Get the Recipe: Thai Coconut Curry Ramen
Spicy Thai-inspired ramen noodles with coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, bell peppers, spinach and mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil, such as vegetable or canola oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, white or cremini, sliced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 medium red or orange bell pepper, cored and seeded then sliced into thin 2-inch strips
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups chicken broth, plus more, if needed
- 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste, or 1-2 stalks lemongrass, optional
- 1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons red curry paste
- 1-2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek, or Asian Garlic Chili Paste/Sriracha, to taste
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2-3 handfuls baby spinach
- Juice from 1/2 a lime
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, season well, as needed
- 8 oz (240 g) dry ramen noodles, boiled per package instructions
For garnish:
- Sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- Start a large pot of water to boil for cooking the ramen noodles. Remove the dried ramen from the package and have it ready. DISCARD THE SEASONING PACK (or save it for another use.)
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until golden about 4-5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl. Add a splash more oil to the pot, if needed. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot. (Start with the lesser amount and add more if needed or if you prefer a more brothy ramen). Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemongrass paste. Season with a bit of salt ad pepper. Stir to combine well.
- Tip! It is the Sambal Oelek that brings the spicy to this ramen. Adjust the amount to your spice tolerance. If substituting Asian Chili Garlic sauce, you will need to add a bit more to get the same spiciness.
- In a small bowl, stir together the red curry paste, Sambal Oelek, tomato paste and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the soup and use a whisk to make sure it incorporates well into the soup. Simmer the soup while you cook the ramen.
- Add a bit of salt to the boiling water, then add the dried ramen blocks. Cook according to package instructions (generally 3-4 minutes).
- While the ramen cooks, finish the soup by adding the baby spinach and lime juice. Stir in and let cook briefly to wilt the spinach and blend the flavours..
- Taste the broth and add additional salt, as needed (I find it needs a generous salting to bring out the best in all the flavours.) Add additional Sambal Oelek as well if you'd like it a bit spicier. If the soup becomes too thick or you prefer more broth, add a bit more chicken broth to the pot.
- Tip! You can make just the soup part ahead and refrigerate. Rewarm later and spoon over freshly boiled and drained ramen.
- When the ramen noodles are cooked, drain and add to the soup.
- Serve by using tongs to transfer the noodles to a bowl and spoon the broth overtop. Garnish with sliced onion, chopped cilantro and lime wedges, for drizzling.
Notes
Be sure to whisk the tomato paste mixture into the soup as it sometimes needs a little encouragement to blend into the soup well.
If you enjoy a brothy ramen bowl, you can add a bit more chicken broth to the pot
Taste the soup at the end of cooking and add salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed. You can also add a bit more Sambal Oelek at the end if you'd like it spicier.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, for more tips on making this recipe. You'll also find substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 371kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 376mg, Potassium: 799mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1243IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 3mg
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