my comfort recipes
♥ Log in Sign up
  • en
  • fr
  • es
  • pt
  • de
  • it
  • nl
    • 🌍 World Kitchen
    🌍 World Kitchen
    Log in Sign up
    Home / Japanese Kitchen / Tonkotsu Ramen

    Tonkotsu Ramen

    Rich, milky pork bone broth poured over springy noodles with tender chashu and a soft-boiled egg — Japan’s ultimate bowl of comfort.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 4 hrCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 Japanese KitchenCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Tonkotsu Ramen with chashu and soft-boiled egg

    Tonkotsu ramen was born in the working-class streets of Hakata, where night stalls simmered pork bones for hours to build a broth so thick and milky it clings to the spoon. The name simply means pork bone, and after the war the style spread across Japan, carried by hungry students and late-shift workers. At home it rewards patience with a bowl that tastes like a warm embrace, the kind you make for people you love.

    A broth you can feel on your lips

    Hours of gentle simmering turn the bones silky and creamy, giving the soup a rich, savory depth that coats every strand of springy noodle. Melting slices of chashu, a jammy soft-boiled egg, and a generous drift of scallions finish the bowl. Keep the pot at a bare quiver rather than a rolling boil, and the broth stays clear of the chalky, bitter edge that rushed cooking brings.

    Craving more? Explore all Japanese Kitchen recipes.

    This dish leans on the condiments covered in Beginner’s Guide to Asian Sauces & Seasonings.

    Japanese recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Put the pork bones in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones well, and return them to the pot with 12 cups of fresh water.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, skimming off any foam.
    3. Add the pork belly, garlic, and ginger to the pot and continue simmering for 1 hour, until the belly is tender.
    4. Remove the pork belly and set it aside. Stir the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar into the broth and simmer for 30 minutes more. Taste and add salt as needed.
    5. Meanwhile, simmer the eggs for 6 to 7 minutes, cool them in ice water, and peel. Slice the cooled pork belly into thin rounds.
    6. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions and drain well.
    7. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls, pour the hot broth over them, and top with chashu slices, egg halves, and sliced scallions. Add torn nori if you like.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    A pressure cooker cuts the broth time to about 1 hour; if simmering on the stove, never let it boil hard or the broth turns cloudy and bitter. The chashu braising liquid makes a fantastic base for extra tare.

    Rate this recipe

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Sign in to rate this recipe.

    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook4 hr
    Servings4
    CategoryJapanese Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

    Keep browsingYou might also like

    View all recipes →