Spicy Vegetarian Ramen Carbonara

You can't go wrong with a bowl of spicy vegetarian ramen carbonara ready in 30 minutes or less. Top the bowl with crispy shallots, sweet corn, and scallions for a fantastic meal.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Shallots: Shallots provide a mild, sweet onion flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dish. They caramelize beautifully when sautéed, adding depth and richness to the sauce.
• Corn: Adds sweetness and texture to the dish. When sautéed until lightly charred, it contributes a pleasant crunch and a burst of flavor
• Chili oil: Chili oil introduces heat and spiciness to the ramen. It adds a rich, aromatic quality that balances well with the creaminess of the eggs.
• Black rice vinegar: Adds acidity and depth to the sauce, balancing the richness of the eggs and butter. If you can't find black rice vinegar, use regular rice vinegar instead.
• Broad chile paste: Contributes heat and umami, intensifying the flavor of the sauce. It brings a distinct spiciness that is characteristic of many Asian dishes, making it a key component in this recipe.
• Instant ramen noodles: Instant ramen noodles serve as the base for this dish, providing a quick and convenient solution. You can also use fresh ramen noodles.
• Eggs: Eggs are crucial for creating a creamy sauce that coats the noodles. When combined with hot noodles, they thicken into a rich carbonara-like consistency, creating the rich sauce.

Substitutions and variations

• Noodles: Replace instant ramen noodles with any other noodle of your choice including udon noodles, spaghetti, or flour noodles.
• Protein: You can add crumbled tofu, crispy bacon, roasted chicken, or shrimp for extra protein.
• Toppings: Feel free to add other vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms, sauteed spinach, or seared bok choy.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make toppings

When I know I'm going to make this spicy vegetarian ramen carbonara, I like to prepare the toppings the day before. That way, all I have to do is toss the noodles in the sauce on the day of. Makes life much easier.

Although you don't have to serve the noodles with the toppings, I highly recommend it. The crispy shallots, sweet corn, and fresh scallions complete the dish.

You can also buy crispy shallots but I prefer making them myself. All you have to do is thinly slice shallots and heat them with oil in a saute pan. Bring the oil to a simmer over medium-low heat and continue to slowly cook the shallots until golden brown. They won't look crispy yet but as they cool, they'll crisp up.

Make sure to lay the shallots on a paper towel to drain the excess oil; this step will also help them crisp up.

In the same pan, saute the corn until lightly charred. If corn isn't in season you can use frozen corn.

Step 2: Prepare sauce

Now that the toppings are done, let's make the sauce. You can also make the sauce the day before if you prefer.

Melt butter in a saute pan and saute garlic and scallions until softened. Use grated garlic, and not minced, to get maximum garlic flavor.

Add the remaining ingredients including soy sauce, chili oil, black rice vinegar, chile paste, sugar, and black pepper. Then bring it to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set it aside while you cook the ramen noodles.

Step 3: Putting it all together

If you ever made pasta carbonara, this next step should be familiar. We're going to drain the noodles, then add them back to the dry, warm pot along with the beaten eggs. Keep stirring the noodles with the eggs, allowing the heat from the noodles to cook the eggs.

Once the noodles look creamy, add the seasoning sauce and give it a final stir.

Portion the spicy vegetarian ramen carbonara into bowls and top it with crispy shallots, chopped scallions, and sweet corn.

This Asian-style carbonara dish hit the spot for me. It's comforting and bursting with umami with just a hint of spice. Next time I might even add crispy bacon bits for extra deliciousness!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the crispy shallots and charred corn ahead of time. The sauce can also be made in advance and reheated.
• Store: This dish is best eaten immediately, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking the noodles.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Spicy Vegetarian Ramen Carbonara

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Italian

Keyword: Asian noodles, vegetarian

Servings: 2

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oil
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• ½ cup corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves grated
• ¼ cup scallions chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili oil
• 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons broad chile paste
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 packs instant ramen noodles
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions for garnish

Instructions

• Combine oil and sliced shallots in a large saute pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and continue to cook until shallots turn golden brown. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels. Let cool completely.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from saute pan. Heat over medium heat and add corn. Saute until lightly charred, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add grated garlic and chopped scallions and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, chili oil, black rice vinegar, chile paste, sugar, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then turn off heat and let sit.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook ramen noodles until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain noodles.
• In the same pot, add back the noodles and eggs. Continue to stir noodles with eggs until creamy. Add seasoning sauce and stir to combine.
• Portion noodles into two bowls and top with corn, crispy shallots, and chopped scallions. Serve immediately.

Notes

The corn, crispy shallots, and sauce can all be prepared the day before.