Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe: How to Make Tonkotsu Ramen
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 20, 2024 • 4 min read
Tonkotsu ramen is a hearty pork-based soup that has become one of the most popular varieties of Japanese ramen. Learn how to make it at home, with a rich, long-simmering stock.
Learn From the Best
What Is Tonkotsu Ramen?
Tonkotsu ramen is a Japanese noodle soup made with a pork bone broth—ton means pork and kotsu means bone. When collagen-rich pig parts like pork trotters and neck bones are cooked in water over high heat, the collagen in the connective tissue transforms into gelatin, which gives bone broth its silky texture. Fat, marrow, and minerals also get released, yielding an opaque broth. Tonkatsu ramen originated in Hakata, in Fukuoka prefecture. The broth is traditionally served with thin, straight noodles, and a variety of toppings.
Tonkotsu vs. Tonkatsu: What’s the Difference?
These two names of pork dishes are separated by just one letter. Tonkotsu refers to ramen made with a pork bone broth. (An easy way to remember the difference is to think about the “o” in bone.) Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish of fried pork cutlet traditionally served with shredded cabbage salad, spicy mustard, and dipping sauce.
3 Main Types of Ramen
Ramen can be categorized by the type of tare, or seasoning, that flavors the soup base. The following ramen dishes are typically associated with chintan (clear) broths, rather than paitan (opaque) broths, but all three types of tare can be used to season tonkotsu ramen:
- 1. Miso ramen: Ramen seasoned with miso paste (fermented bean paste) has a nutty, umami-rich flavor and makes any soup base taste heartier.
- 2. Shio ramen: This is ramen primarily seasoned with shio (salt). It has a milder flavor that really lets the flavor of the broth shine through.
- 3. Shoyu ramen: This type of ramen is primarily seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), which adds saltiness but also a more complex, umami flavor to the broth.
8 Classic Ramen Toppings
A bowl of ramen is made complete with toppings. Some favorites include:
- 1. Chashu: Fatty pork belly or loin simmered in soy sauce and mirin (rice wine) until tender.
- 2. Green onions: Thinly slice green onions, also known as scallions.
- 3. Soft-boiled eggs: Hard boil eggs, marinate them in soy sauce, and sliced each one in half.
- 4. Bean sprouts: Blanch or stir-fry this crunchy vegetable before adding to the ramen broth.
- 5. Sesame seeds: For a nutty flavor, add sesame seeds or sesame oil.
- 6. Shiitake mushrooms: To achieve an umami flavor to ramen soup, add shiitake mushrooms. (Dried shiitakes can also be used as part of a dashi soup base.)
- 7. Bok choy: Quarter this leafy cabbage before adding it to the ramen broth.
- 8. Nori: Add thin sheets of dried seaweed to the ramen.
Classic Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe
makes
prep time
1 hrtotal time
16 hrcook time
7 hrIngredients
For the soup base:
To assemble:
- 1
Make the pork broth. Transfer the trotters to a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and drain in a colander, discarding the liquid.
- 2
Using chopsticks, clean the bones under cold running water to remove any red or brown blood or organ pieces.
- 3
Transfer the cleaned bones to a clean stock pot.
- 4
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, toast the green onions, yellow onion, and ginger, turning occasionally, until the aromatics are charred in places.
- 5
Add charred aromatics to the stock pot with the cleaned bones and cover with cold water.
- 6
Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that floats to the surface. Continue to boil and skim for 20 minutes, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
- 7
Continue simmering, adding enough water as needed to keep bones and aromatics covered, until broth is opaque, about 6 hours.
- 8
Uncover and bring to a boil. Let broth reduce to desired thickness.
- 9
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and refrigerate overnight.
- 10
When cool, bone broth should be very thick and gelatinous, and there should be a layer of fat on top of the broth.
- 11
In a stock pot, bring pork bone broth and pork fat to a simmer over medium heat.
- 12
Season to taste with salt and soy sauce.
- 13
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- 14
Cook ramen noodles in boiling water according to package directions.
- 15
Divide the ramen noodles between two bowls and ladle the pork broth over the noodles.
- 16
Top each bowl with two slices of chashu pork, enoki mushrooms, and menma.
- 17
Tuck a nori sheet in between the side of the bowl and an egg half.
- 18
Sprinkle the bowls with green onions and sesame seeds, and drizzle with mayu and/or chili oil, as desired.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Niki Nakayama, Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.