Japanese Meatball Ramen Broth

Name: Japanese Meatball Ramen Broth
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ground pork (80/20 blend); 2 tablespoons (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and minced; 3 (30 g) scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine); ¼ cup (25 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 (50 g) large egg, beaten; 6 cups (1440 ml) dashi stock (kombu and bonito flake), room temperature; 3 tablespoons (45 g) white miso paste; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks; 3 (12 g) garlic cloves, lightly smashed; ¼ cup (60 ml) sake (rice wine); white pepper, to taste; 2 (20 g) scallions, dark green parts only, sliced thin on a bias (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory ramen broth built on a foundation of dashi and miso, enriched with tender pork meatballs infused with ginger and scallions. The broth simmers gently until the meatballs are cooked through and the flavors meld, creating a warming, umami-rich base that serves as the soul of a complete ramen bowl.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 4 servings (about 2 cups broth per person with meatballs)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the meatballs
1 lb (450 g) ground pork (80/20 blend)
2 tablespoons (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 (30 g) scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine)
¼ cup (25 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 (50 g) large egg, beaten
For the broth
6 cups (1440 ml) dashi stock (kombu and bonito flake), room temperature
3 tablespoons (45 g) white miso paste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
3 (12 g) garlic cloves, lightly smashed
¼ cup (60 ml) sake (rice wine)
white pepper, to taste
For serving
2 (20 g) scallions, dark green parts only, sliced thin on a bias (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart / 5-liter)
Medium bowl
Small bowl
Wooden spoon or whisk
Measuring spoons and cups
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Slotted spoon
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients prepped and within reach—meatball mixture must be formed quickly to prevent sticking
Measure out dashi stock ahead of time (use instant dashi powder dissolved in hot water if fresh dashi is unavailable)
Keep a small bowl of ice water nearby to keep your hands cool while forming meatballs

1
Prepare meatball mixture
- In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, minced ginger, chopped scallion whites, soy sauce, mirin, panko breadcrumbs, and beaten egg.
- Mix gently with your fingers until just combined—do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
- The mixture should hold together but not be compressed.
- If the mixture feels too wet, add another tablespoon of panko.
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Ready when: Mixture is combined but not compacted, with visible flecks of ginger and scallion
Tip: Keep hands cool by dipping them in ice water between rolling; warm hands can warm the pork and make it sticky
2
Form meatballs
- Using wet hands or a small scoop, form the mixture into 16 meatballs, each about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.
- Place them on a plate.
- Work quickly so the pork doesn't warm up.
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Ready when: 16 meatballs of uniform size, all touching the plate
Tip: Slightly undersize the meatballs (slightly smaller than you'd serve) so they cook through evenly without the outsides becoming tough
3
Build the broth base
- Pour dashi stock into a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add smashed garlic cloves and sliced ginger matchsticks.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium.
- Add sake and soy sauce.
- Stir gently and simmer for 5 minutes so the ginger and garlic infuse the broth.
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Ready when: Gentle, steady stream of steam; small bubbles breaking the surface regularly
Tip: Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so aromatics infuse cleanly without the broth becoming cloudy
4
Add and simmer meatballs
- Carefully place the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time, stirring gently after each addition to prevent them from sticking to the pot bottom.
- Once all meatballs are in, adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 12–15 minutes until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the largest meatball should register 160°F / 71°C).
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Ready when: Meatballs are opaque inside with no pink when cut; thermometer reads 160°F (71°C); broth remains gently simmering
Tip: Keep the heat at a gentle simmer; boiling will cause the meatballs to split and the broth to become cloudy
5
Temper and dissolve miso
- Place white miso paste in a small bowl.
- Scoop about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot broth into the bowl and whisk until the miso dissolves completely into a smooth paste.
- This tempering step prevents the miso from clumping when it meets the hot liquid.
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Ready when: Miso is completely dissolved with no lumps; mixture is pourable
Tip: Never stir miso directly into boiling broth; the heat can destroy beneficial enzymes and create a grainy texture
6
Stir in miso, season to taste
- Pour the miso mixture slowly back into the pot, stirring gently to combine.
- Taste the broth and season with additional white pepper to your preference.
- The broth should taste savory, slightly sweet, and well-rounded.
- If you prefer more umami depth, add another teaspoon of soy sauce.
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Ready when: Broth is uniform in color, fully combined, tasting balanced and savory
Tip: Taste as you go; miso paste varies in saltiness, so you may not need additional soy sauce
7
Serve with scallion garnish
- Ladle the broth and meatballs into serving bowls.
- If using the optional garnish, sprinkle the sliced dark green scallion tops over each bowl just before serving.
- The fresh, bright onion flavor complements the deep umami of the broth.
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Ready when: Broth is distributed evenly among bowls with meatballs and scallions visible on top
Tip: Add the scallion garnish just before serving so it stays crisp and aromatic rather than wilting into the hot broth

Good to know

Tips

This broth forms the perfect foundation for a complete ramen bowl—serve it poured over cooked ramen noodles, soft-boiled eggs (ajitsuke tamago), nori sheets, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and a sprinkle of sliced scallion.
For deeper umami, add a 2-inch (5 cm) piece of kombu (seaweed) to the broth as it simmers; remove after 5 minutes so it doesn't cloud the broth.
If your dashi tastes fishy rather than subtle and savory, you may have over-steeped it or the kombu and bonito flakes are old. Fresh dashi components make a real difference.

Make ahead

The meatball mixture can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Form meatballs just before cooking. The finished broth can be made 1 day ahead; cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium heat without boiling. Do not freeze miso-based broths, as the miso texture and flavor degrade significantly.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. Do not allow the broth to boil, which will dull the miso's flavor. You can also reheat individual bowls in the microwave on 70% power, stirring halfway through, for about 2–3 minutes.

Substitutions

white miso paste → Red or aka miso paste. Use the same weight (45 g / 3 tablespoons). Red miso is earthier and saltier; reduce soy sauce by ½ tablespoon. The broth will be deeper and more assertive in flavor.
dashi stock (kombu and bonito flake) → Instant dashi powder dissolved in hot water, or chicken stock. For instant dashi, dissolve 2 teaspoons of dashi powder per 1 cup (240 ml) of hot water. Chicken stock will soften the Japanese character but remains delicious. Vegetable stock is a vegetarian option, though flavor will be milder.
sake (rice wine) → Dry white wine or a second tablespoon of mirin. Wine adds acidity and floral notes; mirin adds sweetness. Either works, though sake is traditional for its clean, mineral quality.
panko breadcrumbs → Regular breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers. Use the same weight (25 g). Panko creates a lighter, less dense meatball, but regular breadcrumbs work if panko is unavailable.