Featured Comment:
“Wow! This clever recipe needs more attention!! It comes very close to Tonkotsu broth, with almost no effort required!!! This recipe has made this style of ramen into a 10 minute weeknight dinner, as long as I have ajitama in the fridge!”
– Jas
Have you ever wanted to try the rich Tonkotsu Ramen but felt intimidated by the traditional cooking process?
While I’ve successfully made homemade miso, Shoyu (soy sauce), and Shio (salt) ramen, Tonkotsu always seemed like a challenge too big to take on.
Authentic Tonkotsu Ramen, with its signature milky broth, is notoriously labor-intensive.
The traditional method involves simmering pork bones for 8 hours or more. This method tests the limits of your patience, but it also has a powerful downside: the pungent aroma of simmering bones can permeate your entire neighborhood!
True story: Back when I was in England, there was this new tonkotsu ramen shop in my neighborhood. They instantly received smell complaints from the store next door.
But don’t worry! I’ve got a game-changing solution that will let you enjoy the essence of Tonkotsu Ramen without the hassle (or smell!). I’ll show you how to make a tonkotsu-style broth with “a secret hack ingredient” you can find at any grocery store. It’ll have that creamy richness you crave.
Curious about our secret ingredients and techniques? Keep reading to discover more!
What is Tonkotsu Ramen?
Tonkotsu ramen (とんこつラーメン) is a unique type of ramen that’s known for its rich, milky broth. The star of the show is the pork bones. These bones are simmered for a long time, often with chicken bones, vegetables, and other ingredients that add depth and complexity to the broth.
One of the most distinctive things about Tonkotsu Ramen is its cloudy, creamy appearance. But what’s the secret behind this soup? The secret’s in the collagen. As the bones simmer, the collagen breaks down and transforms into gelatin, creating that signature milky look and silky texture.
Tonkotsu Ramen is believed to have been born at “Nankyo Senryo (南京千両),” a ramen shop in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. This historical tidbit explains why Tonkotsu Ramen is still strongly associated with Fukuoka to this day.
In fact, when many Japanese people think of Tonkotsu Ramen, Fukuoka is often the first place that comes to mind! The recipe we’re about to explore is inspired by Hakata-style soup too!
How I Developed This Recipe
I have to be honest with you. This mock recipe wasn’t my original plan. I was all set to make real Tonkotsu Ramen with pork bones. But then reality hit me. Just picture this: hunting down a butcher for custom-ordered pork bones, simmering them for 8 whole hours, and turning your entire neighborhood into a pork-scented scene. Not exactly practical, is it?
Don’t get me wrong, I do want to share authentic Japanese recipes on my website. But I also believe in recipes you’ll actually want to make with ease at home. So, I put on my thinking cap and came up with this alternative.
When I tasted the result, I was blown away. Is it exactly the same as real Tonkotsu? Of course not. But it’s so close in taste and texture that it was incredible. Ask yourself: 8 hours of simmering and a house that smells for a few days, or 10 minutes and a normal-smelling kitchen? The choice should be clear.
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Ramen noodles: Thin fresh noodles are the best! Making them at home is my favorite – it’s easier than you might think! I wrote a whole guide called “Ramen Noodles 101” if you want to learn how. But if you’re short on time, there are some good store-bought options too. Just promise me one thing: don’t use those instant cup noodles for this!
- Soy milk: Yes, soy milk is the magic ingredient in this mock recipe! Use plain, unsweetened soy milk. It really helps create that creamy texture we’re after.
- Chinese-style chicken stock powder: This adds a savory depth that you just can’t get from soy milk alone. I prefer the Chinese style, but Western bouillon powder also works in a pinch.
- Lard: Lard is key to pork flavor that you need in tonkotsu soup. It makes a big difference!
- Other seasonings: To round out the flavors, use oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dashi granules. Each one brings something special to the broth.
- Toppings that I used: Here’s where you can get creative! I like to top my ramen with pork chashu, thinly sliced boiled wood ear mushrooms, beni shoga (red pickled ginger), chopped green onions, ground sesame seeds, menma, ramen eggs, and a couple of sheets of nori seaweed.
- Alternative topping suggestions: Easy cheat oven-roasted pork chashu, seasoned bean sprouts, spicy leek, garlic chips, sesame seeds, blanched spinach.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Cheat’s Tonkotsu Ramen at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
If you prefer to watch the process in action, check out my YouTube video of this recipe for a complete visual walkthrough!
Combine all broth ingredients in a pot.
Place over low heat, stirring occasionally. Keep a close eye on it and remove from the heat once warmed through.
Keep the heat low and don’t let it boil! This prevents the soy milk from curdling. This is a vital step to achieve the soup texture.
While the broth heats, prepare ramen noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions.
Once cooked, drain the noodles in a colander.
Divide cooked noodles among serving bowls. Ladle hot broth over noodles, distributing evenly, then customize your ramen with desired toppings.
And that’s all there is to it!
FAQ
Here are answers to frequently asked questions I have received across all platforms, including here, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to me anytime! It will be a big help for everyone in this community!
This recipe is designed to replicate pork broth and lard is one of the most important ingredients in the recipe so I don’t recommend omitting it or swapping it for anything.
I hope you enjoy this Cheat’s Tonkotsu Ramen recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Ramen Recipes
- Shoyu Ramen Noodles (Soy Sauce Flavored Chuka Soba)
- Abura Soba (Soupless Ramen)
- Tantanmen (Tan Tan Ramen) in 15 Minutes
- Taiwan Ramen (Spicy Nagoya Style Ramen)
Want more inspiration? Explore my Ramen Recipe Roundup for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to spark your next meal!
10 Minute Cheat’s Tonkotsu Ramen
Ingredients
Broth
- 320 ml water
- 320 ml unsweetened soy milk unsweetened
- 2 tbsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tbsp lard
- 2 tsp garlic paste or grated garlic
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tsp dashi granules
Noodles and Toppings
- 2 portions ramen noodles
- pork chashu
- boiled wood ear mushrooms thinly sliced
- red pickled ginger (benishoga)
- finely chopped green onions
- ground sesame seeds
- seasoned bamboo shoots (menma)
- ramen eggs
- roasted seaweed for sushi (nori)
Instructions
- Add all of the broth ingredients to a saucepan and heat on low until it reaches your desired temperature for eating. Stir occasionally and be careful not to let it boil. At the same time, boil your ramen noodles according to the instructions on the packaging.
- Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and place them in bowls.
- Divide the soup between bowls and add your desired toppings. Enjoy!
This is honestly fantastic. I don’t eat ramen enough to definitively say how this compares with long-form tonkotsu, but it is delicious. I shared this with my friends because of how easy it is to make with excellent results. This is a keeper!
Hi TS,
Thank you so much for your comment and feedback! It’s great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
Yuto
Wow! This clever recipe needs more attention!!
It comes very close to Tonkotsu broth, with almost no effort required!!!
Because I had so much extra time compared to making it from scratch, I sizzled the lard in a small amount of crushed fried shallots to add complexity and fragrance to the oil, before adding the rest of the wet ingredients. I also used a small amount of gelatin to try to replicate the unctuous mouthfeel of the authentic broth.
I can’t wait to try this for the kids. We have Ippudo across the road from us, but it gets very expensive. My kids don’t like eating pieces of meat, so I don’t need to make chashu – this recipe has made this style of ramen into a 10 minute weeknight dinner, as long as I have ajitama in the fridge! Game changing!!!
Next time I will try it with milk instead of soy milk for convenience, and I will try charring some garlic in addition to shallots in the lard to add more fragrance to the oil.
Lovely website, very thoughtful, pragmatic recipes developed for those who cannot easily access authentic ingredients without losing the soul of the dish. I can’t wait to try more recipes.
Hi Jas,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your lovely words! I love how you play around with the recipe as well! It’s a great honor to hear this has become a convenient weeknight dinner option for your family! 🙂
Yuto
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Tried it exactly as published, takes the same amount of time as waiting for instant ramen to soften, but so much nicer a meal!!!
Thanks for the lovely receipe! I tired twice with freshly made unsweetened soybean milk. Can I substitute it with sweetened soybean milk instead?
Hi Sheryl,
Thank you so much for trying my recipe multiple times! It really depends on how sweet the soy milk is in your country. As long as it’s not actually sweet sweet, it should work fine! For example, in Japan, “sweetened” soy milk is actually not sweet and just contains additives that simply make it more palatable rather than sweet. If the sweetened variety in your country is like that too, it shouldn’t affect the recipe that much! I hope this answer helps!
Yuto