September 6, 2022
Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen
Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen: aka the perfect 20-minute meal! Chewy ramen noodles doused in rich gochujang sauce, tossed with sweet corn, then topped with creamy vegan cheese and baked until golden and bubbly! If you love Korean corn cheese and ramen, then consider the perfect marriage of these two dishes your new favorite recipe!
Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese ramen
Ever since I saw this video on Buzzfeed Tasty’s Instagram Feed, it’s been living in my head rent-free, so I knew I had to veganize it ASAP. I mean … tell me what sounds better than chewy ramen noodles doused with Korean corn cheese?! (hint: literally NOTHING).
Fast forward, and here I am sharing my version of Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen (that’s a mouthful) 😉 The recipe that Buzzfeed posted calls for the flavor packets included in the ramen noodles, but many aren’t vegan-friendly, so I decided to ditch ’em altogether and come up with my own sauce! Of course, I wanted it to be just as easy as making instant ramen, so all you have to do is throw it all into a pan and mix it with broth like you’d typically do anyway.
Grab a drink and let’s make the best Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen!
what is Korean corn cheese
Corn cheese is a Korean dish originating from South Korea. Because the two main ingredients are fairly new to the Korean diet (both of which were introduced as rations allocated by American forces during and after the Korean War), there is no “traditional” way of preparing corn cheese, but most versions are made with corn, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, butter, sugar, and scallions, and often served as a snack while drinking (also known as anju).
This Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen is a wonderful combination of new and traditional Korean flavors and ingredients!
what goes in Korean-Inspired vegan Corn Cheese Ramen
We’ve got the usual suspects – corn, cheese, and mayonnaise – plus the addition of a few more ingredients. Here’s everything you need to make this easy and delicious Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen:
- Green onions: the white and light green parts for sautéing with garlic, and the dark green parts for garnish! To see how I made the green onion curls for the garnish, you can watch this video!
- Garlic
- Gochugaru: a chili powder traditionally made from sun-dried Korean red chili peppers known as taeyang-cho, with spicier varieties using Cheongyang peppers. I can find this at my local Asian Market, and some supermarkets such as Whole Foods and Sprouts. If you can’t find gochugaru, you can sub it with red chili powder.
- Roasted sweet corn: I typically used canned or frozen, but if you’re in the mood to roast some fresh corn, that would be delicious, too!
- Gochujang: a fermented korean chili paste. It’s savory, with hints of spice and sweetness. I typically find gochujang at my local Asian Market and specialty supermarkets such as Whole Foods and Walmart.
- Vegan mayonnaise
- MSG: MSG gives this Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen (and any other dish that it’s added to) a kick of umami! If you have sensitivity to MSG, you’re more than welcome to leave it out, but if you’re under the impression that MSG is bad for you, please do your research on its history. There are several scientific, peer-reviewed studies that have debunked this age-old myth that’s rooted in racism. I recommend this study done by Harvard with tons of great references, and this article by Medical News Today, which also thoroughly cites all of its sources.
- Vegetable broth
- Vegan-friendly ramen noodles: I love to use the Samyang Korean Ramin Noodles, which I find at most grocery stores. I usually get the “artificial chicken” flavor and keep the packets for later use. (Note: depending on where the noodles are manufactured the seasoning packets may or may not be vegan. Always check the ingredients before consuming). If you’re unable to find the Samyang noodles, you can use any vegan-friendly ramen noodles, the most accessible probably being these ramen noodles found at many grocery stores and convenient stores.
- Vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- Vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Toasted sesame seeds
how to make Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen
All you need is 20 minutes to make this Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen! Here’s how:
1. Saute:
Heat some oil in a large, oven-safe sauté pan. Once the oil is hot, add the white and light green parts of the green onion and garlic, and season with gochugaru flakes. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the corn, vegan mayonnaise, gochugaru and MSG. Give it a good stir to combine and cook until heated through. Pour in the broth and ramen noodles and toss again to combine.
2. bake:
Top with the vegan cheese shreds, then cover and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
3. enjoy:
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onion, a handful of roasted sweet corn, a pinch of gochugaru flakes, and enjoy immediately!
what you need to make Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen:
more Korean-inspired dishes you’re sure to love
- Cheesy Gochujang Udon Noodles
- Korean-Style Hot Chick’n Sandwich
- Sticky Baked Korean BBQ Tofu Bites
- Cheesy Gochujang Skillet Fried Rice
- Pan Seared Tofu with Homemade Chili Oil
cheesy noodles ftw!
I hope ya’ll love this Korean-Inspired Vegan Corn Cheese Ramen as much as I do! If you give this recipe a try, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
xo!
- • 2 teaspoons oil
- • 1 bunch of green onions, white and light green parts sliced into ½-inch pieces, dark green part cut into thin strips or at a bias, divided
- • 10 cloves garlic, minced
- • 1 teaspoon gochugaru, plus more for garnish
- • 2 cups roasted sweet corn, plus more for garnish
- • 2 tablespoons gochujang
- • ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- • ½ teaspoon MSG, optional
- • ⅔ cup vegetable broth
- • 3 (5-ounce) packages of vegan-friendly ramen noodles, cooked according to package directions
- • 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- • ½ cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- • Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the white and light green parts of the green onion and garlic, and season with the gochugaru flakes. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Next, add the corn, vegan mayonnaise, gochugaru and MSG. Give it a good stir to combine and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the broth and noodles and toss again to combine. Top with the vegan cheese shreds, cover and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly 8 to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onion, a handful of roasted sweet corn, a pinch of gochugaru flakes, and enjoy immediately!
