Shirataki Shin Ramyun
Decked out spicy instant ramen is one of my favorite comfort foods - probably the result of living in and travelling around Asia for most of my 20s. I especially like it for a late breakfast on the weekend. Now, as you might expect, ramen noodles are far from keto-friendly. So, when I'm eating keto or low-carb, or when I simply don't feel the need for a high-calorie meal, I replace the noodles with shirataki noodles. Then, I add some nutrient-rich bits and bobs to round out the meal and boost the flavor profile.
The seasoning and veggie flake packets I've used here are for Shin Ramyun (made by the Korean company Nongshim), which is hands down my all-time favorite packaged instant ramen. If I go to the store for ramen, and they don't have Shin Ramyun, I simply plan a different meal because my ramen dreams have been dashed. Please be aware that the original Shin Ramyun is not vegan everywhere (e.g. in the USA, to my knowledge, it contains beef). If you can't use Shin Ramyun, or take issue with the ingredients in the seasoning powder, you can replace it with another ramen packet of preference, or perhaps a vegan dashi powder and cayenne pepper, sambal oelek, or sriracha to taste. Note that I'm not able to know exactly what the nutritional details are for the seasoning/veggie flake packet(s) in Shin Ramyun, but based on the ingredients, some online sleuthing, and a bit of macro math, I'm going with 25 calories, 2g protein, 0g fat, and 4g net carbs.
With my additions, this umami-rich, spicy, and slightly creamy ramen is rich in protein and other body-nourishing goodies. I've added pea-based TVP to the pictured bowl, but super-firm tofu also works well, and I prefer it to be honest. Or, these protein additions can be left out and you daily protein needs met by other means. I've provided the macros for this option as well - you'll see the soup still has a nice bit of protein without the TVP or tofu. Enjoy!
The seasoning and veggie flake packets I've used here are for Shin Ramyun (made by the Korean company Nongshim), which is hands down my all-time favorite packaged instant ramen. If I go to the store for ramen, and they don't have Shin Ramyun, I simply plan a different meal because my ramen dreams have been dashed. Please be aware that the original Shin Ramyun is not vegan everywhere (e.g. in the USA, to my knowledge, it contains beef). If you can't use Shin Ramyun, or take issue with the ingredients in the seasoning powder, you can replace it with another ramen packet of preference, or perhaps a vegan dashi powder and cayenne pepper, sambal oelek, or sriracha to taste. Note that I'm not able to know exactly what the nutritional details are for the seasoning/veggie flake packet(s) in Shin Ramyun, but based on the ingredients, some online sleuthing, and a bit of macro math, I'm going with 25 calories, 2g protein, 0g fat, and 4g net carbs.
With my additions, this umami-rich, spicy, and slightly creamy ramen is rich in protein and other body-nourishing goodies. I've added pea-based TVP to the pictured bowl, but super-firm tofu also works well, and I prefer it to be honest. Or, these protein additions can be left out and you daily protein needs met by other means. I've provided the macros for this option as well - you'll see the soup still has a nice bit of protein without the TVP or tofu. Enjoy!
Yield: 1 large bowl
Macros (with super-firm tofu): 515 calories | 29g protein | 38g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Macros (with pea-based TVP): 440 calories | 26g protein | 31g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Macros (without TVP or tofu): 385 calories | 15g protein | 31g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Prep: 20 minutes
Storage: I have never tried storing this soup, but it should be fine refrigerated for about 3 days. However, I'd suggest adding the TVP or tofu when reheating it to prevent those from becoming mushy.
Macros (with super-firm tofu): 515 calories | 29g protein | 38g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Macros (with pea-based TVP): 440 calories | 26g protein | 31g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Macros (without TVP or tofu): 385 calories | 15g protein | 31g fat | 9.5g net carbs
Prep: 20 minutes
Storage: I have never tried storing this soup, but it should be fine refrigerated for about 3 days. However, I'd suggest adding the TVP or tofu when reheating it to prevent those from becoming mushy.
Ingredients:
- 7.05oz (200g) drained angelhair-style shirataki noodles ✎
- ¼ cup (60ml) canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tahini
- 1 tablespoon (5g) nutritional yeast flakes
- seasoning packet(s) from a package of spicy ramen ✎
- 4 ounces (113g) white mushrooms, sliced (about 1½ cups)
- 1½-2 cups (360-480ml) water
- 1 serving (91g) super-firm high-protein tofu, cubed small, or ½ ounce (14g) pea-based TVP crumbles, unhydrated (optional) ✎
- ½ medium green onion, sliced (15g | 2 tablespoons)
Directions:
- Prepare your shirataki noodles as per the package directions or as per my directions. To prepare shirataki noodles for the best flavor and texture, I drain and rinse the noodles well. Then, I boil them for a few minutes and drain them again. Finally, in a dry pan (I'm just using the same saucepan I'll make the soup in), I dry fry them until squeeky.
- In a smallish saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, and seasoning packet(s). Add the noodles, mushrooms, and water. The amount of water you use can vary with the flavor intensity you prefer and with whether you're using TVP, tofu, or neither. I'd suggest using the lesser amount and adding more later if desired.
- Bring to a simmer on medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. If you see something that looks like curdling in the broth, this doesn't affect the flavor (or the texture really), so no need to worry.
- Add the tofu or TVP and simmer for another 5 minutes. If you're not using these, just simmer until the mushrooms are cooked through.
- Transfer the soup to a large bowl and top with the green onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or other toppings, such as dulse or nori flakes, if desired.
- Enjoy hot.
✎ Notes:
- The shirataki noodles I'm using have no net carbs. That is not the case for all noodles. Shirataki noodles are not to everyone's taste. I do find preparing them as I've described removed any weird flavor and greatly improves the texture.
- I'm not able to know exactly what the nutritional details are for the seasoning/veggie flake packet(s) in Shin Ramyun, but based on the ingredients, some online sleuthing, and a bit of macro math, I'm going with 25 calories, 2g protein, 0g fat, and 4g net carbs. The ingredients in the seasoning packet might be questionable to some people. What you put in your body is entirely your perogative. Personally, I have no qualms with these ingredients. Please use whatever seasoning mixture suits your individual dietary preferences.
- In the photographed soup, I have used pea-based TVP crumbles. These are high in protein and have no net carbs. I would not suggest using small soy-based TVP granules here, but if you had a chunkier soy-based TVP, that could work fine. A super-firm tofu also works. I prefer super-firm for soup becuase it stays firmer and you get more protein bang for your buck. To be honest, the TVP crumbles are not my favorite choice here, but they are a quick and easy protein option when you don't have super-firm tofu on hand.
- What about the noodles from the package?! Well, if you don't have family that would enjoy them, I suggest gifting them to a friend or adding them to a cooked meal (maybe a veggie noodle soup) that you could donate to a local food pantry. Unfortunately, open food packages are not typically accepted as donations.
- Macros for this recipes are calculated with American national nutritional data (i.e. NCCDB & USDA entries in Cronometer) for all ingredients apart from the shirataki noodles (It's Skinny), coconut milk (Aroy-D), nutritional yeast flakes (a mix of Bob's Redmill and Foods Alive unfortified), ramen seasoning packets (my own estimate), TVP (Noble Plate), tofu (Wildwood), BBQ sauce (my own linked recipe), and Air Fryer Flatbread (my own linked recipe).
- Macro numbers are rounded. Numbers equal to or greater than 10g are rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g. 10g, 11g, 12g, etc.) and numbers below 10g are rounded to the nearest 0.5g (0.5g, 1g, 1.5g ... 9g, 9.5g). Any numbers below 0.5g are given as is (e.g. 0.1g, 0.2g, etc.). Calories are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5.
