What Is Taiwan Ramen?

Taiwan Ramen is one of Japan’s great naming paradoxes: the dish has nothing to do with Taiwan. It was invented in Nagoya in the 1970s by Kuo Ming-you (郭明優), a Taiwanese-born chef who ran the now-legendary restaurant Misen (味仙). Inspired by a Taiwanese pork stir-fry called zha jiang (肉燥, ròu zào), he cranked up the heat with doubanjiang — spicy fermented bean paste — and ladled the fiery minced pork topping over noodles in a light soy-based broth. The result became so beloved across Nagoya that Taiwan Ramen is now recognized as a Nagoya B-kyu gourmet (local comfort food) icon, served everywhere from family restaurants to late-night ramen shops.

If you’ve ever ordered it in Japan and wondered “why is this called Taiwan?”, you now have your answer. If you’ve been looking for a great bowl to cook at home on a weeknight — spicy, deeply savory, and ready in 30 minutes — you’ve also found your recipe.

What Is Taiwan Ramen?

Despite its name, Taiwan Ramen (台湾ラーメン, Taiwan Rāmen) is a Nagoya dish through and through. The story begins in the early 1970s at Misen, a Chinese restaurant in Nagoya’s Chikusa ward. Kuo Ming-you, the restaurant’s founder and a native of Taiwan, was making a version of danzai mian (担仔麺) — a Taiwanese noodle dish featuring pork mince, noodles, and broth — when he started adding more and more doubanjiang to satisfy Japanese customers’ taste for bold, spicy flavors. The result was spicier, richer, and saucier than the original Taiwanese dish. He named it “Taiwan” as a nod to his homeland and the Taiwanese culinary influence, not because the dish exists anywhere in Taiwan.

Misen’s Taiwan Ramen grew into a Nagoya institution over the following decades. The restaurant now operates multiple locations, and “Taiwan Minchi” (台湾ミンチ, the spiced ground pork topping) has taken on a life of its own — you’ll find it on pizza, rice bowls, and pasta throughout the Nagoya food scene. Outside Japan, the dish is little known, which makes it a genuinely exciting cook for any ramen enthusiast who wants to go beyond the familiar tonkotsu or shoyu.

Disclaimer: Misen (味仙) is a registered trademark of the restaurant group. This article is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Misen in any way. This is an independent home-cook recipe inspired by the Nagoya style.

Ingredients (2 Servings)

Taiwan Minchi (Spicy Minced Pork Topping)

• 200 g (7 oz) ground pork (at least 20% fat for best flavor)
• 1 tbsp doubanjiang / spicy bean paste (李錦記 Lee Kum Kee or similar)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sake (or dry sherry)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp sesame oil (finishing)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (for frying)

Soy Broth (per 2 bowls)

• 600 ml (2½ cups) chicken stock (low-sodium store-bought or homemade)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (Japanese light soy preferred)
• 1 tsp mirin (or ½ tsp sugar)
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Noodles & Toppings

• 2 portions (approx. 200 g / 7 oz) fresh ramen noodles or thin Chinese egg noodles
• 100 g (3.5 oz) bean sprouts (moyashi)
• 50 g (1.7 oz) nira (garlic chives) — about a small handful, cut into 2-inch / 5 cm lengths
• 2 egg yolks (optional — see safety note below)
• Togarashi / chili flakes for extra heat (optional)

Ingredient Swaps for Overseas Home Cooks

Making Taiwan Minchi (Spicy Minced Pork)

Taiwan Minchi is the soul of this dish — a punchy, savory-spicy pork mixture with deep umami from the doubanjiang and oyster sauce. Make it first; it keeps well in the fridge for 3 days and actually improves the next day as the flavors meld.

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics

Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Don’t let them brown — you want them softened and aromatic, not bitter.

Step 2: Brown the Pork

Add the ground pork to the pan. Break it up with a spatula and cook over high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pork is fully cooked through and starting to develop some golden-brown edges. Internal temperature should reach 71°C (160°F / USDA minimum for ground pork). Drain any excess fat if the pork is very fatty.

Step 3: Add the Doubanjiang and Season

Push the pork to one side of the pan. Add the doubanjiang directly to the hot part of the pan and fry it for 20–30 seconds — this blooms the chili paste and deepens its flavor significantly. Then stir it into the pork. Add the oyster sauce, sake, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together and cook for 1–2 more minutes until the sauce coats the pork and the mixture is glossy. Remove from heat and drizzle over the sesame oil. Taste and adjust salt or heat (more doubanjiang or a pinch of chili flakes).

Making the Soy Broth

Taiwan Ramen’s broth is intentionally light and clean — a simple soy-seasoned chicken stock that lets the boldness of the Taiwan Minchi shine without competing. This is not a tonkotsu; think of it as a refined dashi-like backdrop.

Step 1: Combine and Heat

Pour the chicken stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. Stir and taste. The broth should be pleasantly savory and slightly sweet, with a light sesame fragrance in the background. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Step 2: Blanch the Toppings

Keep the broth at a low simmer. Add the bean sprouts and nira to the broth for 45–60 seconds — just long enough to wilt them slightly while preserving their crunch and color. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the broth hot.

Assembly

Good ramen assembly is about speed and layering. Have everything ready before the noodles go into the water.

Step 1: Cook the Noodles

Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions, but subtract 30 seconds — they will continue cooking briefly in the hot broth. Fresh noodles typically take 1–2 minutes; dried thin egg noodles take 3–4 minutes. Drain well.

Step 2: Build the Bowl

1. Ladle hot broth (about 300 ml / 1¼ cups per bowl) into warmed ramen bowls.
2. Add the drained noodles.
3. Spoon a generous mound of Taiwan Minchi over the noodles — about 3–4 tbsp per bowl.
4. Arrange the blanched bean sprouts and nira alongside the minchi.
5. If using raw egg yolk, make a small nest in the centre of the minchi and nestle one yolk in it.
6. Finish with a light dusting of togarashi or chili flakes for color and extra heat if desired.

Variations

Taiwan Mazesoba (Brothless Taiwan Noodles)

Mazesoba (混ぜそば, “mixed noodles”) is the no-broth sibling of ramen, and Taiwan Minchi works brilliantly as the sauce for a mazesoba bowl. Cook and drain the noodles, then toss them in a bowl with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp rice vinegar. Pile the Taiwan Minchi on top with nira, bean sprouts, and a raw egg yolk, then mix vigorously at the table before eating. The yolk and the pork fat create a silky, self-basting sauce that coats every strand.

Taiwan Rice Bowl (Taiwan-don / 台湾丼)

This is arguably the quickest weeknight application for Taiwan Minchi. Serve a generous scoop over steamed short-grain rice, top with a soft-fried or poached egg, and add a few pickled ginger slices on the side. It takes about 10 minutes once you have the minchi ready — and the minchi freezes perfectly in 100 g portions, so batch-cooking on weekends is highly recommended.

Recommended Items

These three items will make Taiwan Ramen — and many other spicy noodle dishes — significantly easier and more enjoyable to cook at home.

FAQ

Q: Is Taiwan Ramen actually popular in Taiwan?

A: No — Taiwan Ramen as described in this article is essentially unknown in Taiwan. It is a Nagoya-born dish created by a Taiwanese chef as an adaptation of Taiwanese braised pork noodles, but it evolved into something distinctly Japanese in flavor profile (much spicier, soy-forward). If you visit Nagoya, you can find it everywhere. If you visit Taiwan, you’ll find danzai mian and ròu zào fan (braised pork rice), which are the dishes that inspired it.

Q: Can I make Taiwan Ramen less spicy?

A: Absolutely. The heat level is entirely controlled by how much doubanjiang you use. Start with ½ tbsp for a mild version, or substitute a non-spicy miso paste and add just a pinch of chili flakes for a very gentle heat. The rest of the dish’s savory depth comes from the oyster sauce and soy sauce, so the flavor is still rich even with minimal chili.

Q: What’s the difference between doubanjiang and gochujang?

A: Doubanjiang (豆板醤) is a Chinese fermented spicy bean paste made from broad beans, soybeans, salt, and chili. Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste made primarily from red chili, glutinous rice, and soybeans. Both are fermented and spicy, but doubanjiang has a more savory-salty profile with a distinct fermented funk, while gochujang is sweeter and fruitier. For Taiwan Ramen, doubanjiang is the authentic choice. In a pinch, use gochujang plus a small amount of white miso to approximate the flavor.

Q: Can I make the Taiwan Minchi in advance?

A: Yes, and we recommend it. Taiwan Minchi tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop and meld. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, warm in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water or chicken stock to loosen the mixture and prevent it from drying out. Always reheat to 71°C / 160°F before serving.

← Back to: The Complete Guide to Homemade Ramen (All 11 Styles)

📝 About this recipe: This recipe was independently developed by the HowToCook.jp editorial team based on widely known cooking techniques and ingredient combinations. It is not an official recipe from any specific chef, cookbook author, or restaurant. Sources listed below were consulted for cooking technique and food safety information.

Sources & References / 出典・参考

1. Nagoya City Tourism Bureau — “Nagoya Gourmet” official guide, nagoya-info.jp. Describes Taiwan Ramen as a representative Nagoya B-kyu gourmet dish. nagoya-info.jp/en/gourmet/
2. Japan Guide — Ramen in Japan: A Complete Guide to Types and Regional Variations. japan-guide.com/e/e2342.html
3. Kikkoman Corporation — “Doubanjiang: How to Use Spicy Bean Paste,” kikkoman.co.jp/homecook/tsushin/. Practical guide to doubanjiang in Japanese home cooking, covering flavor profile, substitution, and storage. kikkoman.co.jp/homecook/
4. Healthline — “Safe Internal Temperature for Pork.” Guidance on safe pork cooking temperatures including ground pork at 160°F (71°C). healthline.com
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — “Have Food Allergies? Read the Label.” Consumer guidance on major food allergens including wheat, eggs, soy, and sesame. fda.gov
6. NHK World-Japan — “Nagoya: Japan’s Underrated Food City.” Features Taiwan Ramen and Misen restaurant in context of Nagoya’s distinctive food culture. nhk.or.jp/nhkworld
7. Sudachi Recipes — Taiwan Ramen (Spicy Nagoya Style Ramen) — Detailed English recipe covering the spicy minced pork (Taiwan Minchi), dashi-based broth, and Chinese chive topping technique for Nagoya-style Taiwan ramen.
8. Dinner By Dennis — Nagoya Style Ramen (Spicy Taiwan Ramen) — Homemade recipe with step-by-step instructions for the broth, doubanjiang-seasoned pork mince, and assembly of this Nagoya specialty.

情報の最終確認日 / Last verified: February 2026

あわせて読みたい

※本記事にはAmazonアソシエイトプログラムの広告リンクが含まれます。
商品を購入された場合、当サイトに一定の報酬が発生することがあります。