There’s nothing quite like a warm, comforting bowl of ramen to make any evening special. This Crockpot Crispy Pork Ramen is a fusion of rich, creamy broth, tender slow-cooked pork, and perfectly chewy noodles. The combination of miso, Chinese 5 spice, and Gochujang chili paste adds depth and heat, making every spoonful a flavorful adventure.
Perfect for cozy nights at home, this recipe brings restaurant-quality ramen straight to your kitchen. Customize it with your favorite toppings—soft-boiled eggs, candied jalapeños, and green onions add a vibrant finish. Whether it’s a family dinner or a meal to impress guests, this ramen is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Full Recipe:
- 2-3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2-3 pounds pork butt or 6 chicken thighs/breasts
- 6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2-4 tablespoons chili paste (Gochujang recommended)
- 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2-3 teaspoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 squares ramen noodles
- Soft or hard-boiled eggs, for serving
- Toppings: toasted nori sheets, candied jalapeños, green onions, and chili oil
Directions:
Crockpot Method:
- Layer onions at the bottom of your crockpot. Add pork, broth, tamari, miso paste, chili paste, Chinese 5 spice, ginger, and mushrooms. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Preheat broiler to high. Remove pork, place on a baking sheet, and break into chunks. Drizzle honey over each piece. Broil for 5-8 minutes until caramelized, watching closely.
- Turn crockpot to high, stir in coconut milk and sesame oil. Add noodles and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Serve by ladling broth, noodles, and mushrooms into bowls. Top with crispy pork, eggs, and your choice of toppings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 6 hours | Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Kcal: 319 kcal | Servings: 8
Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen: A Delicious Twist on Traditional Ramen
Ramen is one of those classic dishes that holds a special place in many food lovers’ hearts. The rich, savory broth paired with tender noodles and delicious toppings creates a comforting, satisfying meal. But while traditional ramen often requires hours of careful preparation, this Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen offers a more convenient and equally delicious alternative. With the help of your trusty slow cooker, you can create a deeply flavorful ramen bowl with minimal effort. The slow cooking method ensures the pork shoulder becomes meltingly tender, infusing the broth with its savory goodness, while crispy pork adds a satisfying texture that contrasts perfectly with the soft noodles.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you want a comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re a ramen enthusiast or new to making this Japanese-inspired dish, this slow-cooked version will quickly become a staple in your culinary repertoire. Let’s dive deeper into what makes this dish so special and how you can bring the flavors of this crispy pork ramen into your own home.
What Makes Slow Cooker Pork Ramen Special?
The secret to this Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen lies in the pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is a cut of meat that becomes incredibly tender when cooked slowly over time. As it cooks in the slow cooker, the pork shoulder absorbs all the flavors from the broth, becoming juicy and flavorful. The slow cooking process also renders some of the fat, which adds richness to the broth and enhances the overall taste of the dish.
While the pork shoulder cooks, the broth comes together, infused with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and a touch of sweetness from brown sugar. The result is a balanced and savory broth that perfectly complements the crispy pork. The crispy pork is achieved by searing the pork shoulder in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. This creates a crispy outer layer that adds a beautiful texture when combined with the noodles and soft-boiled egg.
The Key Ingredients and Their Role in Flavor
The beauty of this dish is that, while the ingredients are simple, each one plays a vital role in building layers of flavor. The soy sauce provides a salty and umami base for the broth, while the rice vinegar and sesame oil give it a slight tang and depth. Garlic and ginger are used to enhance the aroma and taste of the broth, adding a subtle warmth that makes the dish feel comforting and rich.
Pork Shoulder: This cut of meat is perfect for slow cooking because it becomes tender and juicy as it cooks for hours. The fat in the pork shoulder also adds richness to the broth.
Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil: These ingredients give the broth its umami depth. Soy sauce adds a salty, savory note, while sesame oil provides a rich, nutty flavor.
Ginger and Garlic: These aromatics add depth and warmth to the broth, making it fragrant and flavorful.
Rice Vinegar: A splash of rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the pork, providing balance to the broth.
Ramen Noodles: The noodles soak up the rich broth, adding texture and a neutral base to the dish that allows the other ingredients to shine.
Bok Choy: This leafy green adds a crisp freshness to the ramen, which contrasts nicely with the tender pork and soft noodles.
Soft-Boiled Egg: The soft-boiled egg is a classic ramen topping. The creamy yolk adds richness to the dish and brings everything together.
Crispy Pork: After slow cooking, the pork is shredded and served over the noodles, but for that signature crispy pork texture, searing the pork before slow cooking is key. This creates a crispy exterior that adds a satisfying crunch to the dish.
Making the Broth: The Heart of Any Good Ramen
The broth is undoubtedly the heart of any good ramen, and this recipe delivers a rich, savory broth with layers of umami flavor. By combining chicken broth with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic, you create a deeply flavorful base that complements the tender pork perfectly. The addition of rice vinegar adds a bit of acidity, which helps balance the richness of the pork and the sesame oil.
The slow-cooking process allows all of these ingredients to meld together, creating a broth that is packed with flavor. After slow cooking, the broth is strained, leaving behind a smooth, flavorful liquid that perfectly coats the noodles and toppings. The pork itself, after hours of cooking, becomes incredibly tender and falls apart with ease. It is then shredded and added to the bowl, where it’s combined with the ramen noodles, soft-boiled egg, bok choy, and garnishes. Each spoonful of broth, pork, and noodles is an explosion of rich flavor and texture.
A Simple Yet Flavorful Dish
One of the things that sets Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen apart from other ramen recipes is its simplicity. While it does take a bit of time to cook, the ingredients and steps are straightforward. You don’t need any complicated techniques or specialized tools. A slow cooker and a few basic pantry staples are all that’s needed to create a bowl of ramen that tastes like it came from a restaurant.
In fact, many ramen bowls at restaurants can take hours of preparation and require multiple pots and pans. With this recipe, you get all the flavor and depth of traditional ramen without the fuss. The slow cooker does most of the work, leaving you free to focus on other aspects of your day. Whether you’re making this dish for a family dinner or serving it up for friends, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Toppings: Personalizing Your Ramen Bowl
One of the best things about ramen is the ability to customize it with different toppings. In this recipe, the pork, bok choy, and soft-boiled egg are already included, but you can always add more toppings based on your preferences. Common ramen toppings include sliced scallions, bamboo shoots, nori (seaweed), chili paste, and toasted sesame seeds. You can even add some heat with chili flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce.
Feel free to get creative and make the ramen bowl your own. You could try adding some pickled vegetables for an extra tang or throw in some extra vegetables like mushrooms, corn, or spinach. The beauty of ramen is that you can always experiment with different flavors and textures to suit your tastes.
A Perfect Meal for Any Occasion
Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight dinner or hosting a weekend gathering, Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen is the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings. It’s cozy, comforting, and full of flavor, making it ideal for chilly evenings or when you want a hearty meal. And because the slow cooker does most of the work for you, it’s incredibly easy to prepare.
Plus, the leftovers taste just as good the next day. The flavors continue to develop overnight, making it a great meal to meal prep for the week ahead. If you’ve got a busy schedule and want to enjoy a bowl of ramen without spending hours in the kitchen, this recipe is a game-changer.
Conclusion: Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen
In conclusion, Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Ramen is a must-try dish for any ramen lover or anyone who enjoys rich, savory meals. The slow-cooked pork, flavorful broth, and tender noodles come together in a perfect harmony of textures and tastes. The best part? It’s so easy to make, thanks to the slow cooker, and it can be customized with your favorite toppings. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or treating yourself to a cozy dinner, this ramen is sure to hit the spot.
Give this recipe a try and experience the joy of homemade ramen in the comfort of your own kitchen. You’ll be amazed at how simple ingredients can create such a delicious, satisfying meal that rivals your favorite restaurant ramen. Happy cooking!