Spicy coconut curry ramen with crispy shiitakes. Imagine an ultra creamy, slightly spicy broth simmered with quick-cooking ramen noodles plus all the ingredients you love in Thai food for a huge flavor punch. Ready in 20 minutes, super hearty, made in one pot and pretty versatile too. Out of chives? No worries, grab some scallions or cilantro! Not a fan of shiitakes? Swap them out for sautéed eggplant. Want a fully loaded ramen? Broccoli or rotisserie chicken are happy to help. The options are endless, and this dish is here to satisfy your every craving!
Why This Coconut Curry Ramen Recipe Works
This ramen comes together pretty fast, making it the perfect weeknight meal that everyone at your table will love. This coconut ramen is gently spiced, creamy and very satisfying.
For a huge, flavorful punch, we combine coconut milk with soy sauce, fish sauce and red curry paste. The result is a rich, spicy, tangy Asian-style dish. And did I mention that we use quick-cooking instant ramen noodles and that this ramen comes together in just one pot? Super easy, and as minimal clean-up as minimal can be.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
Helpful Tips
This coconut curry ramen is super versatile, so make it your own!
- Swap shiitakes for eggplant, tofu or ground meat like chicken or pork.
- Add some veggies to the broth, like spinach, bok choy, edamame, broccoli rabe, sugar snaps or baby corn.
- Stir in some seared shrimp or leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Instead of sambal oelek use your favorite chili paste, gochujang would work great here too.
- Use rice noodles for a gluten free version.
- If you can’t find mild red curry paste, use less and add curry powder.
- Use full-fat canned coconut milk to add a rich, thick creaminess to the soup.
- Don’t forget the lime, it will add some acidity to balance out the sweet and spicy flavors.
- Make Ahead: If not serving immediately, cook the noodles separately or add while reheating the broth.
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Spicy Coconut Curry Ramen
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil divided
- 3.3 ounces shiitakes torn
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sambal or other chili paste, more or less to taste (optional)
- 2 tbsp mild red curry paste
- 1 can (14 oz/400 g) unsweetened coconut milk full fat
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 9 ounces instant ramen noodles
- chili oil for serving
- sesame seeds for serving
- chopped chives for serving
- 4 boiled eggs cooked for 7 minutes
Instructions
- Get the prep done before you start cooking: grate the garlic and ginger. Tear the shiitakes into small pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large pot over medium. Add shiitakes, and cook until they start to brown. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sesame oil, season with salt and pepper, cook until crispy. Remove from pot.
- Reduce the heat to low. Again, add 1 tbsp sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with chicken broth, stir with a wooden spoon while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of your pot. Bring to a boil.
- Add turmeric, brown sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir in red curry paste and sambal. Add coconut milk and squeeze in lime juice. When the broth starts to boil, add ramen noodles and cook for 2 minutes ( If not serving right away, cook the ramen noodles separately otherwise they'll soak up the broth).
- Serve immediately finished off with shiitakes, sesame seeds, chives and chili oil. Top with eggs, enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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I’ve only made two of your recipes so far but I’m blown away by the complexity of flavor you manage to create from such simple recipes. This was a instant hit with my family- will be making again!
I’m so happy to hear that Josefine! You’re welcome!
Really enjoyed the flavours! Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
Hi Shirin, I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!
Very fond of this dish
It reminded me of some of the more United States-leaning dishes I’ve had at Ramen stands-style restaurants like Zen Ramen and Tokyo Ya in the lower Puget Sound area.
Yay! That’s so nice to hear!
This was delicious! I’m not the cook I our family, so I had no idea if it was going well or not. I was so surprised at the end when it was great!
The flavors were exceptional and this is now a dish we will have a lot. Thanks!
So happy you love it Camille!
Everything was delicious about this recipe. I used Gochujang because I had it on hand. 1 tbsp was plenty of spice for us.
Thanks for making Kim!
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors for a weeknight meal or to serve to guests.
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Hi, you can store it for up to 4 days in the fridge. Just make sure to keep the noodles separately. Enjoy the recipe!
love amazing!
Just SPECTACULAR! I subbed out sriracha for the sambal, and sautéed firm tofu into crispy cubes to add to the mixture. Finally, I sautéed baby bok choy together with sesame seeds over sesame oil, serving on the side to provide the final dish (what I felt was a needed) al dente crunch.
That’s so wonderful to hear Comelón, thank you for your comment!
Made this tonight and am confused why my broth turned completely red but yours looks so light and creamy 🙁
Hi, it’s probably the red curry paste, each paste varies in color. Yours has probably a vibrant red color and may contain more tomato paste to give it a richer aroma and taste. I hope you enjoyed it though!
Simple and delicious. Definite repeat.
Thank you! It makes me so happy to hear that!
Hi, do you use the canned coconut milk? Looks delicious!
Yes, full fat canned coconut milk. Enjoy the recipe!
Hi! What would you recommend to sub for the fish sauce if I want to make this vegan? Looks so good!
Hi, you can use extra soy sauce. Enjoy the recipe!
This broth was incredible! Thank you for posting this recipe and making me look like a rockstar.
Thanks Luz! You’re welcome!
Perfect amount of spice and richness. The egg is a must! Will definitely put this in a regular rotation. Thanks!
You’re welcome PJ! So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been on a ramen kick lately…but this one is the champion of all. My husband and I devoured it. I already cannot wait to make it again. Holy smokes, so good.
Yay!! So happy to hear it, Alexandra! Thank you.
This was delicious! I used yellow curry paste instead because I like the flavor better than red curry paste, and gochugang instead of Sambal because I had it from another recipe and added spinach per one of the recommendations you made, but other than that followed the recipe to a t and my husband and I absolutely loved it. This was so full of flavor and super easy to make. Excellent weeknight meal packed with flavor and we love a vegetarian meal (minus the chicken broth lol) to mix things up. Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Hi Sarah, thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! It’s really nice to hear it was a hit:)
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I did use crinkly ramen noodles that only came in a 10oz package so it was not very brothy. But it was so good! Thank you for an easy recipe to introduce these flavors to the family!
Thank you so much! That’s really nice to hear this recipe was a hit!
We made this ramen and holy crap was it delicious! We made a few tweaks – added bok choy and water chestnuts, used yellow curry paste, swapped out gochujang for the sambal. We added a soft boiled egg, lime wedge, cilantro and sriracha on top. We LOVED this recipe and will be making it frequently!
Sounds delicious! So happy you liked it Kate!
Absolutely delicious, such a good recipe that I’m saving for many future uses! My husband loved it. Just out of curiosity, would coconut cream work in place of coconut milk if you didn’t mind a bit of extra sweetness?
Hi Maria, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! And yes, you can substitute coconut cream for coconut milk in recipes, it will result in a richer and creamier texture. Happy cooking!
Absolutely delish. Super easy. Customizable for picky eaters. I used a panang curry paste because it’s what’s I had. Both my teens loved it.
Thanks Lisa, so glad you all enjoyed it!
I decided to make this on a rainy day. I added my own teriyaki chicken breast to this recipe and used oyster sauce since I was out of fish sauce. Really delicious and easy to make. Would highly recommend!
Thanks so much for giving my recipe a try! Glad you enjoyed it Michelle!
This is a wonderful recipe that seems endlessly adaptable! Didn’t find good fresh shitake mushrooms so used dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated with boiling water. Also added some small dice japanese eggplant to the pot for a little more substance. I did use half the curry paste because Mae Ploy brand packs a bit of heat. This is a delicious curry that we will definitely make again!
Aww thank you so much, Cheryl!
This was AMAZING! I followed the recipe “As is” and it was perfect. My husband and I will be putting this recipe into our rotation. Sent it along to my sister as well…love to share great recipes! Thank you!
You’re welcome Sara! I’m so happy to hear you both enjoyed it!
This is on repeat at our house! I have added kale to the broth and really loved it. I’ve also added leftover pulled pork (instead of mushrooms) and my husband looooved it!
Yay! It makes me so happy to hear that Anna x
Tasty! Added chives and extra spice and wow!
Thanks so much TD!
Loved this recipe! I am obsessed with curry, but hungry for soup and this recipe hit the spot! I doubled the recipe and am so glad to have some leftover. Thank you for sharing this gem!!
Thanks so much Andi! You’re welcome!
This recipe is absolutely delicious! My family loved it and asked that it be put into the dinner rotation. High praise!
I’m so happy to hear that Angela! Thank you!
This was ridiculously good!!! I made several adaptations as my husband is on the ketogenic diet and it totally worked with the changes ! We.usrd shirotaki noodles, added mussels, bok choy, and used almond milk instead, and left out the sugar! It was AMAZING. I also added a red chili paste from the Asian market ! This will be going on our rotation for sure ! Thank you !!!
Thank you Tracy! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it’s a hit! x
Just took this off the stove, made a few mods for my taste; but holy. crap. SO good! I copied another reviewer & used yellow curry paste (what I had & also I’m a heat wimp), only 1 Tbsp of sambal, & added the cream from a 2nd can of coconut milk, to make the texture a bit creamier & mitigate the spice (added a little more lime juice to keep the sour profile). I have BBQ ribs in the oven & I’ll add the leftovers of those to the leftovers of this, to emphasize the sweetness; & I skipped the chili oil b/c I don’t have it & also heat :). Seriously, this is amazing! Next time I’ll use a full pound of mushrooms, b/c I love them so much; but honestly this is perfection even without those additions. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome JJ! It makes me so happy to hear that! … adding leftover ribs sounds heavenly!!
This recipe looks AMAZING! Right up our flavour profiles. Will be making this ASAP. Curious how this would freeze, and at what stage? I would love to prep the broth and freeze so my teens could make quick healthy ramen after school.
Hi Candice! So glad you like it! You can freeze the broth in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Happy cooking!
Loved it!!!!
Thanks Danielle!
This has become a go-to favorite in my house. Cheers go up from my kids when they find out their favorite ramen is for dinner. Love it!
It makes me so happy to hear that!
This quick noodle dish came together very easily. Even my hard to please chef husband went back for seconds! It had great flavor and was definitely satisfying. The mushrooms were a perfect touch and I honestly should of added more. I did also add in shrimp which pleased my meat loving husband. Definitely will make again!!!
Thanks Samantha! It makes me so happy to hear that!
I really enjoyed this recipe but something in the ingredients made the broth extremely salty for my liking. I added more water and broth but still was a little salty (even using low sodium ingredients) next time I would skip the fish and soy sauce since those probably were the contributing factors.
hi Karissa, thank you so much for your comment! Next time you could also use less chicken broth and add some water. Let me know how it turned out, when you try it!
I’ve never seen a Thai red curry paste that has tomato in it. It’s the red chili that makes it red. The more chili, proportionately, the more vibrant it will be.
I had the same situation: my sauce was reddish brown, not pale/tan like in the photo.
But I buy an authentic Thai curry paste from the Asian market and not an Americanized version from the grocery store. The recipe calls for “mild” curry paste and I doubt mine is (especially since mine ended up being VERY spicy!). I will probably cut that in half, next time.
Francesca probably has a more spicy, authentic version too, which is why it is more red.
I’m curious what brand was used for the mild curry paste so one could replicate this, if desired.
Hi Kristi, I used a Thai red curry paste from my local grocery shop, it’s their home brand and it’s not an authentic curry paste. I hope this helps!
Hi there, I just wanted to point out that in the Asian cuisine only a limited amount of shiitake are used due to metabolic reasons. And sesame oil should not be fried, only used to flavor a meal at the end of cooking.
I am looking forward to cook your recipe with these adjustments 😜
Thank you for your comment! Let me know how it turned out for you!
Very delicious! SUPER spicy! Be sure to taste test your red curry and chili paste BEFORE adding it into the broth. All brands carry a different heat. After tasting then add how much heat you think you can handle. Worked for me and it came out perfect! I added shrimp and wish I added spinach. I also wish I cooked the noodles separately bc I had a lot of leftovers. I also used udon noodles! Definitely going to make this meal again. I would also consider using sweetened coconut milk, depending on the heat level of the red curry paste it could be a really nice balance. Thanks for posting!
Very delicious! SUPER spicy! Be sure to taste test your red curry and chili paste BEFORE adding it into the broth. All brands carry a different heat. After tasting then add how much heat you think you can handle. Worked for me and it came out perfect! I added shrimp and wish I added spinach. I also wish I cooked the noodles separately bc I had a lot of leftovers. I also used udon noodles! Definitely going to make this meal again. I would also consider using sweetened coconut milk, depending on the heat level of the red curry paste it could be a really nice balance. Thanks for posting!
Hi Jade, thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this today and it was very easy, quick, and delicious! I added bok choy (cooked separately and added at the end) and chopped jalapeños. This addition took this recipe over the top. Thank you😀.
It makes me so happy to hear that Michelle!
I think it is a beautiful dish. Unfortunately the noodles soaked up the broth and even adding extra chicken broth didn’t make it creamier. Really I love the taste. So five for the maker, 2 for me. I just need to soak the noodles either a different way or serve it faster. How about adding some chicken? If this fails next time, I’ll just add rice.
Hi Holly, you can add cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to the broth. Boiling noodles separately will help to prevent them from soaking up the broth if you’re not planning on serving it immediately. Let me know how it turned out if you try it next time.
This recipe was delicious! I used coconut cream instead of milk and baby portabello mushrooms because that’s what I had on hand. It still turned out great! I only used one tbsp of chili sauce and it was still pretty spicy but I used a little more ginger than the recipe called for because I often just estimate measurements.
Thank you Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m vegetarian when I’m with my mom and sisters, and this was absolutely delicious.
I should’ve made the noodles on the side because they soaked up the broth but still an amazing meal.
It makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
This dish is so flavorful! Will definitely make it again. I used noodles made from lentil flour to really pump up the amount of protein, and decrease the sodium level.
Thanks Ann! It makes me so happy to hear that!
This is insanely easy to make and the taste is incredible. I love ramen and have not found an at home recipe that tastes great and doesn’t take hours to cook, but I feel like I won the jackpot with this. I left out the chili paste and the spice was perfect. I also added a rotisserie from my local grocer and it was perfect. This will be a staple in my house.
So glad you enjoyed it Kristin! Thanks for making!
I was feeling like a the weather outside was calling for some hot soup and when I saw this recipe I had to try it. I had almost all of the ingredients except the chili past so I think it came out true to the recipe. I added cubed chicken breast and cooked it in the coconut milk separately. I also cracked a couple of eggs directly into the soup towards the end of the cooking time. It worked great and a lot less work. It is delicious. I am eating right now as I type. It turned out pretty spicy but I don’t mind that. It is definitely going to warm me up!
Thank you Becky! It makes me so happy to hear that!
Love this recipe, I let it reduce to a sauce to coat the noodles, it was absolute heaven, but the soupy version is great too!
Yay! It makes me so happy to hear that Laura!
I love this recipe. made it twice, so delicious. I’m out of red curry paste, do you think I could use some curry powder?
Hi there! Yes, you can use curry powder as a substitute, but it will change the flavor profile. Consider adding extra flavor enhancers like tomato paste and chili flakes. Happy cooking!
This was excellent!! My family enjoyed it very much!
So thrilled to hear that Kelsey! Thanks for making!
I’m sorry but this was not very nice. The first time I have cooked Ramen and I was surprised by the amount of Thai ingredients? ( to which I cook regularly) and that was the disappointment,Ramen is Japanese? So to have so much strong Thai flavours did not mix
Delicious and so easy to make. As Anna suggests with all her recipes, get prep done before you start cooking. I added 3/4 lb of Scottish salmon that I pan sauted for a few minutes on each side and broke into small pieces just before serving. This going into my regular dinner rotation.
Ooh amazing! Thanks for the idea and your comment Leslie!
I’ve never made a soup/ramen like this before. I couldn’t not stop dancing bc it was so good. I was so proud of myself. I do not make anything w curry paste in it bc it’s not something I enjoy. But this omg it will be a staple in our kitchen now. Thank you
Yayyy! You’re welcome Krista! It makes me so happy to hear this recipe was a hit!
I’ve had this recipe saved for years and finally made it. I had to come back and say how amazing it is!!! And really fun to make!!
It makes me so happy to hear that, Lis! It’s one of my favorites too. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I had to substitute a couple of items I didn’t have. Yellow curry paste for red. Rice noodles for ramen. It turned out delicious. I also added some leftover chicken. It was super simple to make and what a hit. Will be making this again. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m thrilled to hear that the recipe turned out delicious, even with the creative substitutions.
My husband just said this was the best meal I’ve ever made!
The save is so savory. Low sodium broth probably best to not overload saltiness.
So many ways to add to this. I will keep this in the weekly rotation. Thank you!!
Thank you Ana! It makes me so happy to hear you both enjoyed this recipe!