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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, Birria Ramen, Homemade Ramen (my easiest version), Shoyu Ramen, Miso Ramen, Shrimp Ramen or with Miso Ramen Broth or Shoyu Ramen Broth topped with crisped slices of pork belly or Chashu Pork, Menma and Soy Sauce Eggs.
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
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 408g
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 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 1/2-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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These ramen look amazing, Marissa!! Awesome recipe!
Although I am a food blogger, but I love having ramen noodles. Yours look perfect, I can’t wait to give it a try, I am beyond excited 🙂
Thank you, Muna! I’d love to hear how it goes… 🙂
Really looking forward to trying these! Fresh pasta is a million miles from dried so I expect the same is true for noodles.
I take it that ‘….cook for 1 to 20 minutes….’ in step 7 is a typo, yes?
Hi Elyss! Yes, definitely a typo…thank you for catching that. 🙂
I am so impressed by this! Those gorgeous long strands of pasta look incredible. I appreciate that you’ve done the recipe testing for us here, and I’m bookmarking this one! I don’t have a pasta machine though and I’m wondering if there’s any way this can be rolled thin enough by hand? Either way, I think I want to give it a try!
Hi Faith! Yes, you could definitely hand roll – bonus arm workout! 🙂
Love this post and the recipe Marissa. Persistence paid off, so thanks for that. I learned the hard way that baking is a science and cooking is a treat. Weighing when baking is the key for sure as many of my breads and starters can a test! Cheers. 🙂
Cool video too!
Thank you, Kevin! And I like that, my friend. I always say that baking is a science and cooking is an art, but I like your version too! 🙂
I had a flour scooping problem too, until culinary school where they forced you to do crazy things like measure flour correctly. 😉 To be honest, if I’m in a rush I revert back to my old ways and just willy nilly the flour into cups. Oops? Anyways, LOOOOOOOVING these homemade ramen noodles, Marissa!!! Seriously, this puts the store bought stuff TO SHAME. These look just perfect, not to mention a billion times more tasty! Beautiful photos, my dear! Cheers! <3
How about doing a video of proper flour scooping, Cheyanne? With your training and your fun personality, you could do a great series of how to videos from scooping flour to knife skills to?? I’d watch them! xo
I love making homemade pasta but I’ve never tried making my own ramen noodles! Such a great idea, especially since you’ve done the hard work of recipe testing so I don’t have to :)–thank you, Marissa!
What a sweet note, thanks Kelsie!
I would have never though that making ramen noodles is quite a process. Wow. I don’t think I’ll risk making them any soon, but I do respect the fact you haven’t given up and have got the perfect result:)
Thanks, Ben. I was determined to get it right! 🙂
Oh, ramen!! How much I love it!! Hubby is the usual pasta maker in our home and I think I’m going to have to put a request in for these. I totally know what you mean about weighing flour. Just a few months ago, I picked up a scale. It definitely comes in handy, especially when baking. Looks like you certainly have a winner with this marriage between the two recipes and I love that you can freeze ’em! So handy! Can’t wait to give ’em a try! Pinned! Cheers girl!
Thank you, Dawn! I love it that your hubby is the house pasta maker – I hope he tries this! Especially since you love ramen. xo
Hi again Marissa…..just showed hubby your video and it looks like I’m going to get ramen and maybe even this weekend 🙂 We’re supposed to have snow so it would be the perfect time to make this (or hubby make it 😉 ) and curl up with a big bowl and slurp away! Thanks for the awesome recipe! xo
Woohoo! That’s awesome, Dawn. I’d love to hear what you think! xo
Homemade Ramen Noodles – Hallelujah! I have to make this! So tired of buying the dried up store bought kind and throwing out the seasoning bag that comes with it. Thank you! 🙂
You and me too, Cathy!! You are quite welcome! 🙂
Good for you for sticking in there and coming up with this recipe, Marissa! I had no idea you could make ramen noodles at home…what a fun project! I agree with you about the weight thing. I actually prefer to bake with a scale, but I know most people don’t bake that way so I leave recipes in measurements instead. Either way, I’m thinking there’s a ramen night coming up soon! 🙂
Awesome, David! I hope you try it because I’d love to hear what you think.
I never considered homemade ramen until your post! Loving your blog that I happily happened upon, with rockin’ recipes and wonderful photos! Pinned a couple of lish-looking recipes, and thanks, my dear! –G
Wow, so kind. Thank you, Ginger!!
I love making fresh pasta and I love the idea of making fresh ramen, especially considering that ramen is so often considered NOT a fresh food, as the packaged variety is so commonly found. Gorgeous photos, too!
Thank you! And you’re right, Medha. I think most people think of ramen as those 10-cent packets with the mystery ingredients. 🙂
What pasta roller is this ? Brand? I am looking to buy my own for the first time.
Hi there, Sasha. I have a Marcato Atlas manual machine that I’ve had for 25+ years – sturdy and works so well.
Hi Marissa. I haven’t made pasta/noodles in years. I have an Atlas manual pasta machine and I know exactly where it is, which is quite surprising because I still don’t know where some things are since we moved from MI…my ice cream maker and an old fashioned apple peeler/corer being two of those things. .
Hi Dorothy. Every time we move, I end up losing things so I know exactly what you mean. I’m glad you know where your pasta maker is. 🙂 If you and Gary like ramen, I hope you’ll give this a try. xo
YAYY Marissa! I’m so proud of you!! I wonder if putting a lot of flour on the dough would help before cutting them. It tends to happen to me when I don’t add enough flour (and that’s a trial and error thing for me). I’m glad that you like the flavour of them too! 😀
Thank you for the inspiration, Lorraine! If I hadn’t tried your recipe first, I would have thought the alkaline noodles were the only option.