giving the broth a silky, satisfying texture that clings to the noodles.
Pass the broth through a strainer, pressing on the solids to extract every last drop of flavor. Keep the soy sauce ramen broth warm while you cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Drain them well and shake off any excess water so you don't dilute the broth. Divide the noodles between two bowls and pour over the hot broth. Stir the noodles with chopsticks or thin tongs to coat evenly with the soup and then lift the ramen, folding it over itself to create a flat surface to place your toppings.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
- 225 grams ground chicken
- 60 grams onion (grated)
- 6 grams ginger (grated)
- 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/16 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups dashi stock
- 5 grams powdered gelatin
- 4 grams dried shiitake mushroom
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 220 grams fresh ramen noodles
Instructions
- Set a deep frying pan or wide stockpot on a scale and add 225 grams ground chicken. Grate in 60 grams onion and 6 grams ginger.
- Add 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1/16 teaspoon baking soda to the pan, then set it over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to crumble the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
- Once the liquid has evaporated, stir-fry until the chicken is deeply browned (but not burnt) and a thick layer of dark brown fond forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Add 4 cups dashi stock, 5 grams powdered gelatin, 4 grams dried shiitake mushroom, and 3 tablespoons soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, but leave as much fat behind as possible.
- Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the shoyu ramen broth for 10 minutes.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract every drop of flavor. Keep the broth warm over low heat while you boil 220 grams fresh ramen noodles according to the package instructions.
- Drain the noodles well, divide them between two large bowls, and ladle the hot soup over the top. Garnish with your ramen toppings of choice.
Drew says
Definitely one of the more ambitious recipes