#Slow Cooker Ramen Recipe
##Introduction
Warm up your body and soul with this inviting Slow Cooker Ramen. Brimming with deep, complex flavors, this recipe is also incredibly simple to cook in your slow cooker. The gentle slow-cooking process allows for a symphony of flavors that leaves you with a satisfied palate.
##Why Make This Recipe
This Slow Cooker Ramen is for those who love a comforting bowl of soup packed with flavor and nutrients. This recipe manages to capture the true essence of restaurant-style ramen at home without much fuss. If you love asian cuisine or if you’ve always been a ramen admirer, this recipe is perfect for you.
##How to Make Slow Cooker Ramen
Firstly, gather all the ingredients to make sure you have everything at hand. Then, start off by combining the broth, water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and miso paste in your slow cooker. Next, add in your protein and vegetables and let everything slow cook for 4-6 hours. Toward the end, stir in your ramen noodles, and allow them to cook until soft. Lastly, garnish and serve.
##Ingredients
– 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
– 2 cups water
– 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
– 1 tbsp ginger, minced
– 1 tbsp garlic, minced
– 1 tbsp sesame oil
– 2 tbsp miso paste
– 1/2 pound boneless chicken thighs or tofu
– 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
– 1 cup bok choy or spinach, chopped
– 2 carrots, sliced
– 2-3 packages of ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
– Soft-boiled eggs, green onions, nori, and sesame seeds for garnish
##Directions
1. In your slow cooker, combine broth, water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and miso paste. Stir until well mixed.
2. Add chicken thighs (or tofu slices), mushrooms, bok choy, and carrots.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, until chicken is tender.
4. Remove chicken, shred it, and return to the slow cooker.
5. 20 minutes before serving, add ramen noodles to the slow cooker.
6. Ladle ramen into bowls and top with soft-boiled eggs, chopped green onions, nori strips, and sesame seeds.
##How To Serve Slow Cooker Ramen
Serve the ramen warm in deep soup bowls. Make sure to include a good balance of noodles, soup, veggie and protein in each bowl. Garnish with a soft-boiled egg, green onions, sesame seeds, and strips of nori.
##How To Store Slow Cooker Ramen
Store the soup base separately from the noodles to prevent them from soaking up all the broth. You can refrigerate the soup base in a sealed container for 3-4 days. Cooked noodles can be stored separately in a closed container in the fridge for a similar time period.
##Tips To Make Slow Cooker Ramen
– To ensure maximum flavor absorption, add the seasonings first before adding protein and vegetables.
– Cook the noodles separately towards the end. This ensures they don’t become soggy.
– For a vegetarian version, use tofu instead of chicken and opt for vegetable broth.
##Variation
For more variety, you can add in different types of proteins like beef or shrimp, or even various kinds of mushrooms and vegetables to your liking.
##FAQs
1. **Can I make this recipe with a different type of noodle?** Yes, you can replace ramen noodles with udon or soba, however the cooking time may vary.
2. **Can I make this without a slow cooker?** Yes, although it will require more attention since you will have to occasionally stir it to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
3. **Can I freeze the Ramen soup base for later use?** Yes, the soup base freezes well; however, do not freeze it with the noodles in it. The noodles should be freshly cooked when serving.