Weeknight Miso Ramen With Soft Eggs

Store-bought broth and a spoonful of miso make a rich ramen base fast. The 6½-minute egg is the part everyone remembers. Real ramen shop broth can simmer for twelve hours or more, and while we have deep respect for that kind of dedication, it is not happening on a Wednesday night. This weeknight miso ramen takes a few smart shortcuts to give you a cozy bowl of noodles in half an hour, with jammy eggs on top, tender greens, fresh scallions and a drizzle of chili oil. It is the dinner we crave on cold evenings, rainy days and any night that calls for something warm and comforting.

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Serves 2

Miso: the weeknight shortcut

Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, and it is one of the most useful ingredients you can keep in your refrigerator. A single spoonful adds deep, savory, slightly salty flavor, often described as umami, that makes plain broth taste as if it has been simmering all day. White miso, sometimes labeled shiro miso, is the mildest and slightly sweet, which makes it perfect for this recipe. Red miso is stronger and saltier; use a little less if that is what you have.

Always whisk miso into broth that is hot but not boiling. Boiling miso can dull its delicate flavor. The easiest way to avoid lumps is to put the miso in a ladle or small bowl, add a few spoonfuls of the hot broth and stir until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. A tub of miso keeps for months in the refrigerator, so you will have plenty for soups, salad dressings and glazes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 2 portions ramen noodles
• 2 eggs
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 cup spinach
• Chili oil, to serve

For an even richer broth, add a teaspoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, and a grated garlic clove and a little ginger as it simmers. Choose low-sodium broth, since miso is already salty and you can always add more seasoning at the end. Fresh or frozen ramen noodles from the refrigerated section of many grocery stores have the best chewy texture, but dried ramen works well too. If you use instant noodle packets, set the seasoning packet aside.

How to make it

1. Boil the eggs for 6 1/2 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel.
2. Bring the broth to a simmer and whisk in the miso.
3. Cook the noodles separately and divide between bowls.
4. Pour over the hot broth, add the spinach, halved eggs and scallions, and finish with chili oil.

The perfect jammy egg

Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Use a slotted spoon to gently lower cold eggs straight from the refrigerator into the water, then set a timer for exactly 6 1/2 minutes. Keep the water at a steady, gentle boil. While the eggs cook, fill a bowl with ice and water. When the timer goes off, move the eggs immediately into the ice bath and leave them for at least 5 minutes. The shock stops the cooking so the yolk stays soft and jammy, and it also makes the shells easier to peel. Crack the shell all over, then peel under a thin stream of running water.

The timing is based on large eggs. If you are using extra-large eggs, add about 30 seconds; for medium eggs, take 30 seconds off.

Why cook the noodles separately

Ramen noodles release a lot of starch as they cook. Boiling them directly in your broth would make it cloudy and gluey and could make the soup too salty as the noodles soak up seasoning. Cooking them in a separate pot of unsalted water keeps the broth clear and lets you control the texture. Cook them for a minute less than the package says, since they continue to soften in the hot broth.

Building a beautiful bowl

Ramen is as much about the toppings as it is about the broth, and arranging them neatly makes the bowl look like something from a favorite noodle bar. Warm your bowls first by filling them with hot tap water for a minute, then pour it out. Add the drained noodles, ladle the hot broth over the top and tuck the spinach into the hot liquid so it wilts. Halve the eggs lengthwise and set them on top with the yolks facing up, then sprinkle with scallions and finish with as much chili oil as you like.

A few extra toppings that are easy to keep on hand:

• Sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• Thinly sliced mushrooms, sauteed in a little butter
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Sheets of toasted nori, cut into strips
• A handful of bean sprouts for crunch
• A spoonful of chili crisp or a few drops of toasted sesame oil

Make it your own

Add a few slices of leftover roast chicken or pork for a heartier bowl.

Recipe tester Molly Grant

Molly’s suggestion is a great way to use leftovers. Slice the meat thinly and lay it in the bowl before pouring over the hot broth, which warms it right through. Here are more ideas for making this ramen your own:

• Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and add pan-fried tofu or roasted mushrooms.
• Spicy miso: Stir a teaspoon of chili paste into the broth along with the miso.
• Creamy: Whisk a spoonful of tahini or peanut butter into the broth for a rich, nutty version.
• Seafood: Poach a handful of shrimp in the simmering broth for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Extra greens: Swap spinach for baby bok choy, halved and added to the broth for the last 2 minutes.

Make ahead tips

You can make the soft-boiled eggs up to 3 days ahead. Store them peeled in a covered container in the refrigerator. For a flavor boost, marinate them overnight in a mix of equal parts soy sauce and water with a spoonful of honey or sugar; the whites turn light brown and pick up a lovely savory-sweet flavor. The seasoned broth can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 days, then reheated gently before serving.

Store leftover noodles and broth separately so the noodles do not turn soft and soak up all the liquid. Reheat the broth until steaming, then pour it over the noodles to warm them.

Choosing your noodles

Ramen noodles get their springy, slightly chewy texture from an alkaline ingredient added to the dough, which also gives them their pale yellow color. Fresh noodles are the closest to what you would find in a noodle shop and cook in just 1 to 2 minutes. Dried ramen bricks take 3 to 4 minutes and are easy to keep in the pantry for last-minute dinners. In a pinch, thin spaghetti cooked in water with a teaspoon of baking soda makes a surprisingly good stand-in, because the baking soda mimics that alkaline texture. Whatever you choose, drain the noodles well and divide them between the bowls just before you add the broth, so they do not have time to clump together.

If you are cooking for kids or anyone who prefers milder food, skip the chili oil in their bowls and set it on the table so the spice lovers can help themselves.

Key takeaway: Whisk miso into hot, not boiling, broth, cook the noodles separately and time the eggs exactly 6 1/2 minutes for a perfect bowl.

Comfort in thirty minutes

Homemade ramen does not need to be an all-day project. With good broth, a spoonful of miso and a perfectly timed egg, you can make a deeply satisfying bowl of noodles on any weeknight. Add it to your weekly meal plan, use the servings scaler to make enough for the whole family, and keep cook mode on so you never lose track of that egg timer.