Creamy Sunflower Ramen
If you’re a fan of rich, creamy ramen but want a plant-based twist, this Creamy Sunflower Ramen is for you. Inspired by chef Jonah Kim’s innovative vegan ramen, this recipe swaps traditional soy milk for homemade sunflower seed milk. The result? A deeply nutty, umami-packed broth that rivals any pork-based version.
What makes this ramen truly special is its simplicity. With just a handful of ingredients—fresh ramen noodles, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, and a kick of shichimi togarashi—you’ll have a steaming, restaurant-quality bowl in no time. Plus, it’s endlessly customizable, so you can make it your own.
Why You’ll Love Creamy Sunflower Ramen
- Rich & Creamy – Sunflower seed milk creates a luscious, silky broth.
- Nutty & Umami-Packed – Layers of flavor from roasted shiitake, bok choy, and togarashi.
- Plant-Based & Dairy-Free – Perfect for vegans and those avoiding dairy.
- Easy to Make – No special equipment needed, just a blender and basic kitchen tools.
- Customizable – Add protein, extra veggies, or spice to suit your taste.
What You Need To Make Creamy Sunflower Ramen
To make this delicious ramen, you’ll need some pantry staples and fresh ingredients. The exact amounts can be found in the recipe card, but here’s what you’ll need:
For the Broth:
- Raw sunflower seeds (soaked)
- Water
- Vegetable broth
- Sea salt
For the Garnishes & Ramen:
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Sunflower oil
- Baby bok choy
- Shichimi togarashi
- Fresh ramen noodles
- Sunflower sprouts
How To Make Creamy Sunflower Ramen
- Make the Sunflower Broth
- Blend soaked sunflower seeds with water until smooth.
- Strain through a nut-milk bag, keeping the liquid.
- Heat the sunflower milk with vegetable broth and salt, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the Garnishes
- Roast shiitake mushrooms in sunflower oil at 400°F for 10 minutes, then slice.
- Roast baby bok choy for 3 minutes until wilted.
- Cook the Ramen
- Boil salted water and cook fresh ramen noodles until just tender.
- Drain and divide among serving bowls.
- Assemble & Serve
- Pour hot sunflower broth over the noodles.
- Top with mushrooms, bok choy, and sunflower sprouts.
- Add a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi for extra spice.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought sunflower milk instead?
Yes! If you’re short on time, store-bought unsweetened sunflower milk works as a substitute.
What can I use instead of sunflower seeds?
Cashews or almonds can create a similar creamy texture, but the flavor will be slightly different.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely! Swap ramen noodles for gluten-free rice noodles or zoodles.
How can I store leftovers?
Store the broth, noodles, and toppings separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze broth for up to 3 months.
Is this ramen spicy?
It has a mild heat from shichimi togarashi, but you can adjust the spice level to your preference.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 140g raw sunflower seeds, soaked in water for 8 to 12 hours, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups 470ml water
- 6 cups 1.4L Vegetable Scrap Stock (page 36) or store-bought vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more as needed
- 12 ounces 340g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems composted (or saved for stock)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil Fine sea salt
- 1 pound 450g baby bok choy, cored and thinly sliced crosswise
- 4 tablespoons Shichimi Togarashi page 42 1 pound (450g) fresh ramen noodles, such as
- Sun Noodle brand divided into 4 equal portions
- 1 cup 35g lightly packed fresh sunflower sprouts
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 400°F (200°C).
- Make the broth: In a high-powered blender, combine the soaked sunflower seeds and water and blend until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set a nut-milk bag in a bowl, pour in the sunflower milk, close the bag, and use your clean hands to extract as much of the liquid as possible, twisting and squeezing the bag over the bowl. (Compost the pulp, or save it to add to smoothies, such as in place of the peanut butter in the Chocolate Protein Shake, page 108.)
- In a large saucepan, combine the sunflower milk, vegetable stock, and salt, whisking to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set over medium heat, and when the mixture is very hot but not bubbling, reduce the heat to low and cover to keep hot.
- Prepare the garnishes: On a large sheet pan, toss the shiitake caps with 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Leave the oven on. Transfer the mushrooms caps to a cutting board, cut into thick slices, and season lightly with salt.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, use a salad spinner to wash and thoroughly dry the baby bok choy.
- Transfer the bok choy to the same sheet pan you used for the mushrooms and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon sunflower oil. Roast just until the greens wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, season lightly with salt, and let the bok choy rest on the sheet pan.
- Cook the ramen: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Ladle ½ cup (120ml) of the hot broth into each of four deep bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of the shichimi togarashi to the bottom of each bowl.
- Add one portion (4 ounces/115g) of ramen noodles to the boiling water. Cook until barely tender, 30 to 90 seconds. Use a spider sieve or slotted spoon to lift the noodles from the water, holding them over the pot to drain, then transfer them to one of the bowls. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
- Divide the remaining hot broth among the bowls. (If it has separated or slightly curdled, don’t worry: Just whisk it for a few seconds, and it’ll come back together.) Top each bowl with mushrooms, roasted bok choy, and sunflower sprouts. Serve hot.
Reprinted with permission from Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan, copyright©2024. Published by TenSpeed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC
