Spicy Mushroom and Tofu Mazemen

Published March 20, 2024

Spicy Mushroom and Tofu Mazemen
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,034)
Comments
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Mazemen, sometimes known as mazesoba or abura soba, is a brothless ramen dish believed to have originated in Nagoya, Japan. Inspired by a punchier and spicier Taiwanese flavor profile, the soup is replaced with an intensely savory sauce. In this vegan take, this sesame paste-based sauce delivers a rich finish, bolstered with umami agents such as miso, soy sauce and chile crisp. Mazemen, which translates to mixed noodles in Japanese, should be tossed before eating, so that the sauce and the toppings distribute evenly through the noodles. While this recipe is vegan, an egg yolk or an onsen tamago (soft-cooked egg) is a common mazemen topping, which falls apart as it is tossed through the noodles, leaving a silky and creamy finish.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Mazemen

    • Canola or vegetable oil
    • 8ounces mushrooms (such as cremini, button or shiitake), sliced
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1(14- to 16-ounce) package extrafirm tofu, drained and crumbled into ½-inch chunks
    • 4baby bok choy (about 12 ounces), each trimmed and cut into 4 pieces through the stem
    • 12ounces dried ramen noodles
    • 2scallions, thinly sliced

    For the Sauce

    • ¼cup Chinese or Japanese sesame paste, or tahini
    • 8teaspoons chile crisp
    • 4teaspoons white (shiro) miso paste
    • 4teaspoons soy sauce
    • Just-boiled water
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the mazemen: Heat a large skillet on medium-high. When hot, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, along with the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened, with golden edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan.

  2. Step 2

    Drizzle the pan with another 2 tablespoons of oil, add the tofu and cook over medium-high, tossing occasionally, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. (The tofu will break up more as you toss it, which is fine.)

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby bok boy and cook for 1½ to 2 minutes, until the stems are just tender and the leaves are bright green. Using tongs, remove the greens from the water and place in a colander.

  4. Step 4

    To the same pot of water, add the ramen noodles and cook according to packet instructions, until just tender.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile make the sauce: In a large bowl, add the sesame paste, chile crisp, miso paste, soy sauce and ½ cup just-boiled water; whisk to combine.

  6. Step 6

    Drain the noodles. Add them to the sauce and, using tongs or chopsticks, toss everything together until the noodles are coated. (If the sauce is very thick, add another tablespoon or two of just-boiled water to help loosen up the noodles.)

  7. Step 7

    Divide the noodles evenly among serving bowls and top each with the baby bok choy, mushrooms and tofu. Top with scallions, toss everything together and serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,034 user ratings
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Comments

Instead of 4 teaspoons of miso and soy, I used 3 of both and added 2 teaspoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar to manage the saltiness (could sub those for any sweet and sour liquid). Otherwise; perfect for a simple weeknight.

Should have thought this through befire I started: major SODIUM bomb! Even with Lower sodium Soy sauce and miso, chili crisp no way I could justify this one:(

It’s okay for different people to say that the flavor was too salty. That’s their opinion and some people do need low sodium diets. The comments section is for people to share their opinions and variations.

I cut down some soy sauce. But importantly, I used Thai chili paste instead of Japanese chili crunch. The big addition is the fish sauce instead the paste. Adds a huge amount of flavor.

Like others I added a bit of sweetening (brown sugar) as well as some grated ginger. Otherwise as written and it was tasty. If you're not a fan of tofu you could use chicken, mild fish, perhaps even egg.

I tossed the ramen seasoning packet with the tofu—delicious!

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