Thanksgiving is celebrated in the U.S. annually. Other countries celebrate this day as well. For instance, Canada does, but they celebrate it on a different day than the U.S. does. In 1957, Canada proclaimed Thanksgiving to be held on the second Monday during October, which in the U.S. is Columbus Day. For the U.S., the holiday is held on the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving is more than just a patriotic holiday, and for Christians, it’s a day to thank and praise God for all their blessings. It became a national holiday back in 1863. It’s a day to spend with family and loved ones while enjoying delicious food, and typically football is on for the guys to watch.
Some families focus on making lavish meals and Thanksgiving menus containing lots of food. But, from mashed potatoes to turkey and green bean casserole, there’s something for everyone. And don’t forget about desserts in there as well.
After several days of preparation, hours cooking in the kitchen, and devouring a festive meal in minutes, Thanksgiving is often known as the holiday that puts everyone in a food coma. No matter how many times you revisit the table to get more food, there always seems to be leftovers you’re stuck wondering what to do with them. Some people are stuck with leftovers that’ll surely last them days.
Some people get rid of leftovers or send them home with their guests. But, there are several recipes you can incorporate your scraps into. Ramen noodle recipes are becoming a popular dish, and using that leftover turkey is just what these delicious recipes call for.
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Turkey Ramen Noodle Soup Shoyu Style
Shoyu is probably one of the most popular ramen types you’ll come across. Shoyu simply means soy sauce offering a clear and brown appeal to it. It gives off a rich and deep soy sauce aroma. You’ll find the taste is both salty and light with clear broth. Noodles used for this style of ramen noodle recipes are thin and curly. Shoyu is one of the oldest styles of ramen in Japan. Here’s a great recipe to try with this style of ramen cooking.
Ingredients for Shoyu Broth
- 4 c low-sodium turkey broth
- 1 tbsp dried seaweed (wakame)
- 1 tbsp bonito flakes
- ¼ c sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
Ingredients for Toppings
- ¼ c sliced leek
- ¾ c sliced shiitake mushrooms
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Two bunches of ramen noodles
- 5lbs sliced turkey breast
- One soft boiled egg
Directions
Shoyu Broth
- In a medium pot, heat turkey broth over medium-low heat. Add wakame, mirin, bonito flakes, soy sauce, and the sliced shiitake mushrooms and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Toppings
- Saute shiitake mushrooms in sesame oil over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in soy sauce and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Soft boil an egg or two for about 6 minutes. While you peel your egg, start boiling your ramen for several minutes. Drain your noodles once fully cooked.
- Strain the broth and divide between a few bowls. Add in the noodles and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Turkey Ramen Miso Style
Miso ramen is another excellent way to make turkey ramen. Originally from Hokkaido, miso features a strong flavor as miso paste is used rather than soybeans. Miso paste is both tangy and creamy. The broth used is typically pork or chicken and offers a rich taste, making this a filling meal. Flavor can change depending on the flavor of miso paste used, making miso ramen extremely versatile for any ingredients you choose to use. If you’re looking for a turkey ramen recipe that suits this style, try this one.
Ingredients
Broth
- Turkey carcass from a 12 to 14-pound turkey
- Two diced and peeled carrots
- 1 gallon of water
- One lemon, cut in half
- Five cloves of garlic
- One 2-inch piece of ginger
- Large, diced onion
For Eggs
- Four cold eggs
- ¾ c water
- ¼ cup of rice vinegar
- ¼ c of low-sodium soy sauce
For Ramen Bowl
- 2 tbsp miso
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Prepared eggs
- 2 ½ tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp distilled water
- a couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce
- 12-ounces ramen noodles
- 2 cups leftover turkey from the carcass you used to make the stock
For Serving
- Two chopped scallions
- 1 tsp lime juice from 1 lime
- 2 c arugula
- Thinly sliced carrots
Instructions
- Take off 2 cups of turkey from the carcass and save it for the soup. Break down your carcass into pieces and put them in a large pot along with carrots, onions, garlic, daikon radish, lemon halves, and ginger. Add in enough water to cover your ingredients by 1 inch and boil. Let this stock simmer for 4 hours, or until aromatic, remembering to skim off the foam that might arise. Let the stock cool and pour through a mesh sieve which helps get rid of solids. Allow the stock to cool off slightly before you put it through a mesh sieve. You can choose to make this turkey stock ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and freezer.
For Your Eggs
- Boil a pot of water and lower your eggs into the water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the eggs to cook for 6 minutes.
- While your eggs are cooking, whisk the vinegar, soy sauce, and water in a large bowl. After the eggs cook, transfer them to ice water to help cool off. Keep them in ice water for 3 minutes.
- Crack the eggshells while under running water and begin peeling them away carefully. Submerge the eggs in the marinade for a minimum of 6 hours. Some choose to leave them in it overnight.
Putting the Bowl Together
Bring the 8 cups of stock to a boil and add in miso, soy sauce, fish sauce, hot sauce, and vinegar. Add in your ramen noodles and discard the flavor packet included. Boil until the noodles are tender but still a little firm. This averages about 3 minutes. Add in your leftover turkey and heat until desired temperature.
Serving
Divide your ramen noodles, turkey, and broth into four different bowls. Top your ramen with carrots, eggs, arugula, and scallions.
Leftover Tantan 10-Minute Turkey Ramen Bowl Recipe
Some people will separate ramen into four different categories: Shoyu, Tonkutsu, Miso, and Shio. However, Tantan ramen is a more popular choice and offers some spice and additional Chinese ingredients, making it ideal for people who enjoy spicy foods.
This ramen is often a Japanese take from the Chinese dish DanDan noodles. It uses miso paste and incorporates sesame oil, spicy oils, soy milky, and meat of choice. This thick soup is red and gives this ramen dish a stew-like consistency and flavor that is salty and spicy. It’s rich and thick, making this ramen rather popular among most people.
For Seasoning Sauce (Tare)
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp Japanese soup base sauce, Tsuyu (you can use ½ tsp hondashi and 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce)
For Meat
- Three garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp chili oil, or you can use your favorite cooking oil
- 1 oz chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp Chinese chili bean paste (toban Dijon)
- ½ lb leftover turkey
For Soup
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon/powder
- 2 c unsweetened soy sauce or you can use cashew milk
- 1 c water
For Noodles and Toppings
- Two portions of ramen noodles of your choice (frozen, fresh, or dried)
- A handful of beansprouts
- ½ ramen egg
- Sansyo powder and sesame seed (optional)
- 1 or 2 chopped green onions
- One baby bok choy (cut the bottoms off and separate each of the leaves)
Instructions
- Add all the tare ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Set to the side.
- In a medium-sized pot, combine the soy milk, chicken powder, and water. Cover while bringing to a light boil. Observe it as it can be easy to boil over at times. Bring an additional pot of water to a boil.
- Over high heat, place a wok over it and add ginger, garlic, and chili oil. Stir fry it together until you can smell the aromas. When you can smell the aromas, add in the oyster sauce and the toban Dijon. Stir fry for an additional 45 seconds to 1-minute max. Add in the turkey and stir it in with the sauce for 1 minute. Splash the rice wine into the wok and stir fry for 3 or 4 minutes. Make sure there is no moisture and the turkey is heated up thoroughly. Remove from the burner and keep it warm.
- Add salt to the boiling water and add the bok choy—blanch for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the water and drain. Set aside.
- Drop the ramen noodles into the pot you boiled the bok choy in—cook the ramen per the instructions on the package. If you are using frozen or fresh noodles, cook one portion at a time. Meanwhile, combine half of the tare and half of the hot broth into a bowl while the noodles are cooking.
- Drain your ramen noodles and add them to the bowl. Stir your noodles to coat them evenly with broth. Top your ramen noodles with bok choy, your turkey, chili oil if you want more heat, sesame seeds, green onions, beansprouts, and the sansyo powder.
What is Ramen?
Ramen is a noodle soup originating in Japan. It’s made with rich flavored broths, one of the many types of ramen noodles, and then a selection of vegetables or meats. There’s often a boiled egg served on top. Ramen is most often known in Japan for being fast food, and many restaurants are serving up different variations of this dish. You’ll also see it being served by street vendors as you walk down the street.
There are different variations available regarding this type of dish all over Japan. Each style is based on having a noodle and broth concept. You can make several ramen dishes using that leftover turkey, so enjoy getting creative in the kitchen with these Thanksgiving Day leftover turkey recipes.
Common Ramen Toppings to Choose From
There are so many different toppings you can choose to use on your ramen. This helps switch the flavor up and adds variety to your ramen bowl. If you’re looking for something new to add to your next ramen dish, consider some of the following choices:
- Negi (Leek)
- Eggs
- Char Siu Pork
- Menma
- Seaweed
- Bean sprouts
- Wood ear mushrooms
- Corn and butter
- Beni Shoga (Pickled in plum vinegar, Beni Shoga is reddish-colored ginger that adds a robust sour flavor to your dish.)
Common Side Dishes to Serve with Ramen
You’ll find that there are several sides that people pair with their ramen. There are many to choose from, and here are just a few you might want to consider.
Beer
Similar to how people love pizza and beer, Japanese people will often drink beer with their ramen, especially after a hard day’s work.
Gyoza
Gyoza, or fried dumplings, is a popular side you’ll see served with ramen. Whether garlic or pork-filled, these dumplings are greasy and dipped in soy sauce and a vinegar mixture.
Chashu Don
Chashu is commonly placed on top of ramen. Some people even put it on a bed of rice as a side dish. This rice and braised pork combination is both delicious and filling.
Fried Rice
Fried rice is a common Chinese staple food and is often an excellent side dish with your ramen. It helps add to the Chinese ambiance.
Plain White Rice
Many ramen shops will serve you a side of rice with your ramen bowl. While it sounds like a significant carb overload, it’s popular in Japanese culture.
No matter what part of Japan you plan on visiting in your future travels, you’ll find a wide variety of ramen. Some regions use different meats and vegetables for stock, and others will have fresh local ingredients for you to choose from. Ramen is excellent comfort food, and with so many variations to choose from, you’ll surely never run out of amazing and unique ramen bowl ideas.
