A Nutritionist’s Ramen You Can Eat on Repeat (Gut and Heart Friendly)

Video Description

Join my newsletter for more recipes and insights here - https://subscribepage.io/danmartin Recipe A comforting, flexible ramen built around a make-ahead vegetable broth, a simple tahini bowl base, and crisp tofu. Designed to be easy to repeat on a weeknight, and nourishing. Ingredients Broth (Make Ahead) Dried shiitake mushrooms – 20 g (about 5–6) Water – 1.2 litres Sweet potato – 200-300 g, skin on (optional), cut into large chunks Leeks – 2, white parts only, roughly chopped (reserve tops for stock or garnish) Garlic – 2 whole bulbs, halved crosswise Oat milk – 500 ml Tare (Make Ahead) Soy sauce – 4 tbsp Mirin – 2 tbsp Sake – 2 tbsp Protein Firm tofu – 160 g total (about 80 g per bowl), sliced into 1 cm thick slabs Noodles & Vegetables (per bowl) Fresh ramen noodles – 90 g (balanced portion) Broccoli – 3–4 small florets (fresh or frozen) Bean sprouts – small handful (about 30 g) Bowl Base (per bowl) Tahini – 1 tbsp Tare – 1 tbsp Doubanjiang – 1–2 tsp, to taste Sesame oil – ½ tsp White miso – 1 tsp (optional) To Finish Chilli oil – to taste Ground sesame seeds – to taste Nori – optional Japanese seven spice (shichimi) for tofu (or chilli powder / any spice you like) Method 1. Make the Broth (Make Ahead Friendly) Add the dried shiitake mushrooms and water to a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the liquid turns a deep amber colour. While the mushrooms simmer, roast the sweet potato, leek whites, and garlic at 200°C for about 40 minutes, until soft and well caramelised. Keep the sweet potato pieces fairly large so they don’t burn. Place the garlic cut-side down on the leeks to protect it as it roasts. Strain out the mushrooms. Squeeze the soft centres from the leeks and remove the roasted garlic from their skins. Add the roasted vegetables to the mushroom broth along with the oat milk. Blend until completely smooth. Cool and portion the broth. 2. Make the Tare Combine the soy sauce, mirin, and sake in a small pan. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Cool and store. 3. Cook the Tofu (Stainless Steel Method) Pat the tofu very dry and slice into 1 cm thick slabs. Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances across the surface. Add a small amount of oil, lower the heat slightly, and wait about 30 seconds. Add the tofu and leave it alone. Once a golden crust forms, it will naturally release from the pan. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with Japanese seven spice (or any spice you like). Set aside. 4. Reheat the Broth Gently reheat the broth over low heat. For serving, plan on half broth and half water (or light stock) per bowl. 5. Cook Noodles and Vegetables Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Add the broccoli and bean sprouts for the final minute. Drain well. 6. Build the Bowl In each bowl, whisk together: 1 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp tare Doubanjiang Sesame oil White miso (if using) Add 200–300 ml hot broth, topped up with water to taste, and stir until smooth. Add noodles, vegetables, and tofu. Finish with chilli oil, ground sesame seeds, and nori if you like. Notes Broth Consistency This broth is a base, add water or more stock to adjust thickness. In the video: ~300 ml broth + 100 ml water per bowl (very creamy, coats the back of a spoon) For a lighter bowl: use half broth, half water If you prefer thinner ramen broth, reduce sweet potato to ~200 g or oat milk slightly Batch Cooking Portion broth in 200–300 ml servings before freezing. Defrost overnight in the fridge for easier reheating. Tare keeps 2–3 weeks refrigerated in a sealed jar. Substitutions Tahini → Peanut butter Sweet potato → Pumpkin or squash Leeks → Onion Garlic → Fresh ginger Miso → Optional Oat milk → Soy, almond, or skimmed milk Noodles → Ramen, udon, soba, spaghetti Doubanjiang → Any chilli paste, sauce, or powder Vegetables → Use whatever you like or have Tofu → Any lean protein (works well with minced meat for a tantan-style bowl) Why This Works This ramen gets much of its richness from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, rather than relying on large amounts of saturated fat. A substantial body of evidence shows that replacing saturated fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats is associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk markers, including LDL cholesterol and other cardiometabolic risk markers. This has been demonstrated in controlled feeding trials and large meta-analyses. Paired with fibre-rich vegetables and a mixed meal structure, this approach delivers comfort while providing satiety and richness.