Vegan Butternut Squash Ramen | Tried and True Recipes (2024)

4.13 from 71 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil divided
• 2 small leeks, white parts only, trimmed, rinsed, and thinly sliced; or use 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into half-moons
• 16 ounces butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
• ¼ cup tamari, or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin, divided
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon chili oil more or less to taste
• 5 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4 scallions, trimmed and minced; white and green parts kept separate
• 1 teaspoon shichimi togarashi or use crushed red pepper to taste
• 15- ounce can coconut milk
• 8 ounces mushrooms sliced or torn depending on the variety
• 8 ounces Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
• 16 ounces fresh ramen noodles or 8 ounces dry ramen
• Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:

• Shichimi togarashi
• Chili oil

Sauté the sliced leeks:

• Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large pot. Add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes.

Sauté squash:

• Add the butternut squash to the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes until it just begins to brown around the edges.

Simmer the broth:

• Add the tamari, 2 tablespoons mirin, sesame oil, maple syrup, and chili oil and toss to coat. Add the minced scallion whites. Pour in the water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the squash is very tender. Taste and season.

Blend the broth (optional):

• If you'd like a smooth broth, use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth and creamy. Pour in the coconut milk and shichimi togarashi and simmer for 10 minutes—taste and season to preferences.

Cook the noodles:

• While the broth simmers, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry the mushrooms and Brussels sprouts:

• Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

• Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 4–6 minutes (depending on variety) until they brown and crisp up. Season with a pinch of salt.

• Add the Brussels sprouts and continue cooking until they char and begin to soften, about 8–10 minutes depending on the size. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent them from burning. Add a sprinkle of salt.

• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon mirin to deglaze the skillet. Toss to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve:

• Divide the cooked noodles between bowls and ladle the broth over the noodles. Pile the charred vegetables on top and garnish with more shichimi togarashi and a drizzle of chili oil. Finish with a sprinkle of minced scallion greens.