Ramen Toppings: Egg, Chashu, Menma and More
The classic ramen toppings are marinated egg (ajitama), braised pork belly (chashu), bamboo shoots (menma), nori, scallions (negi), corn with butter, bean sprouts and the fish cake slice narutomaki. Three to five of them per bowl are enough, and you can prepare almost all of them a day ahead.
Which toppings go with which broth?
Every type of ramen has its own basic set. The table shows what is usual in Japan. You can mix, as long as the toppings don't cover the broth.
| Ramen | Typical toppings |
|---|---|
| Shoyu (soy sauce) | chashu, menma, nori, negi, narutomaki, ajitama |
| Shio (salt) | chicken chashu, negi, menma, yuzu peel, spinach |
| Miso | corn, butter, stir-fried bean sprouts, ground meat, chashu |
| Tonkotsu (pork bone) | chashu, kikurage mushrooms, negi, pickled ginger, sesame, garlic |
The seasoning base also decides which toppings fit. The guide Ramen Tare explains how tare, broth and oil work together.
The classics one by one
Ajitama (marinated egg)
Ajitsuke tamago, ajitama for short, is a soft-boiled egg with a firm white and a creamy yolk that turns amber in soy sauce and mirin. Cook eggs straight from the fridge for 6 1/2 to 7 minutes in rapidly boiling water, shock them in ice water and peel them. Then they sit for at least 4 hours, better overnight, in a marinade of equal parts soy sauce and mirin with twice as much water. The full recipe is under Ajitsuke Tamago. The Korean variant Mayak Gyeran adds chili and scallions.
Chashu
For Chashu, you roll pork belly, tie it and braise it for two to three hours in soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Once cooled, it slices thinly. Before serving, you warm the slices in hot broth or sear them briefly in a pan. You can reuse the braising liquid for the eggs.
Menma
Menma are fermented, dried bamboo shoots that you soak and braise in soy sauce, sesame oil and a little sugar. Ready-seasoned, you can buy them in jars at an Asian grocery store. You can season ordinary canned bamboo shoots the same way. They stay crunchier but taste milder.
Nori
Tuck one to three sheets, about 5 x 10 cm each, into the broth at the edge of the bowl. They soften quickly, so you add them right before serving. Kinds and storage are explained on the page Nori.
Negi
Cut scallions or thin leeks into fine rings or long strips and put them in cold water for five minutes. This takes away the sharpness and makes them crisp. One scallion per bowl is enough. For tonkotsu, cut white leek into paper-thin, long threads, which the Japanese call shiraga negi.
Corn and butter
The topping from Sapporo belongs with miso ramen: 2 to 3 tbsp canned corn, drained and briefly seared in a pan, and a cube of cold butter, about 10 g, that melts in the broth. With Miso Butter it gets even more savory.
Bean sprouts
Blanch moyashi for 30 seconds or stir-fry them in a wok with a little garlic. 50 g per bowl is enough. Raw, they taste grassy and cool down the broth.
Narutomaki
The white fish cake roll with a pink spiral comes from the kamaboko family. Buy it frozen at an Asian grocery store, cut it into 3 mm slices and lay two on the broth. It mostly adds looks, and its flavor is mild and slightly sweet.
Seasoned oils and small extras
- Chili oil: one teaspoon of Rayu or Chili Crisp over the broth at the end.
- Garlic: freshly pressed for tonkotsu, or as black garlic oil.
- Beni shoga: red pickled ginger, typical with tonkotsu.
- Sesame: toasted, as seeds or freshly ground.
- Kikurage: wood ear mushrooms, soaked and cut into strips.
- Greens: blanched spinach or bok choy for shio and shoyu.
For a vegetarian bowl, replace chashu with tofu that you slice, marinate in soy sauce and mirin and fry crisp in a pan. Seared shiitake, grilled pieces of corn on the cob and roasted pumpkin wedges bring the roasted flavors that meat otherwise supplies. Ajitama stays allowed as long as your guests eat eggs. For jarred menma and for narutomaki, check the ingredient list, because both often contain fish extract.
Preparing and plating
- The day before: braise the chashu, cook and marinate the eggs, season the menma. Put everything covered in the fridge.
- One hour before: take the eggs out of the marinade so they come to room temperature.
- Just before: slice and soak the negi, roast the corn, blanch the sprouts, sear the chashu slices.
- Plating: put tare in the warmed bowl, pour hot broth over it, add the noodles and arrange them with chopsticks. Then fan the toppings over the noodles, the egg halved and cut side up, and the nori last.
For complete bowls with all the toppings, you can start with Tonkotsu Ramen, Miso Ramen with Chashu or the vegan ramen with shiitake and kombu broth.
Common mistakes
- Cold toppings: Eggs and chashu straight from the fridge noticeably cool the broth. Warm them up or take them out earlier.
- Too many toppings: More than five kinds hide the noodles and push the broth into the background.
- Egg in the marinade too long: After two to three days the yolk turns firm and salty.
- Nori too early: It falls apart into dark shreds in the broth.
Ramen toppings or dressing up instant noodles?
The toppings on this page belong with freshly cooked ramen in your own broth. For the quick packet, an egg, a scallion and a spoonful of chili oil are enough. More ideas for five minutes of effort are collected in the guide Upgrading Instant Noodles.
Allergens: Ajitama and chashu contain soy and gluten from the soy sauce, narutomaki contains fish, and seasoned oils often contain sesame. For guests with intolerances, serve the toppings separately in small bowls.