A good bowl of ramen is several small jobs done well: broth, tare, noodles, oil and toppings, all ready at the same moment. Any restaurant line works that way, which is why a ramen book is really a book about planning. The best ones tell you what you can make ahead and what you can skip.
This guide gives eight books from named authors at established publishers, from long-simmered broth to dressing up a packet. We have not cooked from them, and we say which picks rest on the publisher’s details. Few of these books have a review we could read directly, and we say so where that applies.
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Quick verdict: the best ramen cookbook to start with
Start with Brian MacDuckston’s Ramen at Home, with over 100 recipes built around each part of the bowl. If you want a gentler first book in hardcover, choose Makiko Sano’s Ramen. If your ramen starts with a packet, choose Peter J. Kim’s Instant Ramen Kitchen.
Five ramen books side by side
Five of the eight, one for each kind of cook. All eight are described in full below.
| Pick | Best for | Recipes | Length | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ramen at Home, Brian MacDuckstonBest overall
|
A full home ramen course | Over 100 | 218 pages, paperback | View on Amazon |
Ramen, Makiko SanoBest for beginners
|
Getting started, with range | 80 | 176 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Ramen, Tove NilssonBest for slow broth
|
Weekend broth projects | 50 | 152 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Instant Ramen Kitchen, Peter J. KimBest for instant noodles
|
Ten-minute improvising | 40+ | 248 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
| Plant-based bowls from scratch | 50 | 118 pages, paperback | View on Amazon |
Our picks for the best ramen cookbook, book by book
1. Ramen at Home, Brian MacDuckston – Broth, Noodles and Toppings Covered
Brian MacDuckston lives in Japan and documents his ramen eating and cooking on his website and YouTube channel, according to the publisher, which also says he runs ramen tours. The book has over 100 recipes covering broths, noodles, toppings, bowls and sides, so you can build a bowl in parts instead of following one long recipe.
That structure is why it comes first. Ramen is an assembly job, and a restaurant line works the same way: each part is ready before the bowl gets built. The book also has a beginner’s guide, step-by-step instructions and sidebars on choosing ramen and on Japanese food culture, per the publisher.
It is a plain paperback, not a showpiece. We did not read a review, so this pick rests on the publisher and the author’s record.
Why we like it
- Over 100 recipes, per the publisher
- Covers each part of the bowl
- A beginner’s guide up front
- Author writes about ramen from Japan
Key specifications
| Author | Brian MacDuckston |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Callisto |
| Format | Paperback |
| Published | December 2017 |
| Pages | 218 |
| Recipes | Over 100 |
| Focus | Home ramen from scratch |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a cook who wants to learn the parts of a bowl and then mix them freely.
Skip it if you want a large, photo-led hardcover, or just want to dress up a packet.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Largest recipe count here
- Built by component
- Good for new and experienced cooks, per the publisher
Cons
- No review we read
- Paperback only, as far as we checked
2. Ramen, Makiko Sano – A Friendly First Book
Makiko Sano was born in Tokyo and runs Suzu House, a Japanese restaurant, sushi school and catering company in London, according to her publisher. The book has 80 recipes by its title, and the copy calls it beginner-friendly for all tastes and skill levels. It covers the basics of broths and noodles, plus add-ons you can adapt.
The range goes from a light shoyu mushroom ramen to chashu pork and slow-cooked tonkotsu, along with Korean-style bowls with kimchi and gochutgaru and quick recipes built on instant noodles. That spread means you can start with a weeknight bowl and work up to a long simmer from the same book.
The publisher quotes Stanley Tucci calling it “Absolutely brilliant,” which is praise we read only through the publisher. Publishers Weekly shows no review at this ISBN. With a London-based author, check a preview for measurements if you cook in cups.
Why we like it
- 80 recipes, by its title
- Quick bowls and long simmers
- Author runs a Japanese cooking school
- Korean-style options too
Key specifications
| Author | Makiko Sano |
|---|---|
| Publisher | OH, on the listing |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Published | June 2023 |
| Pages | 176 |
| Recipes | 80 |
| Focus | Easy bowls and broths |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a new ramen cook who wants easy wins first and a few bigger projects for later.
Skip it if you want a deep treatment of a single ramen style.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Hardcover with broad range
- Clear beginner focus, per the publisher
- Author teaches Japanese cooking
Cons
- No independent review we read
- Measurements not confirmed for US kitchens
3. Ramen, Tove Nilsson – For Long-Simmered Broth
Tove Nilsson is a Swedish chef and food writer who traveled through New York, London, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo in search of ramen, according to the publisher. The copy puts weight on broth, with layers built from seaweed, miso, dried mushrooms and fish, and on meat simmered for up to 48 hours.
There are 50 recipes, including homemade broths and noodles, soy-marinated eggs and slow-cooked toppings. Side dishes are included too, such as gyoza, pickles, okonomiyaki and tempura, so one book can cover a whole ramen night.
Be honest with yourself about the time. A two-day broth is a weekend project, and the title’s “Japanese-inspired” tells you this is one chef’s traveling take. We did not read a review, and we could not confirm US measurements, so check a preview.
Why we like it
- 50 recipes, per the publisher
- Homemade broths and noodles
- Side dishes for a full meal
- Author traveled widely for the subject
Key specifications
| Author | Tove Nilsson |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Pavilion |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Published | September 2017 |
| Pages | 152 |
| Recipes | 50 |
| Focus | Slow broths and side dishes |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits the cook who enjoys a long simmer and wants gyoza and pickles on the table with the bowl.
Skip it if you need dinner in thirty minutes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Serious about broth
- Includes sides
- Hardcover
Cons
- Fewer recipes than the top picks
- Long simmers take planning
- Measurements not confirmed
4. Instant Ramen Kitchen, Peter J. Kim – The Packet, Taken Seriously
Peter J. Kim was the founding director of the Museum of Food and Drink and hosted Food52’s podcast Counterjam, according to his publisher. His book treats instant ramen as a blank canvas for learning to improvise. It has 40-plus recipes, a method for building on any packet, a flavor wheel, pantry suggestions and a field guide to ramen varieties.
The dishes travel a long way, including Xi’an-style Cumin Lamb Ramen, Budae Jjigae, Ramen alla Marinara and a B.E.C. Ramen. The publisher reports recognition from Bon Appétit, Epicurious and Wired, and quotes The Washington Post: “Where some might see a cheap, ubiquitous food product, Kim sees a world of possibilities and wonder.” We read those only through the publisher.
This has nothing to do with simmering pork bones, and that is the point. If your ramen life already comes from a packet, this book meets you there and teaches some real kitchen thinking along the way.
Why we like it
- 40-plus recipes, per the publisher
- A method that works with any packet
- A flavor wheel and pantry guide
- Press recognition, per the publisher
Key specifications
| Author | Peter J. Kim |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Chronicle Books |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Published | September 2025 |
| Pages | 248 |
| Recipes | 40+ |
| Focus | Instant ramen and improvising |
| Named review | Quoted by publisher only |
Why we recommend it
It suits students, parents and any cook who wants a fast bowl and a reason to experiment.
Skip it if you want to make broth and noodles from scratch.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Fast meals
- Teaches improvising
- Works from a pantry staple
Cons
- Fewest recipes among the hardcovers
- Not a from-scratch ramen book
- No independent review we read directly
5. Kawaii Café Ramen, Amy Kimoto-Kahn – Make-Ahead Bases for Families
Amy Kimoto-Kahn is a fourth-generation Japanese-American who graduated from the Miyajima Ramen School in Osaka and taught Asian-inspired classes for Williams-Sonoma, according to the publisher. This book has over 60 recipes, illustrated in an anime style, which sets it apart from everything else here.
The useful part sits under the cute cover. It covers four soup bases, homemade and store-bought noodles, and make-ahead bases for weeknight family meals. There is pork, chicken, beef, seafood, vegetarian and spicy ramen, as well as cold ramen and a breakfast version with bacon and a poached egg.
At 128 pages it is the most compact hardcover here. Her earlier book Simply Ramen showed only limited stock when we checked, so we chose this one. We did not read a review.
Why we like it
- Over 60 recipes, per the publisher
- Four make-ahead soup bases
- Anime-style illustrations
- Author trained at a ramen school
Key specifications
| Author | Amy Kimoto-Kahn |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Rock Point |
| Format | Paper over board |
| Published | January 2025 |
| Pages | 128 |
| Recipes | Over 60 |
| Focus | Family ramen with soup bases |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a family that wants ramen on a weeknight, or a young cook drawn in by the art.
Skip it if you want photographs of each dish. We could confirm illustrations, not photos.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Make-ahead approach
- Wide range of proteins
- Fun format
Cons
- Compact
- No independent review we read
- Style will not suit everyone
6. Vegan Ramen, Armon Pakdel and Zoe Lichlyter – Rich Bowls Without Pork
Rich ramen without pork is the hard problem this book takes on. The publisher asks, “how do you make tonkotsu ramen rich and delicious without pork?” and says the book builds its recipes from the ground up rather than leaning on the usual vegan swaps.
It covers the five parts of a bowl, with base recipes for oil, tare, broth, noodles and toppings, then adds ramen recipes, side dishes and drinks. The subtitle gives 50 recipes. We could not find an author biography on the page we read, so we can’t tell you about the authors’ backgrounds.
It is the shortest book here at 118 pages, and it is the second pick from Callisto, so treat it as a focused specialist, not a first ramen book for most kitchens. It rests on the publisher’s description.
Why we like it
- 50 recipes, by its subtitle
- Explains the five parts of a bowl
- Vegan tonkotsu and shio styles
- Sides and drinks included
Key specifications
| Author | Armon Pakdel, Zoe Lichlyter |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Callisto |
| Format | Paperback |
| Published | December 2021 |
| Pages | 118 |
| Recipes | 50 |
| Focus | Plant-based ramen |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a vegan cook, or anyone feeding one, who wants real depth in the broth.
Skip it if you eat meat and want a general ramen book. Ramen at Home does more for you.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Focused on the hard problem
- Base recipes you can reuse
- Short and direct
Cons
- Shortest book here
- Author details not confirmed
- No review we read
7. 101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles, Toni Patrick – Cheap Packets, New Ideas
Toni Patrick has appeared on Food Network and also wrote 101 Things to Do With Mac & Cheese, according to Gibbs Smith. This new edition has a refreshed design and 101 recipes that use packaged ramen as an ingredient, not as a soup base alone.
The publisher names Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, Ramen Burgers, Pork Chop Ramen and Ramen Nachos. As you can tell from that list, this is casual American home cooking and has little to do with Japanese ramen shops. We would say so plainly to anyone buying it for that reason.
It has the fewest pretensions of any pick here, and that’s its appeal in a dorm or a first apartment. We did not read a review, so this pick rests on the publisher.
Why we like it
- 101 recipes, per the publisher
- Uses an affordable pantry staple
- Short, at 128 pages
- Ideas beyond soup
Key specifications
| Author | Toni Patrick |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Gibbs Smith |
| Format | Paperback |
| Published | April 2023 |
| Pages | 128 |
| Recipes | 101 |
| Focus | Casual dishes from packaged ramen |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a student or a family looking for quick ideas from the pantry.
Skip it if you want Japanese ramen. This book is about using the noodles in other dishes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Many ideas in a small book
- Simple ingredients
- Works in a basic kitchen
Cons
- Not Japanese ramen
- No review we read
- Novelty dishes will not suit every cook
8. Prison Ramen, Clifton Collins Jr. and Gustavo “Goose” Alvarez – Recipes With Hard Stories
This is the odd one out, and we include it because it is unlike any other book on the subject. Actor Clifton Collins Jr. and Gustavo “Goose” Alvarez, a former California inmate, collect ramen recipes and firsthand stories from inmates and from names including Slash and Danny Trejo. Samuel L. Jackson wrote the foreword.
The recipes are hacks that turn a packet into dishes such as Hit Man Burritos, Sloppy Ramen Joe and Onion Tortilla Ramen Soup. The publisher frames it around how a little commissary money can change a meal, which gives the cooking some weight. We could not find a recipe count.
Read it for the stories first and the food second. It is a real book from Workman, but it is not one to learn cooking from. We did not read a review.
Why we like it
- First-person stories with the recipes
- Inventive use of a packet
- Foreword by Samuel L. Jackson
- Unlike the other books here
Key specifications
| Author | Clifton Collins Jr., Gustavo “Goose” Alvarez |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Workman Publishing |
| Format | Paperback |
| Published | November 2015 |
| Pages | 176 |
| Recipes | Not stated |
| Focus | Stories and packet recipes |
| Named review | None read |
Why we recommend it
It suits a reader who likes food writing with a story, or someone looking for an unusual gift.
Skip it if you want to learn to cook ramen, or the subject of prison life does not appeal to you.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Memorable stories
- Fun recipe names
- Interesting gift
Cons
- Not a cooking course
- Recipe count not stated
- Subject matter is not for everyone
Where the well-known ramen books went
You may notice a few famous titles missing. Ivan Orkin’s Ivan Ramen and the comic-style Let’s Make Ramen! are on our best noodle cookbook page, and we do not list the same book twice across this site. Sho Spaeth’s Homemade Ramen is on our soup cookbook page, and Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat’s Japanese Soul Cooking is on our Japanese cookbook page.
Those are worth reading about before you buy here. This page is for what comes next, or for a cook who wants a different way in.
How to choose a ramen recipes book
The right book depends on how many hours you will really give to a bowl.
- From scratch or from a packet? Ramen at Home, Ramen by Tove Nilsson and Vegan Ramen build from the base. Instant Ramen Kitchen, 101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles and Prison Ramen start with the packet.
- How much time do you have? Nilsson’s copy talks about simmering for up to 48 hours. Kawaii Café Ramen leans on make-ahead bases, and Kim’s book talks about ten minutes.
- Do you need noodles from scratch? Most home cooks can buy good fresh noodles. Several of these books include noodle recipes if you want the project, but don’t let that stop you from starting with store-bought.
- Can you find the ingredients? Kombu, dried fish, miso and good soy sauce are the usual building blocks. An Asian grocery makes this easier, and we did not confirm substitutions for every book.
- Cups or grams? Some of these books come from authors or publishers based abroad, and we could not confirm the measures for every title. Check a preview if that matters to you.
- Meat or none? Vegan Ramen is the only fully plant-based book here. Kawaii Café Ramen has vegetarian options, and Sano’s book has a light mushroom bowl.
How we chose these eight ramen books
We searched Amazon’s book listings first and kept print editions from named authors at established publishers, plain in stock with a new lead offer sold by Amazon. Author, year, format and page count come from the listing. Recipe counts and descriptions come from publisher copy, on the publisher’s own site or carried by a bookseller. We have not cooked from any of these books.
Here is what stands behind each pick. Publishers Weekly shows no review for Ramen by Makiko Sano, Ramen by Tove Nilsson, Instant Ramen Kitchen, Kawaii Café Ramen or Prison Ramen. For Instant Ramen Kitchen and Sano’s Ramen, we read praise only through the publisher. Every pick here rests mainly on the publisher’s and author’s details, and you should weigh them that way.
Several books we would have liked to include showed only limited stock when we checked, including Amy Kimoto-Kahn’s Simply Ramen, Nell Benton’s Slurp, Ivan McCombs’s Insanely Good Ramen Meals and Ramen Obsession by Naomi Imatome-Yun and Robin Donovan, so they are worth a look if they come back. Two picks here come from Callisto, and we held it to that number even though it has more ramen titles.
Ramen cookbook questions, answered
Which ramen book is best for a complete beginner?
Ramen by Makiko Sano calls itself beginner-friendly and includes quick bowls. Ramen at Home has a beginner’s guide and step-by-step directions. If you have never cooked much, start with Instant Ramen Kitchen.
Do any of these teach homemade noodles?
Yes. The publishers of Ramen at Home, Nilsson’s Ramen and Vegan Ramen all mention noodles among the recipes, and Kawaii Café Ramen covers homemade and store-bought.
Which has the most recipes?
Ramen at Home says over 100, and 101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles says 101, though those are casual packet dishes. Sano’s book has 80 by its title.
Is there a vegan ramen cookbook worth buying?
Vegan Ramen is the only fully plant-based pick here. It says it builds from the ground up rather than relying on standard swaps. For more plant-based cooking, see our vegan cookbook guide.
Which is the best gift?
Instant Ramen Kitchen is pitched as a gift, and Prison Ramen is the one people will talk about. Kawaii Café Ramen suits a fan of anime-style art.
Which ramen book to buy first
Buy Ramen at Home first if you want to learn the whole bowl. Choose Sano’s Ramen for an easier start, Nilsson’s Ramen for long broths, Instant Ramen Kitchen for packets, Kawaii Café Ramen for family weeknights, Vegan Ramen for plant-based bowls, 101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles for a dorm and Prison Ramen for the stories. For more noodle cooking, go up to our best noodle cookbook guide.
And if you would rather let someone else cook tonight, see the menu or call to order.