How to Cool Ramen Down and Make It Less Spicy?

If you’ve been avoiding ramen because you are not a fan of strong and spicy flavors, it is not all lost, there is a solution to it. If you didn’t know how to cool ramenand make it taste less spicy, there are actually numerous ways you can tone down a Japanese dish, and they are all super quick, easy, and very efficient. Keep reading to find out helpful tips and tricks for milder ramen.

If you want to cool down your ramen and make it taste less spicy, you can achieve that by adding specific ingredients that will tone down the taste. For example, you can try adding milk or yogurt to the soup and even adding sugar to it. If you want to keep it simple and not change the taste too much, you can simply add more water to your broth.

Bowl of ramen

Cool Down Ramen and Dilute Spiciness By Adding Different Ingredients

Traditional Japanese ramen is known for its strong and rich taste, coming from numerous ingredients known for their distinguished flavors. The broth for ramen and numerous toppings give ramen an outstanding taste, but not all people adore it. Everyone has a different taste, some like ramen spicier, while others prefer a milder taste.

Luckily, ramen is a dish that can be moderated according to your taste by adding different ingredients and toppings to create the perfect blend. If you want to know how to reduce the spiciness of traditional ramen soup, consider reading the next few paragraphs.

Ramen bowl with eggs

Adding Dairy Is a Great Way to Cool Ramen Down

You might already know the trick that dairy products can reduce the spiciness of certain foods. If you try something really hot, drinking a glass of milk right after will help reduce the burning sensations. The same goes for spicy ramen.

If you wish to dilute your ramen and make it taste less spicy, try adding some dairy products to it, such as milk, yogurt, or sour cream. This will reduce the strong taste and provide a lighter texture.

How to Mix Dairy Into Your Ramen Soup?

Just pouring milk or yogurt over your cooked ramen might make the dish seem funny and ruin the taste. If you want to add dairy to your ramen, consider cooking them together to blend perfectly.

While cooking the broth, add dairy into the mixture and stir it well. Once the mixture is blended well, you can add the noodles and other toppings – and your mild ramen is ready to be served.

Glass of milk

Add Lemon Juice or Vinegar to Counteract Spiciness

If you are not a fan of dairy products or you are lactose intolerant, you might want to consider some different ways of diluting your ramen. You might be interested in trying out the famous Thai cuisine trick, which helps make ramen less spicy. 

Adding a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar to your ramen will make it taste less spicy. The acid from these ingredients will dilute the spiciness and make ramen more pleasant.

Lemons on a table

What Vegetables Should Be Used for Mild Ramen?

When preparing ramen, it is totally up to you to choose which ingredients you will use to get the desired flavor. Ramen seasonings and toppings that are typically used, such as pepper, wasabi, and kimchi, are all quite spicy.

Miso paste in ramen soups can also create a very strong taste. If you wish to dilute these harsh flavors, you can use some vegetables that provide a sweeter and milder essence. Sweeter toppings you should consider using for milder ramen are:

  • Cabbage,
  • Sweet corn,
  • Fried onions,
  • Eggs,
  • Peas,
  • Carrots.

Consider Adding More Water While Cooking the Ramen

Obviously, water is the best way to dilute any strong soup that is too salty or too hot. If you want to make your ramen milder, adding more unseasoned broth or water will do the trick. You can also determine how mild you want your soup to be. Even if you are not adding more vegetables to your ramen, adding water is still a great trick for toning down the taste and making the ramen milder.

 Kettle on the stove

Add Some Wine to the Broth – But Choose Carefully

Mixing wine into dishes is more European-style than Japanese cuisine. However, if you want to experiment with moderating your broth – this is a great idea. Wine can not only dilute the broth, reduce the sourness and spiciness, but also add a specific aroma that will elevate the entire dish.

When choosing which wine to pair with your noodles, be careful not to pick the one that will worsen the situation. Avoid high-alcoholic and fizzy wines, and focus on the ones with a sweeter tone. If you want to play it safe, you can try some of the wines from the chart below.

NameTypeOrigin
Moscato d’AstiSweet white wineItalian
Vintage PortSweet red winePortugal
Chateau Fontaine Cherry WineFruit wineFrance
Chateau Fontaine Cherry WineSweet rose wineFrance

Need One More Idea on How to Cool Ramen Down? Just Add Sugar

If none of the above-listed ideas are working for you, you can try one more trick –  add a pinch of sugar. You can use just the right amount that feels the best for you. If you don’t consume white sugar, you can choose some healthier sweeteners like stevia or coconut sugar, which are also great substitutes.

This way, you will undoubtedly achieve the perfect sweetness and a mild version of ramen soup. All the ideas we have listed above are great for making the best ramen, and you can choose the one that suits your taste the most. Don’t forget to have fun creating your unique version of ramen soup. Enjoy!