If you've wondered how to make Homemade Ramen Noodles, you have to try this! Through trial and error, I've developed a reliable recipe for making ramen noodles from scratch that works every time. And they freeze beautifully, so make a big batch to use in all of your favorite Ramen Noodle Recipes!
There's a simple reason why it took me several tries to perfect this recipe: I'm terrible at scooping flour from a bag accurately. I learned this about myself long ago when it came to baking cookies, cakes, and bread. But it took me a few failed attempts at ramen noodles to realize that I needed the flour weight to have a reliable recipe.
The first recipe I tried was from my friend, Lorraine, of Not Quite Nigella. Her recipes are reliably excellent and the ramen was no exception - the noodles tasted delicious! But sometimes the dough would come out of the pasta cutter as separate noodles, other times as a blob. Not a recipe problem, a flour scooping problem.
Then I came across a ramen noodle recipe from Lucky Peach and was excited because it had ingredient weights and a bonus science project of soda baked in the oven to create an alkaline salt, i.e., changing sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate. This sounded very official, so I tried it.
There was good news and bad news: the good news was that the ramen dough flowed easily through my pasta cutter; the bad news was that, when cooked, the noodles had such a strong alkaline flavor that we threw them away. If you've had cookies or rolls made with too much baking soda, you know the flavor I'm talking about.
Since the texture of the Lucky Peach ramen worked, but I loved the flavor of Lorraine's noodles, I decided to try a combination. This is a true hybrid with elements of both recipes. I used all-purpose flour as recommended by Lucky Peach, but did away with the baked soda and used Lorraine's combination of baking soda and egg to give the noodles that essential springy ramen noodle texture. A few tries gave me a reliable formula of flour weight to liquid volume.
As you'll see in the video below, I used my stand mixer to stir and knead the dough. Let me warn you that this is a fairly dry dough and you'll be giving your stand mixer a workout. You may even need to steady the mixing bowl as it kneads, i.e., don't leave the room or you may end up with the mixer running and the bowl on the floor.
Of course you can knead the dough by hand, but know that you'll break a sweat: knead for 5 minutes, let the dough rest for 20 minutes and then knead it again before refrigerating. Either way the noodle payoff will be worth it, I promise.
Once your dough is ready, you'll roll it through a manual pasta machine - this is the one I have. Then use the same machine to cut the ramen noodles. You can either cook them immediately or freeze them for later.
To freeze ramen noodles, place them on a floured baking sheet in loose mounds that are about 2-servings each, as pictured above. Cover and freeze until solid. Once frozen, carefully transfer to a gallon-size freezer bag or other lidded freezer safe container. No need to thaw before cooking.
This batch makes 8 to 12 servings, depending on how you use them (10-12 if you're making soup, 8 to 10 for stir fry). I recommend trying them in this Pork Belly Ramen topped with crisped slices of pork belly or Chashu Pork or this Ramen Noodle Stir Fry.
How to Make Homemade Ramen Noodles
Step 1: Combine whisked dry ingredients and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached. Mix until combined; continue mixing to knead dough, 5 minutes or until dough is smooth.
Step 2: Wrap dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but not more than overnight - see recipe note #3.).
Step 3: Dust baking sheet with flour and divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
Step 3: Run one piece through the thickest setting on a manual pasta machine. Repeat three more times, turning the dial to a thinner setting each time. Cut dough in half crosswise. Attach finest cutter to pasta machine and run dough through to cut. Dust with flour to coat and gently separate noodles and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
Step 4: Cook noodles for 1 to 2 minutes in water or broth until cooked through. Note that you can also freeze the noodles - just add to boiling liquid directly from the freezer and cook about 30 seconds longer than when fresh.
Homemade Ramen Noodles Recipe Video
Homemade Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 408g
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup warm water
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs and warm water.
- Set bowl in place on a stand mixer and attach dough hook. Mix at the lowest speed until all ingredients are moistened. Increase speed one or two clicks and mix until dough comes together. Once a dough ball has formed, continue to knead with dough hook for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth. (Recipe Note #2)
- Turn dough out on to a floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but not more than overnight - see recipe note #3).
- Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into 6 equal pieces on floured work surface and cover loosely with plastic wrap. With your palm, flatten one piece into a rough rectangle about ½-inch thick; rub all over with flour. Feed one end through a manual pasta machine, beginning at the thickest setting (1). Turn dial to the next setting (2) and run dough through again. Repeat at the next two settings (3 and 4). (For a shorter ramen noodle, cut the dough in half crosswise before running through the pasta cutter.)
- Attach pasta cutting attachment and dust the blades lightly with flour. Run dough through finest cutter (spaghetti-sized ideally). (Recipe Note #4) Dust noodles with flour to coat and separate and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
- Cook noodles for 1 to 2 minutes in a generous amount of water or broth until cooked through. You can also freeze the noodles. They can be added to boiling liquid directly from the freezer and cook about 30 seconds longer than when fresh.
- Use noodles in your favorite soups and stir-frys!
Notes
- To knead the dough by hand: once you've stirred the ingredients together, turn out onto a floured surface; knead for 5 minutes, cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes; then knead again for 5 minutes then refrigerate.
- If dough seems to be taking too long to form a ball, don't add more liquid. Instead, turn off the mixer and use your hands to press it into a ball then continue with recipe.
- As with all fresh pasta, the dough will start to oxidize and turn a green / gray if left in the refrigerator for 18 or more hours. So be sure to make the noodles and use or freeze before then, as directed in the post.
- If your noodles start to clump when cutting, check the attachment underneath to make sure that dough isn't building up between the teeth. If dough is building up, use the dry brush that comes with manual pasta makers (or a dry pastry brush) to wipe away any residual dough. Be sure to coat each section of dough with flour before running through cutter to avoid this issue.
- This recipe serves 10-12 if you're making ramen noodle soup. If you're making a noodle stir-fry or other dish where noodles are the bulk of the dish, it will serve 8 to 10.
Warning don’t try this with whole wheat. I did (only because I didn’t have any other flour available) and they just disintegrate
I'm sorry that happened, Andie! You're right though, whole wheat flour isn't a good option here.
Can I leave out the egg? Also, did you bake your baking soda first?
Hi Jess...the egg combined with the baking soda are important for the flavor and texture of these noodles. Have a look at the post for an explanation of why I didn't bake my soda for the final recipe.
I love the layout of your recipe and detail of the hybrid. I am curious, do you ever make a rice flour based ramen? semi-similar to pho I suppose. New to making noodles vs pastas. Newer still to altering bases utilizing 00 for the “better” gluten or trying completely gluten free noodles and pastas. Thank you.
Thanks, Matty! I haven't experimented with a rice flour based version, but it's a great idea!
Hi I’m dying try make this but I don’t have standard mixer but can use food processor?
Hi Michelle! You read my mind. I've been meaning to make this dough in my food processor to add as an option here. So guess what? Your question came in and I headed to the kitchen to make them. The short answer to your question is: yes! absolutely. It works beautifully. First pulse the dry ingredients together in the food processor. Add the eggs and warm water and process until combined (30-60 seconds). Then continue to process for another 60 seconds until it forms a rough ball (you may need to scrape down the sides a couple of times to keep the dough moving). Turn the ball out onto a clean work surface and knead it for 1-2 minutes until the dough is smooth. Then form it into a rough rectangle, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Then pick up on step 4 of the recipe.
I'm wondering if you can dry these noodles instead of freezing them? I'm excited to try these fresh, but I'm also looking for a recipe for noodles I can bring camping.
Great idea for camping, Sheila! I haven't dried them myself, but I don't see why not.
I have a possibly dumb question.. does it matter if I use a spiral or c hook dough hook on my kitchen aid? I couldn't tell from the video
Not a dumb question at all, Kathleen! You can use either of your dough hooks - I used the c hook because that's what came with my mixer. (If I had both, I'd go with the spiral, which I believe is more powerful.)
Hi! I would like to know how long the dough can be left in the fridge?
Thanks!
Hi there, Nadya. If you're planning on cooking the noodles within a couple of days, you can cover and keep in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze them instead. You can put them in boiling water straight from the freezer, so they're very convenient to have on hand.
I made ramen noodles for the first time in my life and it tastes AMAZING!
I used my hands to mix into the dough instead of the mixer.
That's wonderful, Zaain! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
What amazing recipe!! I've used flour type 00 which I normaly use for pasta but my scale must have had its moment and measured wrong one of the ingredients so when I mixed it it looked very runny but after adding more flour it had the right texture. It ended up being mixed for like 20 min in total but then, when cutting them into noodles I was cutting them to have shorter noodles and it was rediculously stretchy so I had to actually pull them off with lots of power. amazing!!! First time making noodles and worked out yummiiiie. Thank you so much! P.s. It was for duck ramen 🦆🍲🍜
I'm so glad you're enjoying this recipe, Anya! Love the sound of duck ramen!
Just made these and they came out perfect! It was so fun and easy to make, my children had fun helping as well. I cooked one test batch and froze the rest for lunch this week😋
I'm so happy to hear this, Raven! I love that your children had fun helping too. Thank you for coming back to let me know - you made my day!
These are amazing and so easy to make. A Japanese friend said, “They taste like real ramen!” I laughed. It is real ramen!
aww...I love that, Dolly! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!!
The noodles are great. Just wondering if it's ok to let it rest on the kitchen bench rather than in the fridge? Thanks
I'm glad you're enjoying the noodles, Leetin! I recommend refrigerating the dough as it rests as you'll want it to be cool when you run it through the pasta cutter.
These ramen noodles are awesome and so easy! Made them last night for Bon Appétit’s Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles and they were so delicious, I’ve made that dish before but these homemade noodles made it the best we’ve ever had. Thanks so much for the recipe!
This is fantastic to hear, Rachel! That sauce sounds amazing!!
Can't wait to try this recipe. Can these noodles be dehydrated as well? Do you think dehydration give them a longer shelf life?
That's a great questions, James. I freeze mine, but have a look at this article for tips on drying and dehydrating fresh pasta. Hope that's helpful!
Amazing noodles! My daughter and I are avid ramen fans so we decided to try this recipe. We loved it! The taste was beautiful.
That's wonderful to hear, Nicole! So happy that you and your daughter enjoyed these!
This was so easy to do and tasted amazing. The noodles were light and airy. I was dubious as they were so similar to making pasta but the really tasted like noodles. My family went crazy for them and I am so excited to have more in the freezer. Thank you so much for this recipe
This is wonderful to hear, Lauren! I'm so glad that you and your family are enjoying these!!
Hi Marisa, How does one freeze the noodles without the noodles losing their form.. I use a Food saver and I am worried the noodles will be flattened. Looking forward to making the noodles. My Marcato is on the way. ETA: tomorrow. Thank you in advance, Bonnie
Hi there, Bonnie! Great question and I need to add directions to the post - thank you. I separate the noodles into mounds on a baking sheet that are about 2 servings (see photo above) and freeze them until solid. Then I gently transfer them to a gallon size freezer bag - no need to thaw before cooking.
I also tried the alkaline ramen recipe first and had to throw the noodles away due to the strong taste. I used a little of the baked baking soda mixed in with the regular with your recipe. It worked very well. I had to add a very small bit of water to get the dough to stick. Used my upright mixer with attachments and everything turned out great. Very happy and will be using this again. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Vanessa. As you know, I had the same response to the alkaline ramen - the taste of the baked soda was just too pungent. So glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
The noodles were delicious! I made half of the recipe and it was just enough for 3 people.
I even made the mistake of not wrapping with cling wrap, and then leaving it overnight, so the dough was rather hard... But fortunately it still came out great!
I'm so glad you enjoyed these, Hadia! Thank you for letting me know!
Thank You. I had so much fun making these noodles. I would post a picture of what I made with them but there is no option for that.
Hi, Kelli! I’m so glad!! I’d love to see what you made. If you post it to Instagram or Facebook, please tag me, @pinchandswirl 😊
Good recipe but I wouldn't call it ramen noodles. There should be an alkali substance added like sodium carbonate. The reaction with the water and bread flour is what creates the pale yellow color, not eggs. But that said this isn't a bad recipe or anything, I just googled looking for a ramen recipe (hoping to get one using alkali reaction) and this came up as the first result which confuses me.
Hi there, Kate. After making these ramen noodles with baked soda (sodium carbonate) and then with baking soda - both alkaline - I much prefer the baking soda version. Both have that signature springy texture, but the noodles taste much better made simply with baking soda. I hope you'll give them a try both ways. I'd love to hear what you think!