Where does Ramen come from?

Ramen — country of origin: Japan.

What is Ramen made of?

Wheat noodles, pork, egg, soy sauce, miso, spring onion, nori seaweed, bamboo shoot.

Which allergens does Ramen contain?

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains soybeans and soybean products.

How do you pronounce Ramen?

ラーメン (Japanese) is pronounced /ɾaːmeɴ/.

Ramen

ラーメンPronunciation (IPA) /ɾaːmeɴ/

Wheat noodles in a long-simmered broth, with pork, egg and seaweed on top — a Japanese bowl defined by its stock and its tare, not its toppings.

Also known as: Rāmen

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

Egg

Contains eggs and egg products

Soybeans

Contains soybeans and soybean products

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Ramen is a bowl of wheat noodles in broth. It arrived in Japan from China and became Japanese: every region, and increasingly every shop, has its own version.

What it really is

The bowl is built in layers. A broth is simmered for hours — pork bone for tonkotsu, lighter stocks elsewhere. A tare, the seasoning base, goes in the bowl first: soy, salt or miso, and that is what names most styles. Noodles are boiled to order and toppings added last.

The style is the broth and the tare, not the toppings. Shoyu, shio, miso and tonkotsu describe how the bowl is seasoned and what the stock is made from. Pork belly, egg and bamboo shoots appear across all of them.

How it is served

Immediately — the noodles keep softening in the bowl.
With a spoon for the broth and chopsticks for the noodles.
Slurped, which cools the noodles and is not rude.

Name the style: shoyu, shio, miso or tonkotsu tells a guest more than a list of toppings.
Say whether the broth is pork-based; a vegetarian ramen needs a different stock, not just different toppings.
Noodles are wheat and most tare contains soy.

Typical ingredients

Put it on your menu with Menuella

Frequently asked questions

What is Ramen?: Wheat noodles in a long-simmered broth, with pork, egg and seaweed on top — a Japanese bowl defined by its stock and its tare, not its toppings.
Where does Ramen come from?: Ramen — country of origin: Japan.
What is Ramen made of?: Wheat noodles, pork, egg, soy sauce, miso, spring onion, nori seaweed, bamboo shoot.
Which allergens does Ramen contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains soybeans and soybean products.
What is Ramen also known as?: Rāmen.
How do you pronounce Ramen?: ラーメン (Japanese) is pronounced /ɾaːmeɴ/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.