Basic Ramen Broth Recipe

Introduction

This basic ramen broth recipe is a rich and flavorful foundation for homemade ramen, combining chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and traditional Japanese ingredients for an authentic taste. Though it requires patience with long simmering times, the result is a deeply satisfying soup perfect for any ramen bowl.

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 (or 1)
• 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 chashu leftover 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 (1.5L) water in a large jar. Cover and soak overnight.
2. Step 2: Clean the chicken carcasses and wings under running water, removing all organs and rinsing off blood.
3. Step 3: Boil water in a large pot and blanch the chicken carcasses and wings for about 30 seconds until they turn white. Strain and discard the poaching water.
4. Step 4: In a large pot, combine the cleaned chicken carcasses and wings, 1/2 onion, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, scallions, 1/2 cup sake, and 12 cups (3L) water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Step 5: Reduce heat to low and skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
6. Step 6: Simmer gently over low heat for about 3 hours.
7. Step 7: Occasionally remove any scum that rises. Add in the overnight dashi stock as needed during simmering.
8. Step 8: After 3 hours, add the remaining overnight dashi stock along with kelp, bonito flakes, and shiitake mushrooms. Remove from heat and strain the soup into another large pot or bowl, discarding chicken carcasses and vegetables.
9. Step 9: Gently simmer the strained soup for another 2 hours.
10. Step 10: Remove from heat and strain the broth through a sieve lined with kitchen paper towels to remove any fine particles. The broth should reduce to about 10 cups (2.5L).
11. Step 11: Use the broth immediately for ramen soup or store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
12. Step 12 (Shio Tare): Combine salt, chashu sauce, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, white scallion, peanut butter, sake, mirin, and rayu chili oil. Stir to dissolve salt.
13. Step 13: Place 2.5 tbsp of this shio tare in a ramen bowl, add 2 cups (500ml) of ramen broth, and stir well.
14. Step 14 (Shoyu Tare): Place 3 tbsp shoyu tare in a ramen bowl, add 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth, and stir to combine.
15. Step 15 (Miso Tare): Combine finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, white scallion, peanut butter, sake, mirin, rayu chili oil, and miso paste in a container. Blend until creamy with a stick blender or food processor.
16. Step 16: Transfer the miso tare to a small saucepan and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in the miso paste entirely.
17. Step 17: Place 2 tbsp miso tare in a ramen bowl, add 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth, and stir until fully dissolved.

Tips & Variations

• Soaking dashi ingredients overnight develops a richer, deeper umami flavor in your broth.
• Skimming scum regularly ensures a clear, clean-tasting broth.
• Adjust tare amounts to your taste preference; these are starting points for seasoning your bowls.
• Use leftover chashu sauce or substitute with soy sauce if unavailable.
• Try substituting chicken wings with pork bones for a different rich flavor.

Storage

Store the finished ramen broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove to preserve flavor and avoid boiling the broth after cooking, which can alter the taste.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought dashi stock instead of making it overnight?

Yes, store-bought dashi can be used as a shortcut, but soaking kombu and bonito flakes overnight helps develop a deeper, more authentic umami flavor in the broth.

What is tare and why is it important?

Tare is a seasoned liquid seasoning added to ramen broth to provide depth and balance. It personalizes the soup’s flavor, and different types like shio, shoyu, or miso tare create distinct ramen profiles.

Basic Ramen Broth Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 137 reviews

This classic Basic Ramen Broth recipe guides you through creating a rich, flavorful ramen base using chicken carcasses, wings, kelp, bonito flakes, and shiitake mushrooms. With an overnight dashi soak and slow simmering over several hours, this broth develops deep umami notes perfect for authentic ramen.

• Author: Yana
• Prep Time: 15 minutes plus overnight soaking
• Cook Time: 5 hours 55 minutes
• Total Time: 13 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Japanese

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 (1 whole 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 Finishing Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Dashi stock
• 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
• 1 White part of scallion (chopped)
• 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 the Overnight Dashi Stock: Place kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and 6 cups of water into a large jar. Cover with a lid and soak overnight to extract flavors without heat.
2. Clean the Chicken: Rinse chicken carcasses and wings under running water, removing all organs and blood to ensure a clean broth.
3. Poach the Chicken: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Poach chicken carcasses and wings for about 30 seconds until the chicken turns white. Remove and discard this water to eliminate impurities.
4. Make Chicken Broth: In a large pot, combine cleaned chicken carcasses and wings, onion quarters, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, scallions, sake, and 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Simmer and Skim: Reduce heat to low once boiling begins. Skim off any scum forming on the surface to keep broth clear. Simmer gently for about 3 hours to extract deep flavor.
6. Add Dashi Stock and Simmer: Occasionally skim off scum while adding the soaked dashi stock components (kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms) to the simmering broth. After 3 hours, add the remaining dashi stock, remove from heat, strain the broth to remove solids, then simmer gently for another 2 hours.
7. Final Strain and Reduction: Remove broth from heat and strain through a sieve lined with kitchen paper towel to ensure clarity. Reduce broth to about 10 cups (2.5L), concentrated and ready for ramen use.
8. Prepare Shio Tare (Salty Sauce): Mix salt, sake, mirin, chashu leftover sauce, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, white scallion, peanut butter, chili oil, and other listed ingredients. Stir to dissolve salt and all aromatic elements.
9. Assemble Shio Ramen: Place 2.5 tbsp of shio tare in a ramen bowl. Pour 2 cups (500ml) of ramen broth and stir to combine.
10. Prepare Shoyu Tare (Soy-Based Sauce): Place 3 tbsp of shoyu tare in a ramen bowl. Add 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth and stir well.
11. Prepare Miso Tare: Beat all tare ingredients with a stick blender or food processor until creamy. Cook in a small saucepan over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat, add miso paste, and combine thoroughly.
12. Assemble Miso Ramen: Place 2 tbsp miso tare in a ramen bowl. Pour 2 cups (500ml) ramen broth and stir well until fully incorporated.

Notes

• Soaking dashi ingredients overnight without heat preserves delicate umami flavors.
• Poaching chicken briefly removes impurities for a cleaner broth.
• Skimming scum throughout cooking prevents cloudy broth and off-flavors.
• Straining through paper towels ensures a silky smooth ramen broth texture.
• Broth can be stored in fridge or freezer for later use.
• Adjust tare quantities to taste for saltiness and flavor intensity.
• Miso tare requires gentle cooking and constant stirring to avoid burning and bitterness.

Keywords: ramen broth, dashi stock, chicken broth, Japanese soup, miso tare, shio tare, shoyu tare, ramen base, umami broth