Ramen Beef Broth

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🍜 Why Ramen Broth with Noodles Is Always Worth It

Slurp-worthy comfort, straight from the freezer

I’ve absolutely loved noodles my whole life. Growing up, “Chinese noodles” was always my go-to any time we got takeout. I didn’t care about the chicken, the egg rolls, or even the rice—just give me the noodles and I was happy. There’s something about slurping up a hot, savory bowl of noodles that’s always felt like home to me.

So when I first made real ramen broth from scratch, it was a game changer. I’m not talking about boiling water and tossing in a seasoning packet—I mean the deep, rich, made-with-bones-and-time kind of broth. Ever since that first pot, we’ve kept at least one frozen quart of it in the freezer at all times. It’s become one of those “in case of emergency, break out the broth” meals.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit—making ramen broth is not the easiest recipe on this site. It takes time, and you’ve got to commit to it. But once you’ve done the heavy lifting, you’ve got this flavorful base just waiting in your freezer. On a busy weeknight, I can defrost it, cook some noodles, and build a fully customized bowl of ramen in under 15 minutes. That’s a win in my book.

A Family Favorite (Even for the Picky Ones)

One of the best parts? My 6-year-old son absolutely loves it. When he was younger, we started him off with just broth and noodles—simple, no extras. Now? He devours it even when we throw in greens, carrots, or seaweed. Watching him happily slurp up a bowl packed with veggies is one of those rare parenting wins I’ll take any day.

Endless Customization, Always Delicious

The best part for me is how totally customizable it is. In our house, we like to add shredded carrots, seaweed salad, kimchi, maybe a poached egg, and always some kind of noodle. Sometimes I stir in a beaten egg for that silky texture. Other times I just go simple—noodles and broth with a few scallions. It all depends on what’s in the fridge and what kind of day it’s been.

And that’s the beauty of it—you don’t need to make the same bowl twice. Don’t have leeks? Use onions. Only got white mushrooms? Go for it. Spice it up or keep it mild. Add leftover chicken, tofu, or nothing at all. Ramen broth is the foundation, and the rest is just you having fun with what you’ve got.

Your Future Self Will Thank You

So yeah, it takes a little time on the front end, but ramen broth is one of those things that makes your future self’s life way easier—and tastier. It’s comfort food with options, and for someone who’s loved noodles since I was a kid, that’s about as good as it gets.

Ramen Beef Broth
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Ramen Beef Broth

Recipe by ezrecipezee
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

There is a lot of room in this recipe for customizing flavor to you or your family’s preferences. We like it tangy, hot, and sweet. The Ponzu sauce can be customized to taste preferences; a little more mirin if you like it sweeter, or a little more vinegar if you like it tangier. We are not giving exact amounts of salt & pepper so you can adjust to your liking. If you like it spicier, add more red & white pepper. It’s always important to taste-test throughout the cooking process to ensure that it tastes the way you want.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in beef cuts (such as beef marrow bones, oxtail, or beef ribs)

  • 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

  • 1 leek, properly rinsed and prepared

  • 1 daikon or parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/4″ pieces

  • 1 lb. mixed mushrooms, preferably shitake, white, and/or oyster, washed and prepared

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 2-inch piece of ginger, grated with a microplane

  • salt, black pepper, white pepper, crushed red pepper

  • 16 cups of water, 4 quarts

  • 1 cup Ponzu sauce – equal parts soy sauce, rice vinegar, & mirin

  • 1 Beef bouillon cube

Directions

  • In a 8 quart soup pot, brown the beef on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • In the same pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, daikon, and mushrooms. Add salt, black pepper, and white pepper to the vegetables. SautĂ© them until most of the water has cooked out of the mushrooms and reduced. This could take 10-20 minutes depending on types of mushrooms used.
  • Mix in garlic and ginger, and sautĂ© until fragrant and slightly caramelized.
  • Add 3 Tbsp. of Ponzu sauce and cook only 1 additional minute. Soy sauce does not like to be overcooked.
  • Add water and beef cuts, stir, and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, add salt, black & white pepper, and Ponzu sauce as needed. Throughout the cooking process, the broth should be tasted and flavored accordingly.
  • Skim fat from top of soup a couple of times per hour. The more fat and foam that is skimmed away during the cooking process will ensure a clearer broth.
  • Cook for at least 2.5 hours to extract all of the deep flavors from the bone marrow and beef.
  • Remove beef and let cool.
  • Strain broth by pouring through a colander, or other strainer. into another pot capable of holding all of the liquid. Remaining liquid can be pressed out of vegetables by using a large spoon.