This pork ramen recipe is made in the crockpot and is an authentic-flavored Japanese dinner that takes just minutes to prepare. The slow-cooked pork melts in your mouth and the flavorful broth is infused with the perfect blend of spices and seasonings.
This recipe is the ultimate comfort food, and the best part is that it practically cooks itself! Whether you’re busy with work or just want to relax while dinner is cooking, this recipe is perfect for you. So get your crockpot ready and prepare to be wowed by the deliciousness that awaits you in this bowl of Pork Ramen!
This is the easiest crockpot crispy pork ramen recipe around and is one of my most popular recipes. It really is so good! Even most picky kids will eat this recipe.
Need more family-pleasing recipes? You can’t go wrong with this one-pot chicken pot pie with biscuits or this sweet and flavorful teriyaki glazed chicken. For dessert? Peanut butter Oreo cheesecake is a win every time.
What is Ramen?
Ramen is a Japanese dish that typically consists of Chinese-style noodles served in a meat or fish-based broth. The soup is often flavored with soy sauce, miso, or salt, and topped with ingredients such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, green onions, and eggs. This recipe also used chili paste and red curry paste for an extra kick of authentic asian flavor.
This popular dish actually originated in China but was brought to Japan in the 19th century. That’s when it truly evolved into the popular noodle soup we know today. Ramen can be casual or served in an upscale dining setting. It’s an incredibly versatile dish, but one thing is true: Eating Ramen makes everyone feel warm and cozy from the inside out.
What Can I Serve With Ramen?
Pork ramen is usually served as a complete meal in itself, but you can add some side dishes if you’d like. Here are some that go particularly well:
- Japanese dumplings
- Edamame (steamed soybeans) with salt
- Tempura vegetables
- A simple salad
- Japanese fried chicken
- Seaweed salad
- Kimchi
Crockpot Pork Ramen Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds pork shoulder roast or butt
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth plus more if needed
- 1/4-1/2 cup + 2-4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2-4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste
- The juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups mushrooms (optional and you can decide which type of mushroom you want), sliced
- 3- 4 packs Ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- Serve with boiled egg, green onions, julienned carrots, cilantro, and whatever else you desire
How To Make
STEP ONE: Prep the pork roast. Add the pork to your slow cooker. Add in the chicken broth, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, fish sauce, Thai red curry paste, ginger, sambal oelek, lime juice, Chinese five-spice powder, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
STEP TWO: Cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove the pork and place it on a cutting board or large plate. Add the mushrooms to the slow cooker. Cover and turn to high. Shred the pork using 2 forks.
STEP THREE: Caramelize the pork. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sesame oil. Once hot, add enough pork to cover just the surface of your skillet. Don’t overcrowd the skillet! Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the pork, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and mix well. Allow the pork to caramelize for about 2 minutes without stirring. Stir and allow the pork to continue to caramelize, about 3-5 minutes total. Remove the pork from the skillet, and repeat with the remaining pork. Be patient with the process as you get so much flavor from caramelizing the pork slowly.
STEP FOUR: Add the ramen noodles. Add the Ramen noodles to the slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes. Once the noodles are cooked, stir in half of the pork.
STEP FIVE: Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with extra caramelized pork and your favorite toppings such as boiled eggs. Learn how to boil eggs in microwave.
Tips and Recipe Notes
- Be patient when you’re caramelizing the meat. This is where the ‘crispiness’ happens. It takes a bit of time but I promise! The outcome is worth the few extra minutes.
- Ramen noodles are fairly hearty, but you don’t want to overcook them. Make sure you turn off your crockpot and serve without letting them get too soft.
- Don’t skip the presentation. One of the wonderful things about eating Ramen is how beautiful it looks, so take the time to garnish your bowl.
What else can I do with this crispy pork?
If you have any pork leftover and that’s a big if…..you can make pork tacos the next night for dinner. This crispy pork is so delicious, you might even want to double it to make two meals at once, saving you time and money. Here are some other great dinner ideas that use leftover crispy pork:
- Pork fried rice
- Pulled pork sandwiches
- Pork stir fry
- Pork fried noodles
How to Store Leftover Ramen
To store pork ramen, transfer the leftover noodles into one container and the broth and toppings into a separate airtight container. Place the pork in a third container. Refrigerate for up to three days. It is best to keep the noodles, pork, and broth separate to prevent the noodles from getting soggy and to maintain the texture of the pork.
Can I freeze pork ramen?
Yes, you can freeze pork ramen for later use. Transfer the cooled noodles and broth into a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Place the pork in a separate container or bag and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw the ramen in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it in a pot or microwave until steaming and hot through.
Can I make this Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can make this recipe gluten-free. You just need to replace the Ramen noodles with a gluten-free version, and check to make sure there’s no gluten in your soy sauce. This recipe is dairy-free as it is.
If you need a meatless version, you can omit the pork and add extra vegetables like bok choy or bean sprouts.
FAQs
The best pork for this recipe is pork shoulder because of its fat content. The fat helps keep the meat juicy and tender as it cooks and helps give you that crispy, caramelized flavor you’re looking for.
There are lots of good options but my favorites are soft boiled eggs, green onions, thinly sliced carrots, and lime. You can also add bean sprouts, corn kernels, sesame seeds, chili oil, and miso paste.
Pork Ramen uses pork broth or chicken broth as its base, but tonkotsu Ramen uses a deeply rich, freshly made pork broth made from boiling and seasoning pork bones from scratch.
More Pork Recipes
Pork Ramen Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce + 2-4 tablespoons
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar + 2-4 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce optional
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar + 1 tablespoon
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 4 packs Ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- boiled eggs, green onions, julienned carrots, cilantro optional
Instructions
- Prep the pork roast. Add the pork to your slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, fish sauce, Thai red curry paste, ginger, sambal oelek, lime juice, Chinese five-spice powder, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
- Cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and then add the mushrooms to the slow cooker. Cover and turn to high. Shred the pork using 2 forks.
- Caramelize the pork. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil. Once hot, add enough pork to cover just the surface of your skillet, do not overcrowd the skillet. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the pork, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and mix well. Allow the pork to caramelize for about 2 minutes. Stir and allow the pork to continue to caramelize, about 3-5 minutes total. Remove the pork from the skillet, and repeat with the remaining pork. Be patient with the process, you get so much flavor from caramelizing the pork slowly.
- Add the ramen noodles. Add the Ramen noodles to the slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes. Once the noodles are cooked, stir in half of the pork.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with extra caramelized pork and your favorite toppings such as boiled eggs
Notes
- Be patient when you’re caramelizing the meat. This is where the ‘crispiness’ happens. It takes a bit of time but I promise! The outcome is worth the few extra minutes.
- Ramen noodles are fairly hearty, but you don’t want to overcook them. Make sure you turn off your crockpot and serve without letting them get too soft.
- Don’t skip the presentation. One of the wonderful things about eating Ramen is how beautiful it looks, so take the time to garnish your bowl.
Nutrition
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