Homemade Shoyu Ramen with Chicken Broth

Shoyu Ramen

The smell of simmering ginger and the sight of a golden, slightly sticky broth is what makes this dish. Most home cooks make the mistake of just boiling soy sauce in a big pot of water, which results in a soup that tastes like salty water. It lacks the depth and body you find in a real shop.

The fix is treating the soup as a series of layers. You make a rich, unseasoned stock and a concentrated seasoning called a tare. When they meet in the bowl, the flavors stay bright and the broth feels substantial.

You can expect a deep, umami-rich bowl that feels like a treat. It takes a few hours, but most of that is just the pot doing the work while you hang out.

How It Works

• The tare system: Keeping the salt base separate from the stock prevents the soy flavors from boiling away. It also lets you adjust the salt level for each person.

The Base Ingredients

What Each Ingredient Does

Shopping List

• 4 lbs chicken carcasses, extra chicken bones, and chicken feet
• 1 large white onion, halved
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 inch piece of ginger, sliced
• 12 cups water
• 5 g dried kombu
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce Why this? Keeps the salt level manageable
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk scallion, finely chopped
• 12 oz fresh ramen noodles Why this? Better chew than dried versions
• 1 lb chicken thighs, skin-on
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup marinated bamboo shoots
• 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 sheets toasted nori, cut into squares

Tools You'll Need

No specialized equipment is required. A large stockpot is essential to accommodate all the bones, while a cast iron skillet is best for getting the chicken skin truly crispy. You'll also need a small saucepan for the tare and a fine-mesh strainer to clear the broth.

Making the Bowl

1. Extracting the Collagen

Combine chicken carcasses, bones, and feet in a stockpot. Cover with water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the pot and rinse the bones under cold water to wash away impurities. Return the bones to the pot with fresh water, a halved onion, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger.

Simmer on low for 5-6 hours, ensuring it does not boil vigorously. The broth should be golden and slightly viscous. Add the dried kombu during the final 30 minutes of simmering.

2. Crafting the Seasoning

In a small saucepan, stir together low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid has slightly reduced. Let the shoyu ramen seasoning cool.

3. Preparing the Chicken

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, sear the thighs skin-side down. Cook until the skin is rich brown and crispy. Flip them and cook until the meat is 165°F (74°C) inside, per USDA guidelines.

Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thin rounds.

4. Creating the Aroma Oil

Gently heat neutral oil in a small pan. Stir in the minced garlic and chopped scallions. Sauté until the garlic is golden and fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Strain the oil and discard the solids.

5. Final Assembly

Boil fresh ramen noodles in a separate pot, then drain them well. Preheat four bowls with hot water. In each bowl, combine 2-3 tbsp of tare and 1 tbsp of aroma oil. Pour in 2 cups of the piping hot broth and stir gently. Add the silky noodles.

Garnish with sliced chicken, bamboo shoots, nori squares, and sliced scallions.

Quick Fixes

If your broth looks milky instead of clear, you likely boiled it too hard. The fat and proteins emulsify when they hit a rolling boil. To fix this for next time, keep the bubbles lazy. For the current batch, you can strain it through a coffee filter.

When the soup tastes too salty, don't add water directly to the pot. This thins the body. Instead, add a splash more unseasoned broth to your individual bowl.

If the noodles get mushy, it's usually because they sat in the broth too long. Always boil them separately and add them to the bowl at the very last second.

Making It Your Own

For a bit of heat, I like adding a teaspoon of chili oil or sriracha to the tare. If you want a different protein, seared tofu or beef slices work well here.

If you're in a rush, a chicken ramen recipe is a great alternative for a weeknight. For something completely different, this ramen noodle salad is a refreshing, cold option.

To make this gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for tamari (labelled gluten-free) and use gluten-free ramen noodles, since fresh wheat noodles contain gluten. Start with a little less, as some brands are saltier, then adjust to your taste.

For this gluten-free version, also use products labelled gluten-free for all soy sauces.

Storage Guidelines

Store the broth in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for 3 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Keep the tare in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

When you're ready to eat, heat the broth on the stove over medium heat. Avoid microwaving the noodles, as they turn to mush. Heat the liquid separately and add fresh or pre-cooked noodles.

For zero waste, if you have leftover bamboo shoot liquid, stir it into your tare to add another layer of tang.

Side Dish Ideas

Since the soup is so rich, pair it with something light. A simple side of steamed edamame with sea salt or a crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar cuts through the fat. Some people like a side of gyoza, which adds a nice crunch to the meal.

Critical in Sodium