This “cheat” miso ramen gives you a deeply savory, spicy broth with ground pork (or chicken), mushrooms, and all the classic ramen toppings, in under an hour.
Essential Equipment Guide
Nutritional Information
Approximate values per serving (based on 6 servings using ground pork; values may vary by exact ingredients and toppings).
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 450-550 |
| Protein | 25g |
| Carbohydrates | 35g |
| Fat | 25g |
| Sodium | 1500mg |
Pairings
- Soft or jammy eggs for creaminess
- Fresh scallions for crunch and freshness
- Chili oil for added heat
- Baby corn and bean sprouts for texture
Variations
- Swap ground pork for chicken
- Adjust sambal chili paste for spice level
- Use vegetable stock for vegetarian version
- Add corn kernels or spinach as extra toppings
Recipe Timing
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Broth and Meat
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 1 lb ground pork or chicken
- 10 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced (a mix of button and wild mushrooms works best)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp sambal chili paste, or more to taste
- 3 Tbsp white miso paste
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
Toppings
- Jammy eggs (soft‑boiled, 6‑minute eggs)
- Baby corn, lightly cooked or warmed through
- Bean sprouts
- Scallions, thinly sliced
- Chili oil, for drizzling
- Cooked ramen noodles (any wheat ramen noodles you like)
Step 1: Brown the Meat and Build Flavor
Start by heating 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large, heavy‑bottomed pot over medium to medium‑high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground pork or chicken, breaking it up immediately with a wooden spoon so it cooks in small crumbles rather than large chunks.
Continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink and has a little bit of golden color on the edges, which usually takes a few minutes depending on your stove and pan. Once the meat is cooked through, scoop it out with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set it aside, leaving behind the flavorful fat in the pot.
Step 2: Sauté the Mushrooms Until Deeply Golden
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the same pot, still over medium to medium‑high heat, and tip in the sliced mixed mushrooms with a small pinch of salt. At first the mushrooms will release quite a lot of moisture and look wet and soft, but keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until that liquid evaporates and they start to shrink and caramelize.
This process usually takes around 10 minutes and is key for building a rich, almost “restaurant‑style” depth of flavor in a cheat ramen broth. Once the mushrooms have picked up some golden brown color and smell toasty and earthy, they are ready for the aromatics.
Step 3: Add Garlic, Ginger, Sambal, and Miso
Lower the heat slightly to medium, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger straight into the mushrooms, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. The goal here is to soften and bloom the aromatics without letting them burn, so keep them moving and watch for that fragrant, garlicky steam that tells you they are releasing their oils.
Stir in the sambal chili paste, starting with 1 tablespoon, and toss everything together so the mushrooms are well coated in the spicy mixture. Next, add the white miso paste, pressing and stirring it into the mushrooms and aromatics for another minute so it begins to dissolve and toast slightly in the fat, boosting its savory, umami character.
Step 4: Return the Meat and Add the Liquids
Add the cooked ground pork or chicken back into the pot and stir well so the meat picks up all the flavor from the miso, sambal, garlic, and ginger. Once everything is evenly combined, pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon to release any browned bits stuck there, as those will melt into the broth.
Season the liquid base with soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, then add a small pinch of salt, remembering that miso and soy are already quite salty. Stir thoroughly, taste the broth, and adjust gently—this is just a first pass, since the flavors will concentrate as the broth simmers.
Step 5: Simmer the “Cheat” Ramen Broth
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat slightly to maintain a steady but not vigorous bubble. Let the broth simmer for around 30 minutes, or up to 40 if you have the time, which allows the mushrooms, meat, and seasonings to meld into a rich, layered broth.
During this time, you can skim off any excess foam or fat that rises to the top if you prefer a cleaner broth, though some of that fat is what gives ramen its signature body and mouthfeel. After the simmer, taste again and tweak the seasoning: add more soy for saltiness, a touch more rice vinegar for brightness, or an extra spoon of sambal if you want more heat.
Step 6: Prepare Jammy Eggs and Noodles
While the broth simmers, bring a small saucepan of water to a strong simmer for the eggs, keeping another bowl of ice water ready nearby. Gently lower cold eggs from the fridge into the simmering water and cook them for exactly 6 minutes for that “jammy” yolk texture.
When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs straight into the ice bath to stop the cooking and let them sit for about 5 minutes before peeling them carefully under running water. At the same time, cook your ramen noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions, but stop just shy of fully done so they do not turn mushy when you ladle hot broth over them later.
Step 7: Warm the Toppings and Slice the Garnishes
Warm or lightly cook the baby corn if needed so it is tender‑crisp, and rinse the bean sprouts if they are fresh so they taste clean and refreshing in the finished bowl. Slice the scallions thinly on a slight angle, which gives you delicate rings that float nicely on the surface of the broth and add fresh onion flavor.
If using chili oil, keep it nearby for serving, along with any extra sambal, so each person can adjust the heat of their bowl individually. Peel the cooled eggs and slice them in half lengthwise to reveal the soft, jammy yolks, keeping them intact for a beautiful garnish.
Step 8: Assemble the Bowls of Cheat Ramen
To assemble, place a portion of cooked ramen noodles in the bottom of each serving bowl, twirling them slightly with tongs so they sit in a neat mound. Ladle the hot miso‑mushroom‑pork broth generously over the noodles, making sure to scoop up some of the meat and mushrooms with each ladle so every bowl feels substantial.
Nestle a few pieces of baby corn and a small handful of bean sprouts on one side of the bowl, then carefully place one or two egg halves on top of the noodles so the yolks are facing up. Scatter sliced scallions over everything, drizzle a little chili oil over the broth for color and heat, and serve immediately while the noodles are still bouncy and the broth is piping hot.
Extra Tips for Perfect “Cheat” Miso Ramen
This style of ramen is called a “cheat” because it mimics the deep, layered taste of traditional ramen without the long, multi‑day process of simmering bones and making individual tare, flavored oils, and toppings. The combination of ground meat, mushrooms, miso, and sambal creates instant complexity, so treating each step with care—browning the meat, deeply sautéing the mushrooms, and toasting the miso—pays off in a broth that tastes like it took far longer than it did.
Texture is just as important as flavor, so cooking the noodles separately prevents the broth from turning starchy and the noodles from absorbing too much liquid and going soft before serving. Keeping the eggs jammy requires attention to timing and temperature, which is why starting them cold from the fridge, timing exactly six minutes, and shocking them in ice water gives you consistent, custardy yolks that feel luxurious in the bowl.
Balancing the seasoning is another key to success: miso and soy sauce bring salt and umami, mirin adds gentle sweetness, and rice vinegar cuts through the richness with a subtle tang that keeps each spoonful from feeling heavy. Sesame oil should be used sparingly as a finishing note rather than a cooking fat, because too much can overpower the other flavors and make the broth taste flat rather than nuanced.
Because sambal is quite spicy, it is a good idea to start with the amount in the base recipe, then serve extra sambal or chili oil at the table so spice‑lovers can turn their bowls into a fiery treat while everyone else can keep theirs milder. Leftover broth also keeps well in the fridge and reheating it gently without boiling helps preserve the aroma of the miso so your next‑day ramen still tastes pleasantly savory and rounded.
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One-Pot Cheat Miso Ramen Recipe (Fast & Flavorful!)
This “cheat” miso ramen gives you a deeply savory, spicy broth with ground pork (or chicken), mushrooms, and all the classic ramen toppings, in under an hour.
- Total Time: 65 Mins
Ingredients
Broth and Meat
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 1 lb ground pork or chicken
- 10 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced (a mix of button and wild mushrooms works best)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp sambal chili paste, or more to taste
- 3 Tbsp white miso paste
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
Toppings
- Jammy eggs (soft‑boiled, 6‑minute eggs)
- Baby corn, lightly cooked or warmed through
- Bean sprouts
- Scallions, thinly sliced
- Chili oil, for drizzling
- Cooked ramen noodles (any wheat ramen noodles you like)
Instructions
Start by heating 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large, heavy‑bottomed pot over medium to medium‑high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground pork or chicken, breaking it up immediately with a wooden spoon so it cooks in small crumbles rather than large chunks.
Continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink and has a little bit of golden color on the edges, which usually takes a few minutes depending on your stove and pan. Once the meat is cooked through, scoop it out with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set it aside, leaving behind the flavorful fat in the pot.
Step 2: Sauté the Mushrooms Until Deeply Golden
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the same pot, still over medium to medium‑high heat, and tip in the sliced mixed mushrooms with a small pinch of salt. At first the mushrooms will release quite a lot of moisture and look wet and soft, but keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until that liquid evaporates and they start to shrink and caramelize.
This process usually takes around 10 minutes and is key for building a rich, almost “restaurant‑style” depth of flavor in a cheat ramen broth. Once the mushrooms have picked up some golden brown color and smell toasty and earthy, they are ready for the aromatics.
Step 3: Add Garlic, Ginger, Sambal, and Miso
Lower the heat slightly to medium, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger straight into the mushrooms, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. The goal here is to soften and bloom the aromatics without letting them burn, so keep them moving and watch for that fragrant, garlicky steam that tells you they are releasing their oils.
Stir in the sambal chili paste, starting with 1 tablespoon, and toss everything together so the mushrooms are well coated in the spicy mixture. Next, add the white miso paste, pressing and stirring it into the mushrooms and aromatics for another minute so it begins to dissolve and toast slightly in the fat, boosting its savory, umami character.
Step 4: Return the Meat and Add the Liquids
Add the cooked ground pork or chicken back into the pot and stir well so the meat picks up all the flavor from the miso, sambal, garlic, and ginger. Once everything is evenly combined, pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon to release any browned bits stuck there, as those will melt into the broth.
Season the liquid base with soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, then add a small pinch of salt, remembering that miso and soy are already quite salty. Stir thoroughly, taste the broth, and adjust gently—this is just a first pass, since the flavors will concentrate as the broth simmers.
Step 5: Simmer the “Cheat” Ramen Broth
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat slightly to maintain a steady but not vigorous bubble. Let the broth simmer for around 30 minutes, or up to 40 if you have the time, which allows the mushrooms, meat, and seasonings to meld into a rich, layered broth.
During this time, you can skim off any excess foam or fat that rises to the top if you prefer a cleaner broth, though some of that fat is what gives ramen its signature body and mouthfeel. After the simmer, taste again and tweak the seasoning: add more soy for saltiness, a touch more rice vinegar for brightness, or an extra spoon of sambal if you want more heat.
Step 6: Prepare Jammy Eggs and Noodles
While the broth simmers, bring a small saucepan of water to a strong simmer for the eggs, keeping another bowl of ice water ready nearby. Gently lower cold eggs from the fridge into the simmering water and cook them for exactly 6 minutes for that “jammy” yolk texture.
When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs straight into the ice bath to stop the cooking and let them sit for about 5 minutes before peeling them carefully under running water. At the same time, cook your ramen noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions, but stop just shy of fully done so they do not turn mushy when you ladle hot broth over them later.
Step 7: Warm the Toppings and Slice the Garnishes
Warm or lightly cook the baby corn if needed so it is tender‑crisp, and rinse the bean sprouts if they are fresh so they taste clean and refreshing in the finished bowl. Slice the scallions thinly on a slight angle, which gives you delicate rings that float nicely on the surface of the broth and add fresh onion flavor.
If using chili oil, keep it nearby for serving, along with any extra sambal, so each person can adjust the heat of their bowl individually. Peel the cooled eggs and slice them in half lengthwise to reveal the soft, jammy yolks, keeping them intact for a beautiful garnish.
Step 8: Assemble the Bowls of Cheat Ramen
To assemble, place a portion of cooked ramen noodles in the bottom of each serving bowl, twirling them slightly with tongs so they sit in a neat mound. Ladle the hot miso‑mushroom‑pork broth generously over the noodles, making sure to scoop up some of the meat and mushrooms with each ladle so every bowl feels substantial.
Nestle a few pieces of baby corn and a small handful of bean sprouts on one side of the bowl, then carefully place one or two egg halves on top of the noodles so the yolks are facing up. Scatter sliced scallions over everything, drizzle a little chili oil over the broth for color and heat, and serve immediately while the noodles are still bouncy and the broth is piping hot.
- Prep Time: 15 Mins
- Cook Time: 50 Mins
