You Need To Try This Vegan Ramen

One of our favorite fall time dishes here at The Greenverse is soup. Sounds boring but hear me out: there are all kinds of soup that will warm your soul this autumnal season, however, the soup that reigns supreme in our objective opinion is ramen! Ramen is a great year-round food, but nothing tastes better than a huge bowl of piping hot noodles during the fall.

But ramen is classically a very non-vegan indulgence. So, we went on a mission to find the best vegan ramen, so you can be sustainable and still eat your ramen all autumn long.

The keys to a good vegan ramen are simple: a rich broth, a high quality noodle, and a diverse array of toppings.

Enter Jinya. A ramen bar in Los Angeles, CA that we think has created the most exceptional bowl of vegan ramen. And here’s why.

For me, ramen noodles must be thick. I am a think-noodle kind of vegan-ramen-enjoyer, and with good reason. Thin, curly noodles, while good in their own regard, cannot absorb the flavor of broth as well as a thick noodle can. I knew that my perfect bowl would be thicc noods only.

Next, I wanted a rich broth. Many vegan ramen attempts skimp on the broth, making a half-assed soy milk based broth with very little other flavor. Or, they add every flavor except spice (my ideal ramen must have spice!) I wanted a veggie bowl that has a rich, vegetable broth that was creamy like traditional tonkastu. Jinya covers all the bases AND amps up the spice and richness with chili and garlic oil.

Finally: the toppings. Here’s why Jinya blows every other ramen shop out of the park. Jinya keeps it simple and flavorful. One of my pet peeves is adding things like kale, broccoli, or other highly untraditional vegetables to a ramen bowl. I want richness and flavor with the aura of ease and simplicity. Jinya gives us the essentials: green onion, spinach, onion. That’s it for veg, and honestly, it enhances without detracting from the noodles. They also add rich tofu, a vegan ramen must in my opinion. Tofu absorbs the flavor of the broth and becomes so soft and delicious in the bowl. How could yu not have tofu?! But to top it all off, Jinya finishes the bowl with crispy onions and garlic chips. Good ramen shows a diversity in textures, and these flavor bombs are the perfect accompany for the otherwise soft, luxurious bowl.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re in the LA area, give Jinya a go for the best bowl of vegan ramen you’ll ever have!

FOOD