Squid Ramen Recipe with Tender Seafood and Savory Broth

This squid ramen is a Japanese-inspired noodle soup with tender squid, springy ramen noodles, and a clear, savory broth flavored with kombu, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and soy. The squid cooks quickly in a hot pan, so it stays tender while the broth gets time to develop a gentle, sea-sweet depth.

Ingredients

4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or dashi
2 cups (480 ml) water
1 piece kombu, about 3 by 3 inches (8 by 8 cm; about 5 g)
2 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 6 g)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon (5 g) finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves (about 6 g), finely grated or minced
12 ounces (340 g) cleaned squid, thawed if frozen
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as canola oil
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt, plus more if needed
6 ounces (170 g) dried ramen noodles
1 cup (70 g) sliced baby bok choy
2 scallions (about 30 g), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (3 g) sesame seeds, for serving
¼ teaspoon (about 0.5 g) shichimi togarashi or red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. If the squid is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag submerged in cold water, changing the water as needed. Pat the squid very dry. Cut the tubes into pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, and cut the tentacles into manageable portions. If the squid has a noticeably thick piece of mantle, keep it intact as a temperature-check piece. Slice the bok choy and scallions, and grate the ginger and garlic. Drying the squid well helps it sear rather than steam.
Steep the broth. Put the chicken broth or dashi, water, kombu, and dried shiitakes in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the liquid is steaming and small bubbles appear at the edge; do not let it boil vigorously. Turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Lift out the kombu with tongs or a fork. Leaving it in during a hard boil can make the broth slippery or overly strong.
Season and simmer. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the shiitakes soften and their savory flavor infuses the liquid. Taste the broth, then add a little salt only if needed; stock, dashi, and soy sauce vary in saltiness. Keep the broth hot over low heat while you cook the noodles and squid.
Cook the noodles and greens. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen according to its package directions, usually about 3 to 4 minutes. In the last minute, add the bok choy to the noodle pot to soften it. Drain the noodles and greens well. Avoid cooking them in the seasoned broth: extra starch can cloud the soup, and noodles left in broth continue to absorb liquid and become soft.
Sear the squid. While the noodles cook, heat the neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the squid in a single layer, working in batches if the pan is crowded. Season with the kosher salt and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, just until opaque and lightly browned. Check the thickest squid piece with a food thermometer; the USDA FSIS safe minimum for fish is 145°F (63°C). If it has not reached that temperature, cook briefly in 15-second increments and check again. Remove the squid from the pan promptly once cooked; prolonged cooking after a quick sear can make it rubbery.
Assemble the bowls. Divide the drained noodles and bok choy between two warm bowls. Ladle the hot broth over them, then arrange the squid on top. Add sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and shichimi togarashi or red pepper flakes if you like. Serve straight away, while the noodles are springy and the squid is warm.

Tips

Choose cleaned squid for an easier prep. Fish counters and many frozen seafood sections sell squid already cleaned. If yours is whole and uncleaned, ask the fishmonger to clean it; removing the innards, beak, and clear quill takes more care than this quick recipe allows. Rinse cleaned squid briefly if needed, then dry it thoroughly.
Do not crowd the skillet. Squid releases moisture, and a crowded pan traps steam instead of giving the pieces color. Cook in two batches if necessary, allowing the pan to heat again between batches. The fast sear is the key to keeping the texture pleasant.
Adjust the salt after simmering. Dashi and chicken broth can vary greatly in salt, and soy sauce contributes more. Taste before adding extra salt. If the soup tastes too salty, add a splash of hot water; if it tastes flat, add a small amount of soy sauce or a few drops of rice vinegar.
Substitute thoughtfully. If kombu is hard to find, omit it and use dashi or a mild seafood stock for more savory depth. The broth will lose some of kombu’s subtle ocean flavor. For a vegetarian base, use vegetable broth and keep the squid as the topping; the result is still a seafood bowl, not a vegetarian meal.

Serving Suggestions

Serve each bowl as a complete meal, with the squid arranged on top so it stays visible and easy to pick up. A small dish of chili oil, extra sliced scallions, or additional sesame seeds lets diners season their own portion without making the whole pot spicy. A wedge of lime is optional; a few drops brighten the broth, but too much can cover the delicate mushroom and seaweed notes.

For a fuller spread, pair the ramen with a simple cucumber salad, lightly dressed greens, or steamed edamame. Keep side dishes modest and not too salty, since the broth already has soy sauce and a savory stock base. If serving more than two people, scale the ingredients evenly and use a larger pot for the broth, but sear the squid in batches rather than piling it into one pan.

Variations

Use a richer broth: Replace 1 cup (240 ml) of the chicken broth with unsweetened soy milk for a creamier, less traditional variation. Warm it gently and do not boil hard, since soy milk can separate. You can also use all dashi for a more distinctly seafood-forward soup.

Add more vegetables: Thinly sliced napa cabbage, spinach, or mushrooms can be added to the broth during its last few minutes of simmering. Keep the total amount moderate so the broth still tastes concentrated. Corn kernels and finely sliced carrots make the bowl sweeter and more colorful.

Change the seafood: Use peeled shrimp instead of squid, or combine the two. Cook shrimp separately until opaque and until the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for fish. Scallops can also work, though they have a sweeter, softer texture and need a quick sear in a hot, uncrowded pan.

Make it spicy: Stir chili oil or a little chili paste into each bowl at the table. Adding heat by serving rather than seasoning the whole broth makes it easy to keep some portions mild. For a deeper toasted flavor, briefly warm red pepper flakes in the neutral oil before adding the squid, taking care not to burn them.

Storage and Reheating

For the best texture, store the broth, cooked squid, noodles, and bok choy separately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in covered containers. The cooked broth and squid keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; cooked noodles are best used within about 2 days because they soften as they sit. If you have already combined everything, refrigerate it promptly and expect the noodles to be softer when reheated.

Reheat the broth and squid in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently, until the leftovers reach 165°F (74°C). Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. Warm the noodles separately by briefly dipping them in hot water, then drain and add them to the bowls with the reheated broth. Freezing is possible for the broth, but squid and noodles can lose their preferred texture after freezing and thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen squid?
Yes. Frozen cleaned squid works well; thaw it safely in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag in cold water, then drain and pat it very dry before cooking. Do not cook it straight from a watery thaw, because moisture prevents a good sear. Keep thawed squid refrigerated until it is ready for the pan.

Can I make the broth ahead?
Yes. Prepare the broth through the simmering step, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat it until it is steaming hot, then cook fresh noodles and squid just before serving. Making the broth ahead saves time without sacrificing the squid’s tender texture.

Why did my squid turn rubbery?
Squid often becomes tough when it cooks for too long in the middle range between a very quick cook and a long braise. This recipe uses a brief, hot sear, so keep the pieces in a single layer and remove them as soon as they are cooked through. Also avoid leaving cooked squid in hot broth while you finish other tasks.

Can I use fresh ramen or instant noodles?
Yes. Fresh ramen and instant ramen noodles both work; follow their package directions and use only the noodles, not the seasoning packet, unless you want that flavor in the broth. Fresh noodles often cook faster than dried noodles, so watch them closely and drain them as soon as they are tender but still springy.

What can I use instead of kombu?
Use dashi, mild seafood stock, or a little extra chicken broth in its place. Kombu adds a quiet, savory seaweed note rather than a strong fish flavor, so omitting it makes the broth simpler. Dried shiitakes still provide savory depth, and a small amount of extra soy sauce can round out the flavor if needed.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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