Ramen’s recent surge in popularity has fuelled a new wave of cookbooks dedicated to making ramen at home. Without a doubt, you’ll find the best recipes in dedicated and well-researched books written by ramen-loving chefs.
Whether you’re a beginner or someone looking to develop their skills further, making Japan’s favourite soul food just got easier.
Here are my 15 best ramen cookbooks.
Let’s Make Ramen! A Comic Book Cookbook – Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan
Colourful, playful and instructive are just some of the words to describe Let’s Make Ramen! A Comic Book Cookbook. Ideal for beginners and seasoned chefs, it’s a must-have book for ramen-lovers.
Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan have created a beautiful work of art which makes cooking ramen at home fun and reveals the story and history of one of Japan’s most iconic dishes.
- Engaging and educational, it includes more than 40 ramen recipes and covers stocks and broths, meats and accompaniments
- Learn how to make quick and more complex recipes with easy-to-digest hand-drawn pictures
- Ramen meets graphic novel in this beautifully illustrated and entertaining cookbook
Buy Let’s Make Ramen! A Comic Book Cookbook >>
Ramen Obsession: The Ultimate Bible for Mastering Japanese Ramen
Ramen Obsession: The Ultimate Bible for Mastering Japanese Ramen is an easy-to-read and well-organised cookbook. From traditional Japanese regional to modern interpretations around the world, it contains delicious recipes for all tastes.
Over 130 ramen recipes covering classic broths – tonkotsu (pork bone), shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), miso – and more, plus side dishes.
- An easy-to-follow six-step process for making ramen: Broth/soup, tare (sauce), oils and fat, noodles, toppings and the bowl
- Discover Japan’s diverse regional ramen flavours and learn how to make them
- A comprehensive ramen cookbook with well-explained techniques, tools and ingredients
Buy Ramen Obsession: The Ultimate Bible for Mastering Japanese Ramen >>
From ramen chefs to home-style cooks, taking a ramen cooking class in Tokyo with an expert will skyrocket your ability. Take your pick from tonkotsu (pork bone broth), shoyu (soy sauce) or vegetarian with gyoza and lots more classes.
And not to be outdone by its capital culinary rival, you can learn how to make ramen in Osaka. As Japan’s culinary capital and undisputed home of soul food, Osaka has a wide variety of classes for you to choose from.
Ramen Otaku: Mastering Ramen at Home – Sarah Gavigan with Ann Volkwein
Ramen Otaku – Mastering Ramen at Home traces the author’s journey as she discovers the wonderful world of ramen with over 40 recipes. The books’ step-by-step approach with simple descriptions and photography makes it a perfect guide for cooking ramen at home.
Sarah Gavigan – the book’s author – is a self-confessed ramen otaku (geek) who’s mastered the art of making ramen and owns a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee devoted to the craft.
- A well-organised book which covers umami (the savoury taste of broths and cooked meats), the history and basics of ramen, noodles, stock, fats and oil, tare (sauce), toppings, ramen styles and recipes
- Easy to understand instructions so you can create authentic ramen dishes
- Excellent book for beginners and enthusiasts with recipes using accessible ingredients
Buy Ramen Otaku: Mastering Ramen at Home >>
Ramen: Japanese Noodles and Small Dishes – Tove Nilsson
Ramen: Japanese Noodles and Small Dishes brings traditional Japanese and contemporary recipes from throughout the world. Discover how to make broths, sauces, noodles and toppings before putting it all together to make ramen dishes.
Tove Nilsson’s research for the book spanned ramen restaurants from Tokyo’s backstreets, LA’s hottest spots and London’s chic, laid-back establishments.
- 50 mouth-watering recipes including homemade broths and noodles to complementary side dishes
- Clear and easy-to-follow recipes with stylish mouth-watering photos
- Includes ingredients with recommended substitutes with measurements in metric and imperial
Buy Ramen: Japanese Noodles & Small Dishes >>
Japanese Soul Cooking: Ramen, Tonkatsu, Tempura, and More from the Streets and Kitchens of Tokyo and Beyond – Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat
Japanese Soul Cooking: Ramen, Tonkatsu, Tempura, and More from the Streets and Kitchens of Tokyo and Beyond offers a lot more than ramen recipes. For starters it covers, classic dishes you’ll find at ramen restaurants in Japan; like gyoza (Japanese-style dumplings), karaage (fried chicken), donburi (rice bowls) and chahan (Japanese fried rice).
Japanese chef Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat’s masterpiece shows you how to cook 100 irresistible Japanese soul food dishes at home.
- 22 pages of ramen recipes, 16 pages of gyoza recipes and more
- Attractive and useful photography of dishes, and people and culture of restaurants in Japan
- The must-have Japanese soul food cookbook
Buy Japanese Soul Cooking Cookbook >>
Ramen at Home: The Easy Japanese Cookbook for Classic Ramen and Bold New Flavors – Brian MacDuckston
Ramen at Home: The Easy Japanese Cookbook for Classic Ramen and Bold New Flavors is on a mission to bring ramen to everyone. With a comprehensive set of classic Japanese recipes, you’ll learn everything you need to know about making authentic ramen at home.
Brian MacDuckston’s ramen credentials speak for themselves as this book author, a ramen food tour guide in Tokyo and a well-known ramen personality in Japan.
- Over 100 traditional Japanese recipes, including bowls of ramen, broths, soups, noodles, toppings and side dishes
- Authentic cooking techniques from a ramen insider who lives in Tokyo
- Become a ramen master at home with this highly-researched and detailed cookbook
Simply Ramen: A Complete Course in Preparing Ramen Meals at Home – Amy Kimoto-Kahn
Simply Ramen: A Complete Course in Preparing Ramen Meals at Home details the essential building blocks to create delicious ramen. Over 70 delicious recipes show you how to transform your home into a ramen-ya (ramen restaurant).
Amy Kimoto-Kahn’s personal stories from her Japanese heritage, coupled with her passion and knowledge, gives the book distinct credibility.
- Tasty recipes to suit all tastes; pork, chicken, beef, seafood, spicy and vegetarian
- Japanese ramen noodle recipes and creative twists on new fusion-style dishes
- Simple and well-explained instructions with attractive photography
Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint – Ivan Orkin and Chris Ying
Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint is a memoir meets cookbook about a New Yorker living in Japan. Follow Ivan’s story from his love of Japan as a teen to becoming a ramen shop owner in Tokyo.
An entertaining two books in one which details Ivan’s story and relentless pursuit of the perfect bowl, followed by his mouth-watering ramen restaurant recipes.
- Over 30 recipes including Ivan’s signature ship (salt) ramen, side dishes and sweets, and noodle dishes including mazemen (no broth ramen)
- Discover Ivan’s fascinating story of being the first gaijin (foreigner) have a ramen shop in Tokyo
- An interesting and amusing insight into the cult of ramen and Japanese culture
Buy Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes >>
Takashi’s Noodles – Takashi Yagihashi with Harris Salat
Takashi’s Noodles contains 28 pages of delightful ramen recipes, classic side dishes and a whole lot more. Noodle-lovers will be in their element as the book explores Japanese noodle nuances and each style’s distinct regional identity.
Takashi Yagihashi has brought together 75 mouth-watering Japanese noodle recipes from traditional to French-influenced to Japanese-style Italian pasta dishes.
- Discover how to make ramen and more from a native-born Japanese
- Includes recipes for ramen, tanmen (like ramen with more vegetables), tsukemen (dipping ramen), chicken ramen stock, and shio (salt) and shoyu (soy) sauce base
- A Japanese noodle cookbook with an eclectic mix of authentic and fusion recipes
Buy Takashi’s Noodles Cookbook >>
Wagamama Feed Your Soul: Fresh and Simple Recipes from the Wagamama Kitchen – Steven Mangleshot
Wagamama Feed Your Soul contains delicious ramen noodle recipes and a whole lot more, including gyoza and other dishes you’d find in a ramen restaurant. Based on the methods you’ll find at their famous restaurants, it’s packed with delicious Japanese and Asian courses.
Wagamama Feed Your Soul is the latest in a series of highly-rated cookbooks by Wagamama.
- Easy-to-follow instructions with stunning photography
- Includes eight ramen recipes; basic, chicken, kimchi shrimp, miso cod, mushroom, shirodashi (white dashi stock), short rib tantanmen (Chinese dan dan noodles) beef brisket, and four gyoza recipes
- A perfect book for showing you how to make ramen, and classic Japanese and Asian food
Buy Wagamama Feed Your Soul >>
The Noodle Soup Oracle: Hundreds of Possibilities for the World’s Favorite Comfort Food
The Noodle Soup Oracle isn’t your traditional cookbook for making flavourful ramen and noodle soups. Start to finish, full recipe instructions are available; however, the book focuses on combining noodles, broths and toppings the way you like it.
Michele Hulme’s refreshing approach to creating delicious bowls of noodle soup is well-suited for innovative and freestyle chefs.
- Build your own bowls by mixing and matching different ingredients
- Includes noodles, broths, toppings and complete bowl recipes for noodle soups
- Design your own ramen and noodle soup dishes
101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles
101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles is packed with ideas for making instant ramen dishes. It’s the original instant ramen recipe book with recipes like Summer Garden Soup, Ramen Burgers, Chinese Veggie Noodles, Pork Chop Ramen and Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup.
Inspired by her student days, Toni Patrick’s collection of recipes is still popular today.
- 101 instant ramen soup, salad, beef, chicken, pork, seafood, vegetarian and family favourite recipes
- Ideal for people on a budget and instant ramen noodle lovers
- Spruce up your instant noodles with these quick and easy meals
Buy 101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles >>
Ramen Noodle Recipes: Appetisers, Salads, Noodle Bowls, Entrees and Desserts
Ramen Noodle Recipes brings fun and creativity to making instant ramen noodle dishes. Colour photos and simple recipes make it quick and easy to cook meals at home.
Go beyond noodle soup and stir-fries with an amusing and tasty take on instant noodles.
- Includes over 80 instant ramen recipes including, appetisers, side dishes, desserts and traditional bowls
- Easy-to-read and convenient spiral-bound instant ramen recipe book
- A fun approach to making instant ramen noodles which makes a perfect present
Ramen Fusion Cookbook: 40 Traditional Recipes and Modern Makeovers of the Classic Japanese Broth Soup – Nell Benton
Ramen Fusion Cookbook mixes classic Japanese ramen recipes with contemporary styles from around the world. From basic broths to chicken, dashi, pork and vegetarian, you’ll find plenty of bowls to suit all tastes.
Nell Benton’s ramen book has brought together an exquisite collection of traditional Japanese dishes and ones from around the world.
- Discover how to make ramen and accompanying dishes from scratch
- Includes 40 yummy ramen recipes from Japan and influences from Korea, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Mexico, and the United States
- Easy-to-understand instructions with full-colour photography
Vegan Ramen Cookbook: Noodles, Small Plates, Drinks – Wil Yeung
Vegan Ramen Cookbook: Noodles, Small Plates, Drinks is the cookbook ramen-loving vegan, and vegetarian fans have been looking for. With over 80 recipes, it’s full of irresistible plant-based recipes you’re going to love.
Wil Yeung has bridged the gap between traditional recipes and modern-day vegan food culture.
- Includes vegan ramen and noodle recipes, stocks and pastes, side dishes and healthy drinks
- Simple and clear instructions so you can make everything from scratch
- The world’s first and one and only vegan ramen cookbook
Time to sharpen your knives and get out your chopsticks with my recommendations for the best ramen cookbooks!
How about learning how to make Japan’s other most famous dish? Check out my recommendations for the best sushi cookbooks.
Ramen-loving travellers to Japan should check out my collection of ramen-making lessons in Tokyo, and my best Tokyo ramen tours. Allow a Tokyo ramen insider to guide you around the city to eat some of the world’s most exceptional ramen.
For more food and drink experiences in Japan, check out my recommended best food tours in Tokyo, the ‘Nation’s Kitchen’ Osaka and Japan’s old capital Kyoto.
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