How Long Does It Take to Make Ramen from Scratch?

Quick Answer

Making authentic ramen completely from scratch — broth, noodles, tare, and toppings — requires 12–18 hours of total time spread across 1–2 days. The broth is the most time-intensive component at 8–16 hours, while handmade alkaline noodles take about 1–2 hours including resting.

Time Breakdown by Component

Component	Active Time	Total Time (with passive)	Can Make Ahead?
Tonkotsu broth	1–2 hours	12–16 hours	Yes (3 days)
Shoyu/shio broth	1 hour	4–8 hours	Yes (5 days)
Tare (seasoning base)	20–30 minutes	20–30 minutes	Yes (2 weeks)
Handmade noodles	30–45 minutes	1.5–2 hours (with rest)	Yes (2 days)
Chashu pork	20 minutes	2–3 hours	Yes (4 days)
Soft-boiled eggs (ajitama)	10 minutes	4–24 hours (marinate)	Yes (3 days)
Assembly	10–15 minutes	10–15 minutes	No

Broth: The Longest Step

The broth defines the ramen style and requires the most patience.

Tonkotsu (Pork Bone Broth)

The most time-intensive broth, tonkotsu requires a hard rolling boil to extract collagen and fat from pork bones, creating its signature creamy white appearance:

• Blanching bones: 30 minutes (boil, rinse, scrub)
• Main simmer: 8–16 hours at a vigorous boil
• Optimal time: 12 hours produces excellent body and richness

Shoyu/Shio (Clear Broth)

Chicken-based clear broths are faster but still require time:

• Chicken + dashi combination: 4–6 hours at a gentle simmer
• Double soup (chintan): 6–8 hours for a complex layered broth

Miso Broth

Miso broth uses a standard chicken or pork broth as the base (4–8 hours), with miso paste stirred in at the end — never boiled, which takes just 5 minutes.

Handmade Noodles

Authentic ramen noodles use an alkaline ingredient (kansui or baked baking soda) that gives them their characteristic yellow color, springy texture, and wheaty aroma:

1. Mixing dough: 10–15 minutes — flour, water, salt, and kansui
2. Kneading: 10–15 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer
3. Resting: 30–60 minutes minimum (overnight is better)
4. Rolling and cutting: 15–20 minutes with a pasta machine

Total: about 1.5–2 hours including rest time.

Toppings Preparation

Classic ramen toppings each have their own timeline:

• Chashu (braised pork belly): Roll, sear, and braise for 2–3 hours, then cool
• Ajitama (marinated eggs): Soft-boil for 6.5 minutes, peel, and marinate in soy-mirin mixture for 4–24 hours
• Menma (bamboo shoots): If making from scratch, several days of fermentation; store-bought takes 10 minutes to season
• Negi (green onions): 5 minutes to slice
• Nori, corn, butter: Ready to go

Realistic 2-Day Schedule

Most home ramen cooks spread the work over two days:

Day 1 (4–16 hours):

• Start broth in the morning
• Prepare chashu in the afternoon
• Make tare
• Start marinating eggs in the evening

Day 2 (2–3 hours):

• Make noodle dough, rest, roll, and cut
• Strain and season broth
• Prepare remaining toppings
• Assemble and serve

Shortcut Options

If 12–18 hours feels daunting, you can significantly reduce the time:

• Pressure cooker broth: Cuts tonkotsu down to 2–4 hours
• Store-bought noodles: Saves 1.5–2 hours (Sun Noodle is an excellent brand)
• Quick chashu: Slice pork and pan-fry for 15 minutes instead of braising
• Instant Pot: Full broth in 3–4 hours with comparable results