Ramen Type
Shio Ramen
What is Shio Ramen?
Shio (salt) ramen is considered the oldest ramen style, rooted in the port city of Hakodate, Hokkaido. It is the most restrained of the four major styles — a clear to pale-golden broth seasoned primarily with salt (and often infused with dried seafood) rather than soy or miso. This minimalism demands exceptional stock: the subtle flavors have nowhere to hide. Chicken backs, seafood (clams, dried shrimp), and kombu-dashi form the most common base.
Shio ramen is a vehicle for nuance. The noodles are typically thin and straight, and the toppings understated — poached chicken or wonton, delicate menma, chives, and perhaps a whisper of sesame oil. In the US, shio has found a devoted following among ramen enthusiasts who prize clarity and technique over intensity.
Flavor Profile
How to Make Shio Ramen
- 1
Create a Clean Chicken-Seafood Stock
Gently simmer chicken backs, dried scallops, and kombu in cold water, never boiling, for 3 hours. Skim constantly to maintain absolute clarity.
- 2
Make Shio Tare
Dissolve high-quality sea salt in hot water with a splash of sake and a strip of kombu. Optional: add dried clam juice for umami depth.
- 3
Assemble Delicately
Season warm bowls with 1.5–2 tbsp shio tare. Add hot stock, thin straight noodles, poached chicken slices, menma, and chives. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil.
Where to Buy in the US
- Asian Grocery Stores
- Japanese grocery stores like Marukai stock Hakodate-style shio ramen kits and dried kombu.
- Online
- Yamasa and Ohsawa shio tare available via Amazon; Sun Noodle thin straight noodles available online.
- Whole Foods
- Maine Coast Sea Vegetables kombu and high-quality sea salt for scratch shio broth.
- Specialty
- Korin NYC and JapanCentre.com stock artisan shio ramen components.
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Shio Ramen Essentials
Nissin Raoh Shio Ramen
Air-dried thin noodles with a delicate salt broth — closest to authentic shio available in the US.
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Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Kombu
Atlantic kombu for building an authentic dashi-shio base.
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Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
Clean, mineral-forward finishing salt to season your shio tare.
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