Keto Pork Ramen W/ Zoodles
Throw your microwave ramen packages away! You can make healthy, keto ramen with FAR less sodium than what you’ll find on the labels in the grocery store. Instead of ramen noodles, we’ll be using zucchini noodles. This recipe lets you add your favorite ramen garnishes, such as hard-boiled eggs, roasted seaweed, chopped green onion, chili sauce, or enoki mushrooms, to name a few. Who knew you could have the complexities of traditional ramen broth in about 1 hour? You!
How to Make It
Step 1
Start by grating your fresh ginger, mincing the garlic cloves, and chopping the green onion. Have this set aside for a little later.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot on low heat. Place a single, whole cut of pork loin fat-side down in the hot oil. After about 30 seconds of cooking, press the pork down into its fat so the fat seals to the meat and releases additional juices.
Step 3
Place a lid over the pot, turn the heat up to a medium, and let the fatty side of the pork cook until it naturally releases from your pot – about 5-7 minutes. Then, remove the lid, and rotate the pork loin so all sides can cook and brown slightly.
Step 4
Once all sides of the pork loin are lightly browned, toss in the ginger, garlic, and green onion. Toss in the dried shitake mushrooms as well. Turn the heat back down to low, and let these aromatics cook in the oil for about 60 seconds.
Step 5
Next, pour in the soy sauce and ONLY 2 cups of the water. Stir the ingredients together, return the lid to the pot, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Step 6
Cook the pot on a low heat for a minimum 30 minutes. Let the pork and aromatics develop the flavor of your ramen broth. Occasionally rotate the pork loin so all sides are continuing to cook evenly in the broth. You may cook past the 30 minute mark – the longer you cook, the more flavor will develop.The liquid will reduce slightly and have a foggy brown hue, almost like the color of a roux.
Step 7
After cooking the base of your broth, remove the pork loin from the pot. Allow the pork loin to rest on a clean surface for a few minutes. After resting, slice the pork into 6 long slices.
Step 8
While the pork is resting, pour the remainder of the water (6 cups) into the pot. Return the lid once more, and bring the broth to a boil. After boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and taste your broth. At this point, you may choose to add additional soy sauce for a richer flavor, or you can add another seasoning you see fitting. When you are happy with the flavor, turn off the heat.
Step 9
Spiralize your zucchini noodles. You do not need to cook your zoodles, as the hot broth will do that for you in the final step.
Step 10
For each bowl of ramen, place 2 ½ ounces of zucchini noodles in the base of a deep bowl. Pour 1 cup of ramen broth over the zoodles. Place 1 slice of pork on top of the ramen. The remainder of your ramen garnishes are up to your personal tastes and macros. This bowl of ramen was topped with half a hard-boiled egg, a sheet of nori (roasted seaweed), and sesame seeds!
Ingredients
- Ginger
1 teaspoon
- Garlic
2 clove
- Green Onions
¼ cup
- Olive Oil
1 tablespoon
- Pork Roast, Center Loin, Fresh, Visible Fat Eaten
12 ounce
- Shiitake Mushrooms Dried
½ ounce
- Soy Sauce
1-½ tablespoon
- Water
8 cup
- Zucchini
1 pound