If there was ever a time to dive headfirst into a steaming bowl of soup, it’s now.
Seriously—right now. I might not surface from the chili garlic broth for a while.
Hey! Why did the weekend fly by so quickly? Are you spotting Christmas lights everywhere yet? Have you heard the melancholic “Christmas Shoes” or the annoyingly catchy “Same Auld Lang Syne” and thought about running into an old high‑school flame at the grocery store? Probably not—you already know way too much about them from social media. Welcome to 2015 (and beyond).
This weekend felt both short and long and, honestly, wonderful. We just had what felt like the last plate of Thanksgiving leftovers last night, and I’m officially over stuffing. I’m craving something fresh and not holiday‑themed—which, for me, is a big deal.
Quick weather note: last week was ridiculously warm—near 70°F—so I grabbed an iced eggnog latte and had to blast the air conditioning. One downside of cold‑climate living is bundling up to go outside, then overheating indoors or in the car and driving with the windows down while still wearing a winter coat. It’s absurdly normal.
When I was in middle school I snacked on grocery‑store ramen packets—chicken, shrimp, or beef—often with the seasoning packet. My brothers refused to touch them; they lived on frozen chicken patties and ketchup‑dipped potato chips. Give me a break.
A little over a year ago I made my first homemade ramen using Stephanie’s recipe and was blown away by how delicious and easy it was. That inspired me to create my own take—still simple, but with a few extra touches.
To start, you’ll want pulled pork. This recipe is ideal for using leftover pulled pork from the slow cooker, oven, or stovetop—whatever method you used to get tender, flavorful pork is fine.
Here are the elements that make this bowl sing:
- Paper‑thin sliced scallions
- Thinly sliced cucumber for crunch
- Plenty of sesame seeds
- Toasted sesame oil for finishing
- Garlicky shiitake mushrooms
- Chili garlic paste for heat
- Nori sheets
- Generous portions of noodles
- A soft‑boiled egg to crown it all
This ramen is a comforting, flavor‑packed hug in a bowl. You can easily swap the pork for chicken or make a vegetarian version—use your favorite stock and add more mushrooms or tofu. The more color and texture, the better; don’t be shy with spice if you like heat.
It warms you from the inside out and gives you a satisfying alternative to holiday sweets for dinner.
Spicy Pulled Pork Ramen
4
appropriately, 2 obnoxiously
30 mins
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 ounces pulled pork shoulder (leftovers work great)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups low‑sodium chicken stock (or vegetable/beef stock)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 blocks dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets removed
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 (or 4) eggs, soft‑boiled or poached
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- If you need to cook pork specifically for this dish, consider an oven‑roasted or slow‑cooker method to make tender pulled pork.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the shiitake mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and juicy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring the stock to a simmer and stir in the soy sauce and hoisin. Prepare your eggs—soft boiling or poaching works well.
- Place the ramen blocks in two large bowls. Divide the pulled pork, scallions, and a few cucumber slices between the bowls. Pour the hot stock over the noodles and let sit for 2–3 minutes before stirring. Add the cooked mushrooms and more cucumber slices, then stir in chili garlic paste to taste (about 1 tablespoon per bowl for a spicy kick). Top with a soft‑boiled egg, nori sheets, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
Share your photos and tag #howsweeteats. I appreciate you so much!
I’m clearly floating on cloud ramen over here.