Creamy Vegan Miso Ramen with Shiitakes, Tofu, and Asparagus
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Don’t be put off by the somewhat lengthy ingredients list - most of it goes straight into the blender. A good quality brand of soy milk, like Silk, is best for this recipe.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Japanese
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
Miso Ramen
  • ¼ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ⅓ cup white miso
  • 3 tablespoon soy sauce (can sub gluten-free tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil (can sub another cooking oil)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ¾ inch ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 quart (4 cups) soy milk
  • Salt, to taste
  • 9 ounces ramen noodles (gluten-free, if needed)
Tofu and Asparagus
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided (can sub another cooking oil)
  • ½ pound fine asparagus (or normal asparagus halved lengthwise)
  • ⅔ cup frozen edamame beans, defrosted
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt
  • 10 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (can sub gluten-free tamari)
Instructions
Miso Ramen
  1. Put the dried shiitake into a heatproof bowl, cover with ¾ cup of just-boiled water, and leave to soak for 5 minutes.
  2. In a blender, puree the mushrooms (with their soaking liquid), onion, miso, soy sauce, oil, tahini, garlic, and ginger.
  3. Put a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, scrape the paste out of the blender and into the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the soy milk, a little at a time, until it’s all mixed in. Make sure it doesn’t boil, or the soy milk may curdle. Add salt, to taste, if needed. Remove the pan from the heat.
  4. Cook the ramen according to the package instructions, drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
Tofu and Asparagus
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the asparagus and edamame, leave for 1 minute, then turn and leave for 1 minute more. They should char just a little. Add the garlic, lemon juice, chile, and salt, stir for 1 minute, then transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
  2. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the tofu and sear for 1 minute on each side, until golden and crisp (when it’s ready, you’ll be able to turn the cubes easily with a spatula). Add the soy sauce and gently stir to coat. Transfer the tofu to the asparagus bowl.
  3. To assemble, divide the noodles between four bowls. Ladle the miso soup into each bowl (reheat it, if needed). Place the tofu cubes on one side of each bowl, evenly divide the asparagus and edamame between each bowl, and serve hot.
Notes
This recipe is from East by Meera Sodha. Copyright © 2020 by Meera Sodha. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Photography by David Loftus.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/vegan-miso-ramen