Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Drain and press the tofu while preparing the vegetables and measuring the broth ingredients. Pat the tofu dry and cut into cubes. Set a separate pot of water on to boil for the noodles.
- Warm the broth’s 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir the ginger and garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add vegetable broth, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup and optional chili sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the tofu’s 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dry tofu cubes in a single layer. Cook for 8–12 minutes, turning carefully, until golden on several sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the asparagus and sliced shiitake caps to the skillet with the oil remaining from cooking the tofu. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, adding a small splash of water only if needed to prevent sticking, until the mushrooms soften and asparagus is tender-crisp.
- Cook the vegan wheat ramen in the separate boiling water according to the package directions, then drain. Whisk the miso with a ladleful of warm broth in a small bowl. Take the broth off strong heat, stir in the miso mixture, then add the spinach and let it wilt. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Divide the noodles among four bowls. Ladle over the broth and spinach, then arrange the seared tofu, asparagus, mushrooms, carrot and scallions on top. Add any optional garnishes and serve promptly while the noodles still have a pleasant bite.
Nutrition
Notes
Noodles and diet: The default is vegan WHEAT ramen, so this recipe contains wheat and is not classified gluten-free. Check noodles and broth for egg, fish, meat extracts and other animal ingredients; do not add an unsuitable seasoning packet. A gluten-free variation requires verified gluten-free noodles, tamari, rice-based miso, broth and any chili condiments.
Allergens: Contains wheat, soy from tofu, miso and tamari, and sesame from the oil. Optional sesame seeds add more sesame. Check packaged ingredients and garnishes for other allergens.
Vegetables and miso: Choose crisp asparagus and trim off woody ends. Bok choy can replace the spinach; give thicker stems a little cooking time before adding the leaves. Whisk miso with warm broth before stirring it into the pot near the end for an even, fragrant broth.
Make ahead: Refrigerate broth, tofu and cooked vegetables promptly in separate shallow covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or colder for 3–4 days. Cook noodles for serving when possible; noodles stored in broth soften. Reheat stored hot components thoroughly, then assemble with fresh garnishes.
Timing and nutrition: The 45-minute estimate assumes tofu pressing and vegetable preparation overlap, and broth, tofu and noodles cook in parallel. The two measured tablespoons of sesame oil cover broth aromatics and tofu; the vegetables use the skillet’s remaining oil. Optional chili sauce, garnishes and serving additions are excluded from the base nutrition.
