Dinner

Basic Ramen Broth Recipe

Name: Basic Ramen Broth Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 h 55 min
Total time: 13 h 10 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 0.35oz/10g Kelp; 0.35oz/10g Bonito flakes (or 1 cup); 0.7oz/20g Shiitake mushrooms (or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms); 6 cups/1.5L Water; 2 Chicken carcasses (or 1 large carcass); 4 Chicken wings; 1/2 Onion, cut into quarters; 2 Cloves garlic, peeled and smashed; 1oz/30g Ginger, thinly sliced; 2 Scallions, chopped into one-third lengths; 1/2 cup Sake; 12 cups/3L Water; 1/4 cup Dashi stock (prepared from above); 2 tbsp Sake; 1 tbsp Mirin; 1 tbsp Salt; 2.5 tbsp Chashu leftover sauce; 1/2 Onion, finely chopped; 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped; White part of 1 scallion; 2 tbsp Smooth peanut butter (all natural, no sugar added); 1 tbsp Sake; 2 tbsp Mirin; 1 tsp Rayu chili oil; 1/2 cup Miso paste

Byluca Carter January 29, 2026January 29, 2026

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Introduction

This basic ramen broth recipe offers a deeply flavorful and authentic foundation for your homemade ramen. Combining rich chicken broth with traditional Japanese ingredients like kelp, bonito flakes, and shiitake mushrooms, it simmers slowly to develop a savory, umami-packed soup perfect for customizing with your favorite tare and toppings.

The image shows a white bowl with small black specks filled with clear golden broth, capturing the liquid's smooth texture with small bubbles on the surface. Above the bowl, a metal ladle holds and slowly pours the broth back into the bowl, creating gentle ripples. In the blurred background, there is a piece of garlic and a light wooden tray, all placed on a white marbled textured surface with a blue and white polka dot cloth nearby. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

0.35 oz (10g) Kelp
0.35 oz (10g) Bonito flakes (or 1 cup)

0.7 oz (20g) Shiitake mushrooms (or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms)
6 cups (1.5 L) water

2 Chicken carcasses (about 1 whole chicken’s bones)
4 Chicken wings

1/2 onion, cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 oz (30g) ginger, thinly sliced

2 scallions, chopped into one-third length
1/2 cup sake
12 cups (3 L) water

1/4 cup dashi stock
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp salt
2.5 tbsp chashu leftover sauce
1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
White part of 1 scallion

2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (all natural, no sugar added)
1 tbsp sake
2 tbsp mirin

1 tsp rayu chili oil
1/2 cup miso paste

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the overnight dashi stock by placing kelp, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and 6 cups (1.5 L) of water in a large jar. Cover with a lid and soak overnight.

Step 2: Clean the chicken carcasses and wings under running water; remove all organs and wash off any blood.
Step 3: Bring water (not listed in ingredients) to a boil in a large pot. Poach the chicken carcasses and wings for about 30 seconds until the color changes to white. Discard the poaching water.
Step 4: In a large pot, combine the cleaned chicken carcasses, wings, 12 cups (3 L) water, 1/2 onion quarters, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, chopped scallions, and 1/2 cup sake. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 5: Once boiling, reduce heat to low and skim off any scum that forms on the surface. Simmer gently for about 3 hours, removing scum occasionally and adding the overnight dashi stock as needed.
Step 6: After 3 hours, add the remaining overnight dashi stock with kelp, bonito flakes, and shiitake mushrooms. Remove from heat and strain the broth into another large pot or bowl, discarding solids.
Step 7: Simmer the strained broth gently for an additional 2 hours.

Step 8: Remove from heat and strain the broth again through a sieve lined with kitchen paper towels. The broth should reduce to about 10 cups (2.5 L).
Step 9: Use the broth immediately for ramen soup or store it in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Step 10: To prepare tare (seasoning sauces), combine ingredients for shio, shoyu, or miso tare as follows:
- Shio Tare: Mix salt, sake, mirin, chashu sauce, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, scallion, and sake. Place 2.5 tbsp tare in a bowl, add 2 cups (500 ml) broth, and stir.
- Shoyu Tare: Place 3 tbsp shoyu tare in a bowl, add 2 cups (500 ml) broth, and stir.
- Miso Tare: Blend peanut butter, sake, mirin, rayu chili oil, finely chopped aromatics in a small container until creamy. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stir constantly, then add miso paste and blend well. Place 2 tbsp in a bowl with 2 cups (500 ml) broth and stir.

Tips & Variations

Soaking the dashi ingredients overnight extracts maximum umami flavor with minimal effort.
Skimming the scum frequently keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.
Adjust tare amounts to taste depending on how salty or rich you prefer your ramen.

Use leftover tare sauces from chashu pork for authentic sweetness and depth.
Substitute shiitake mushrooms with dried varieties if fresh are unavailable for better shelf life.

Storage

Store the finished ramen broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove before serving, stirring occasionally to preserve flavor. Avoid boiling again once tare has been added for best taste.

How to Serve

A speckled white bowl filled with a light brown, clear broth with small bubbles on the surface, and a metal ladle pouring some broth back into the bowl, creating ripples. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface next to a soft white cloth with blue polka dots. In the background, there is a blurred wooden board with garlic bulbs. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this broth without chicken wings?

Yes, chicken carcasses alone work fine, but wings add extra collagen and richness to the broth.

What is tare and why is it important?

Tare is a concentrated seasoning sauce added to ramen broth that defines the soup’s flavor—such as salty (shio), soy-based (shoyu), or miso-based. It balances and enhances the final ramen bowl.