Flavorful noodles, jammy eggs, layers of umami flavor, full of greens–this keto ramen is not your everyday soup. This is my low carb (thank you shirataki noodles) go-to, whenever I’m craving something to warm me up, from the inside out.
Love the idea of healthy and hearty soup for dinner? Check out this keto chicken soup or this keto chicken and dumplings.
Is Ramen Keto? Low Carb? Paleo? Gluten Free?
Most ramen recipes are not keto, low carb, paleo, or gluten free due to the noodles. However, this recipe substitutes ramen noodles for shirataki noodles, which are a great keto, low carb, and gluten free substitute.
Healthy Ramen Ingredients
Full of warm, comforting, umami flavor, keto ramen is REALLY all about the broth. So we’ll need a few specialty ingredients to get its complex flavor just right. Here’s what to grab:
- The meat – chicken thighs are higher in fat than chicken breast, and add more flavor to chicken ramen.
- The eggs – soft-boiled eggs are a traditional and delicious topping.
- The noodles – Incredibly low in calories and carbs, these noodles can be found in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores. They have hardly any taste and a rice noodle-like texture. The trick to actually enjoying these noodles is to use them in select dishes only–I find they’re a great stir-fry noodle swap, but I never use them as an Italian pasta substitute. Also, the dry fry technique (read more about it here) helps to absorb excess liquid, which improves their flavor and texture. Don’t skip!
- The veggies – Shiitake mushrooms can be hard to find but they’re so worth it for the earthy, umami flavor they add to the broth. I always use fresh, but dry works as well. Just keep in mind that dry mushrooms will take a little longer to soften. You can use regular bok choy as well, however, baby bok choy is slightly sweeter and more tender.
- The broth – Fish sauce gives our keto ramen more umami flavor. Increase/decrease the amount of sriracha added, depending on how spicy you like your low carb ramen broth.
Low Carb Ramen Variations
As you know, there are so many ways to whip up a bowl of ramen. Make yours unique by swapping the noodles, and protein, or adjusting the broth to taste. Here are some variations to consider:
- Add more low carb vegetables, whatever you love!
- Make it spicier by increasing the amount of sriracha.
- Swap the chicken with whatever protein you prefer–pork, chicken breast, beef (ala keto beef stew), or keto shrimp ramen are all great options. Or, skip the protein for vegetarian ramen.
- Psst, protein shortcut! Use shredded rotisserie chicken (we love rotisserie chicken soup!)
- Try different noodles (suggestions below).
Keto Noodle Alternatives
Not a fan of shirataki noodles? There are a handful of low carb noodle options you may want to try instead:
- Zucchini noodles – If you’re making keto ramen zoodles, be sure to add them in with the bok choy, otherwise, they’ll soften too much. Zucchini noodles are my go-to swap for most Italian recipes (keto shrimp scampi, keto alfredo sauce, etc.).
- Edamame noodles are my go-to for most other dishes. They’re slightly higher in carbs than zoodles and shirataki noodles, but their high fiber and protein content are incredible, and their flavor is pretty fantastic.
- Butternut squash will add a mildly sweet and delicious flavor. These are a bit higher in carbs than other vegetables, so check to make sure they work with your goals.
- Spaghetti squash is a great option, however, it requires a few extra steps. If using spaghetti squash, consider baking it alongside your chicken, then shredding and adding it in with the bok choy.
How to Make Keto Ramen
1. Toss chicken in oil, salt, and pepper and bake in preheated oven.
2. Slice cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cook eggs in a pot of boiling water.
4. Place in an ice bath.
5. Once cool, peel and slice eggs in half.
6. Rinse shirataki noodles.
7. Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Add garlic + ginger and toast until fragrant.
8. Add rinsed + drained shirataki noodles and dry fry.
9. Add the chicken broth, mushrooms, nori, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sriracha, and bring to a boil, then quickly reduce to a simmer.
10. Stir in the bok choy and green onions, and cook until the bok choy starts to wilt.
11. Stir in sliced chicken.
More Keto Chicken Soup Recipes
- Keto Taco Soup
- Chicken Curry Soup
- Keto White Chicken Chili
- Green Chili Chicken Soup
- Keto Chicken Enchilada Soup
Keto Ramen
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Chicken:
- 4 chicken thighs boneless + skinless
- 1 tablespoon mild tasting oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Soup:
- 6 large eggs
- 2, 8 ounce packages shirataki noodles spaghetti shaped
- 2 tablespoons mild tasting oil I use avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup nori (roasted seaweed, salted) sliced into thin strips. LOOSELY packed – about 3, 3" square sheets
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 baby bok choy chopped
- 3 green onions sliced, pale green + white parts only. Save dark green for garnishing.
Garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Toss chicken (4) with salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and olive oil (1 tablespoon), until evenly coated. Place in a 9×13 baking dish and cook in preheated oven until the center reaches an internal temp of 165 F, about 35 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Soft boil the eggs. Bring a medium bowl of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the eggs (6), and cover with a lid. Cook this way for 6-7 minutes. Once finished cooking, place eggs in an ice bath (a large bowl of cold water and ice). Once cool enough to handle, peel and set aside, slice just before you add them to the ramen.
- Noodles. Rinse shirataki noodles (2, 8 ounce packages) thoroughly, then place them in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic (4 cloves) and ginger (1 tablespoon), and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add drained noodles and toss to coat in oil. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Simmer. Add the chicken broth (6 cups), mushrooms (4 ounces), nori (1/4 cup), soy sauce (1/4 cup), fish sauce (1 teaspoon), sriracha (1/2 teaspoon), and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until the mushrooms have softened–should be about 10 minutes. Stir in the bok choy (2) and green onions (3), and cook until the bok choy starts to wilt–about 2 minutes. Stir in sliced chicken.
- Assemble + Serve. Ladle ramen into bowls. Garnished with halved eggs, sesame seeds, green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!
