Ramen is easily one of the tastiest dishes available. It’s an easy base layer for any meal at home and a delicacy when eating out. But have you ever wondered how many calories are in a tasty bowl? Some might be surprised by how many (or how few) calories are in a serving of this iconic meal.
Most restaurants provide a calorie count next to their ramen, and you can also read the label on the packaging to determine the calories. Some ramen contains around 100 calories a serving, while others are way far above that level. It’s helpful to be aware of what you’re eating. Read on to learn more about how many calories are in various ramen bowls.
Calories in a Miso Ramen Bowl
First, let’s look at the classic miso ramen bowl. This version of the noodle soup is typically heartier than its counterparts, filled with noodles and a thick brown broth made with fermented soybeans. It first appeared during World War II to get the Japanese people through the winter months, hence its hardiness.
A typical bowl of restaurant miso ramen soup has about 800 calories. A good chunk of these calories come from fatty meat and tasty noodles.
Mike’s Mighty Good Ramen offers a miso ramen option. Our vegetarian miso ramen noodle cup about 200 calories per cup, or slightly higher depending on the toppings you add to the delicious soup option. It’s rich, thick, and sure to fill you right up.
Calories in a Spicy Miso Ramen Bowl
Spicy ramen is a popular version of the miso variety. Although it has a bit more kick than the typical miso ramen bowl, the calories aren’t very different. The addition of a spicy paste to miso ramen may add anywhere from 50 to 200 calories to your meal.
Again, the calories will also vary based on the toppings. Some people like filling spicy ramen with more toppings to cover up the intense flavor in their mouth.
Mighty Mike’s Ramen offers two spice varieties. We have a Spicy Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Soup for 290 calories a serving and a Spicy Beef Ramen Soup for 230 calories a cup.
Cause of High Calories in Miso Ramen
One of the most common contributors to high calories in miso ramen is the fatty meat typically added to the meal. It also has a thick, rich broth, thickened with a dense paste during cooking.
Ramen toppings are another cause of the high calories. For a healthier option, stick with vegetables and lean proteins to lower the calorie count.
Calories in a Shoyu Ramen Bowl
Shoyu ramen is another popular variety of the famous noodle dish. It’s one of the most common selections and comes in a light brown soy broth, much thinner than miso ramen. It isn’t thick, creamy, or rich but offers an excellent tang of flavor. Most people add many toppings to shoyu ramen to complement the delicious base broth.
A typical bowl of shoyu ramen is 700 calories per bowl, most of it coming from fatty meat and noodles. It’s lighter in calories than miso ramen thanks to the differences in the broth.
Mighty Mike’s offers organic ramen in the shoyu category. A cup of our Vegetarian Soy Sauce Ramen Cup is 180 calories, ideal for combining with as many toppings as you want. Our favorites include pork, kombu, eggs, and sliced scallions.
Cause of Low Calories in Shoyu Ramen
Shoyu ramen boasts fewer calories because there isn’t as much fat in the broth. It’s made from a thinner soy sauce rather than taking on an additional paste for the tang. It also requires less flavor because the soy sauce itself is flavorful enough.
Of course, it’s always critical to remember that the toppings matter. The fattier meats and proteins you add to your shoyu ramen, the higher in calories it will be.
Calories in a Shio Ramen Bowl
Another popular variety of ramen noodles is the shio ramen bowl. This option is like shoyu ramen because it has a clear, thin broth. Instead of soy broth, it’s made with pork or chicken broth for a different, memorable taste. It typically has more salt to add to the flavor, so although it's lower in calories, it’s higher in sodium.
The average bowl of shio ramen has about 700 calories, most of it from the toppings, meat, and noodles. It’s another lighter choice if you’re interested in ramen on the lower-calorie side.
Most flavor in a shio ramen bowl comes from additions like shiitake, kombu, dashi, and seaweed. It’s fun to experiment with to find an ideal flavor palette. Shio ramen is one of the most common ways people enjoy the famous noodle dish.
Cause of Low Calories in Shio Ramen
Shio is considered a healthier ramen because of the thinner broth. Instead of the flavor from fat in the liquid, it comes from salt and other seasonings. Keep it low in calories by minimizing the fatty toppings or adding more vegetables to your noodles. Most of the time, it’s easier and better for you to add ingredients, rather than taking them away.
This ramen is very similar to shoyu, thanks to the lighter broth. It has a gentle flavor, easy to pair with any group of toppings. You can add vegetables for a crunch or add protein and eggs on top for more protein. Just remember that the more you add, the higher the calorie count will be.
Some of the most common toppings for shio include sliced scallions, eggs, chicken, pork, and menma. There are a million different ways to work with the low-calorie base of tangy shio ramen.
Calories In a Tonkotsu Ramen Bowl
Our final topic in ramen noodles is the iconic tonkotsu. This dish has the highest calorie count on this list, known for its creamy broth and the tasty meat on top. Most of the flavor in this dish comes from fat and gelatin in the protein. It’s tasty, but you should be careful if you’re looking to cut down on your daily caloric intake.
A typical bowl of tonkotsu ramen has about 900 calories per bowl, but some stretch far beyond 1,000 calories at certain restaurants. Most of the calories in this meal come from the noodles and the tremendous amount of fat in the meat. The broth alone takes in all the fat, making it a scrumptious choice.
Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen offers several ramen options. We can provide you with tasty Pork Tonkotsu Soup in the typical and spicy format.
Cause of High Calories in Tonkotsu Ramen
The main cause of the high calories in tonkotsu ramen is the fat content in the broth and the noodles. It’s creamy, infused with fat, and tons of delicious spices.
The broth alone is high in calories, but adding toppings will increase it all the more. A few of the most common toppings for tonkotsu ramen include pork belly, fish cakes, pork shoulder, and veggies.
You can lower the calories in this ramen by adding less broth, which should cut down on the count significantly. However, it’s tricky to do that when every drop is so good.
Looking for Quality Ramen?
If you’re looking for quality organic ramen noodles, you can’t go wrong with Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen. We make ramen bar-quality ramen and package it to share with the world. Try our ramen and join an extensive network of food lovers to enjoy well-crafted dishes, no matter where you might be.
Whether you’re looking for an instant ramen recipe or vegetarian ramen cups, Mighty Good Ramen is the place to go. From beef ramen to pork tonkotsu, we have it all! With Mike’s Ramen, we embrace simple ingredients to create comfort food for a better experience.
