Recipe

Tonkotsu Ramen

Creamy pork bone broth, savory tare, and springy noodles with chashu-style pork and jammy eggs.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen with milky pork broth, sliced chashu-style pork, jammy ramen egg halves, scallions, and nori on a wooden table with chopsticks

Tonkotsu ramen is the bowl I make when I want maximum comfort and a little kitchen chaos that actually pays off. The goal is that signature milky, collagen-rich pork broth that clings to noodles, plus a salty-sweet tare (seasoning base) and a quick aroma oil that makes the whole thing smell like you accidentally opened a ramen shop.

Heads up, this is not a five-minute situation. Tonkotsu is a weekend project that rewards you all week. The good news: the steps are simple, the ingredients are doable, and you can absolutely cut corners where it matters least. I will tell you where those corners are.

Pork neck bones and chicken backs arranged on a kitchen counter with garlic, ginger, scallions, and measuring cups ready for broth prep

Why It Works

True tonkotsu texture: A rolling boil emulsifies fat and collagen into that cloudy, creamy broth.
Big flavor without mystery: You season with tare at the end so the broth stays flexible for leftovers.
Restaurant vibes at home: Chashu-style pork, jammy eggs, and a simple aroma oil do most of the heavy lifting.
Make-ahead friendly: Broth and pork both improve after a night in the fridge.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Store components separately if you can. Ramen is happiest when the noodles meet the broth at the last possible second.

Broth: Cool quickly, then refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze up to 2 months. The fat will solidify on top, which is a good thing. It protects the broth. Skim some off if you want it lighter, or stir it back in for full-send richness.
Tare (seasoning base): Refrigerate up to 2 weeks in a jar.
Chashu-style pork: Refrigerate in a little of its braising liquid up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Rewarm gently in the liquid so it stays tender.
Ramen eggs: Marinate for 4 to 24 hours, then remove eggs from the marinade and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you keep them soaking the whole time, the whites can turn too salty and a little rubbery.
Noodles: Cook fresh when possible. If you must store cooked noodles, rinse, toss with a tiny bit of oil, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Reheat briefly in boiling water.

Glass meal prep containers filled with chilled tonkotsu broth and sliced pork in braising liquid on a refrigerator shelf

Common Questions

Why is my broth not white and creamy?

Tonkotsu gets creamy from an aggressive boil. A gentle simmer stays clearer. Keep it at a steady rolling boil and top up with hot water as it reduces. Also, make sure you blanch and scrub the bones first so the broth can go cloudy without tasting funky.

Can I make this in an Instant Pot?

You can, and it will taste great, but the texture is usually less emulsified. If you pressure cook the broth, finish by boiling it hard uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes to help it turn creamy.

Do I have to use pork bones only?

No. Many home cooks get a richer body with a mix of pork bones plus a little chicken (like chicken backs or wings). This recipe uses both for reliable results.

What noodles should I buy?

Look for fresh ramen noodles in the refrigerated section of an Asian market, or good dried ramen noodles. Tonkotsu is best with thinner, springy noodles, but use what you can get.

What is tare and do I really need it?

Tare is the concentrated seasoning that turns broth into ramen. Could you just salt the broth? Sure. But tare gives you that ramen shop depth and keeps your leftover broth versatile.

Is tonkotsu ramen spicy?

Not inherently. If you want heat, add chili oil, rayu, or a spoon of spicy miso. I love a little kick because it cuts the richness.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large stockpot (at least 8 to 12 quarts)
Fine-mesh strainer (and optionally cheesecloth)
Second pot or large bowl for straining
Medium saucepan (for eggs and tare)
Skillet (for aroma oil and reheating pork slices)
Tongs and a ladle
Kitchen thermometer (helpful for eggs, optional)

The first time I tried to make tonkotsu, I treated it like regular soup. Gentle simmer, nice and polite. The result was tasty, but it was not that bowl. Then I learned tonkotsu is basically the opposite of polite. You boil it like it owes you money. Ever since, I schedule it like a small event: a pot on the stove, something good playing in the background, and lots of tasting. It is a little messy, very cozy, and the payoff feels unreal when you finally slide noodles into that creamy broth.

Tonkotsu Ramen

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 10 hours 15 minutes

Total Time 11 hours

Servings 4 bowls

Ingredients

For the tonkotsu broth

4 lb pork neck bones or pork femur bones
1 lb pork trotters (optional but great for extra collagen)
1 lb chicken backs or wings
2 onions, halved
1 large knob ginger (about 4 inches), sliced
1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise
4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
16 to 20 cups water (4 to 5 quarts), plus more hot water to top up

Pork bones, chicken backs, onions, ginger, garlic, and scallions laid out on a kitchen counter before cooking tonkotsu broth

Shoyu tare (seasoning base)

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake (or dry sherry)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 piece kombu (about 3x4 inches)
1/2 cup katsuobushi (bonito flakes), optional but recommended

Chashu-style pork (simplified)

1.5 to 2 lb boneless pork shoulder (or pork belly)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake (or dry sherry)
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 inch ginger, sliced
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Ramen eggs

4 large eggs
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup water

Aroma oil (quick garlic-scallion oil)

1/4 cup neutral oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tbsp sliced scallion whites

To assemble

4 portions ramen noodles (fresh or dried)
Sliced scallions
Nori sheets
Menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), optional
Corn or sautéed mushrooms, optional
Toasted sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

1) Blanch the bones

Put pork bones, trotters (if using), and chicken backs in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a hard boil for 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse everything under cool water. Scrub off any gray scum. Rinse the pot too.

A large pot at a boil with pork bones blanching as foam and scum rise to the surface on a stovetop

2) Build the broth

Return cleaned bones to the pot. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. For most 8 to 12 quart pots with this amount of bones, that is usually 4 to 5 quarts (16 to 20 cups) to start.
Bring to a boil, then keep it at a steady rolling boil for 8 to 10 hours. Stir every 30 to 45 minutes and top up with boiling or very hot water as needed to keep bones mostly submerged. Avoid cold water because it drops the temperature and slows the boil.
Once the broth looks cloudy and creamy, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or large bowl. Discard solids.
Optional but very effective: boil the strained broth another 20 to 30 minutes to concentrate. Taste and adjust later with tare, not with salt.

Yield note: Evaporation depends on your stove and pot, but most batches end up around 2.5 to 3 quarts of finished broth, sometimes a bit more if you top up aggressively.

Cloudy tonkotsu broth boiling vigorously in a large stockpot on a stovetop with steam rising

3) Make the shoyu tare

In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add kombu and steep 10 to 15 minutes.
Add bonito flakes (if using) and steep 5 to 10 minutes. Start tasting at 5 minutes. Some brands get intense fast.
Strain and cool. Store in a jar.

Strength note: Tare is always “to taste” and soy sauce brands vary. If your tare feels too punchy, dilute it with a splash of water or a little warm broth before adding it to bowls.

4) Make the pork

In a pot or deep skillet, combine soy sauce, water, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Add pork.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 60 to 90 minutes, turning occasionally, until fork-tender.
Cool in the liquid. Chill for easier slicing. Slice thin, then warm slices in a little braising liquid or quickly sear for crisp edges.

Hands slicing chilled chashu-style pork shoulder into thin rounds on a wooden cutting board

5) Jammy ramen eggs

Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Lower in eggs and cook 7 minutes for jammy yolks.
Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel.
Mix soy sauce, mirin, and water. Marinate eggs 4 to 24 hours, flipping once if they are not fully submerged. For best texture, do not let them live in the marinade for days.

Soft-boiled eggs cooling in an ice bath in a metal mixing bowl on a kitchen counter

6) Quick aroma oil

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, warm neutral oil and sesame oil.
Add garlic and scallion whites. Cook until lightly golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Do not burn. Pour into a heatproof bowl.

7) Assemble the bowls

Reheat broth until very hot. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions and drain well.
Season each bowl: start with 1 tablespoon tare, then add 1 teaspoon aroma oil.
Add noodles to bowls, then ladle in hot broth. Top with chashu, egg halves, scallions, and nori.
Taste, then adjust with more tare if needed. Slurp immediately.

Ramen toppings arranged in small bowls on a kitchen counter, including sliced chashu, jammy eggs, scallions, nori, and bamboo shoots ready for assembly

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Tonkotsu Ramen

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Easy Ramen Bowl

Spicy Garlic Peanut Ramen

Hibachi Noodles

Japanese Restaurant Miso Soup

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Why is my broth not white and creamy?

Can I make this in an Instant Pot?

Do I have to use pork bones only?

What noodles should I buy?

What is tare and do I really need it?

Is tonkotsu ramen spicy?

Tonkotsu Ramen

Ingredients

For the tonkotsu broth

Shoyu tare (seasoning base)

Chashu-style pork (simplified)

Ramen eggs

Aroma oil (quick garlic-scallion oil)

To assemble

Instructions

1) Blanch the bones

2) Build the broth

3) Make the shoyu tare

4) Make the pork

5) Jammy ramen eggs

6) Quick aroma oil

7) Assemble the bowls