If you’re an Asian kid like me – or have good taste 😉 – you probably grew up on Cup Noodles, Shin, Sapporo, Ichiran (these are packaged ramen companies incase you aren’t familiar with them).
While I still enjoy packaged ramen, nothing beats the authentic flavors you find in restaurants. There are certain ramen spots in Japan that I dearly miss and can never fully replicate at home, no matter how hard I try. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to create a delicious, restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in your own kitchen. And with the versatility and convenience of a rice cooker, you can make top-notch ramen at home.
As a side note: cooking the noodles in water prevents them from absorbing too much of the broth’s flavor, and helps to keep the broth’s taste pure and consistent. I don’t notice a significant difference when I cook ramen in the rice cooker with the broth, though, so don’t stress about that!
I used bone broth from Kettle and Fire which is packed with protein and collagen. Visit my link HERE and use my code KYRIETHEFOODIE for 20% off your order!
Recommended Rice Cookers
Using a rice cooker for this dish simplifies the cooking process and ensures everything is cooked to perfection with minimal supervision. It’s a great way to make a traditional dish more accessible, especially if you’re pressed for time or prefer a hands-off approach to cooking.
Key Features to Look For:
- Multiple Cooking Functions: Ensure it has settings for steaming, slow cooking, and possibly even baking.
- Non-Stick Inner Pot: Makes cleaning easier and prevents sticking.
- Timer and Keep Warm Function: Useful for planning meals ahead of time and keeping them warm until you’re ready to eat.
- Steaming Basket or Tray: Allows you to steam vegetables or cook other ingredients while the rice cooks.
I grew up using rice cookers from the brands Tiger and Zojirushi. Here are a few from them that I would recommend. I’ve linked a few options depending on how large of a rice cooker you need. On that note… let’s get cooking!
Rice Cooker Ramen
- Total Time: 25-35 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Ramen cooked in a rice cooker is a convenient and delicious way to enjoy this popular dish. Simply add the broth, seasonings, vegetables, and protein to the rice cooker, then let it do the work.
Ingredients
- 5 cup bone/chicken broth (can substitute for water)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp hondashi (hondashi is a form of instant dashi – if you’re using standard dashi, use in place of hondashi and bone/chicken broth)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp miso paste
- 1 tbsp gochujang (optional; for spice)
- 2 servings ramen noodles
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- To a rice cooker, add your broth, garlic, ginger, and hondashi. Turn on Slow Cook setting for 15 minutes.
- Add in the ramen noodles (and corn if you are adding some) and close rice cooker lid. Turn on Slow Cook setting again and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until noodles are cooked all the way through.
- Stir in soy sauce, miso paste, and gochujang until well combined.
- Divide the cooked noodles into serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles.
- Add your desired toppings. Some popular options: sliced green onions, soft-boiled eggs, sliced cooked chicken or pork, nori seaweed, sliced bamboo shoots, corn kernels, spinach, mushrooms, etc. To cook the chicken, I simply grilled 1 chicken thigh (per serving) for 5 minutes on high heat on each side, with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce added after flipping twice (2 tablespoons total).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
Kyrié is a half-Japanese food content creator and avid home cook who specializes in Asian cuisine, with a focus on Japanese. She loves developing recipes and sharing approachable yet authentic meals. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s helping her husband Jeff tend to their garden, or on some artistic venture.