This easy beef ramen recipe is ready in 30 minutes, without the microwave or a seasoning packet. You’ll taste the homemade difference the second you slurp up that first noodle! These ramen noodles are beefy, savory, and a little spicy, cooked with tender veggies in a flavor-packed broth.
My favorite beef ramen recipe is a homage to my college days. Instant ramen was a lifeline back then (anyone else?), and to this day, I can’t resist a slurpy, saucy bowl of noodles. Luckily, I’ve leveled up my ramen noodles since my microwave era. My daughter Aleksandra is a huge fan of ramen noodles, especially my doctored-up versions, and that always inspires me to come up with new variations.
This homemade beef ramen is beefy, spicy, and warming from the inside out. Everything about it is just YUM. Between my peanut butter ramen, these chicken ramen noodles, and now this beef ramen recipe, there are so many ways to transform a packet of plain instant noodles into something 100% homemade and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Ramen Recipe
- Big flavor. The cooking broth is flavored with garlic, soy sauce, sweet chili, and sesame. Most of the liquid gets soaked up (hello, flavor!), and you end up with the silkiest noodles ever, tossed with juicy beef and veggies.
- Quick and easy. Yes, you can make a fast and tasty weeknight bowl of ramen noodles without a microwave or a seasoning packet. This beef ramen comes together in 30 minutes with very little effort on the stovetop.
- Adaptable. You can really play around with the ingredients and flavors in this beef ramen recipe. Change up the protein, make it spicier, or add more veggies– it’s totally customizable depending on what you and your family like. I share some easy suggestions later on.
Recipe Ingredients
This ramen recipe is more like a saucy takeout noodle bowl, and less like a soup-style Japanese ramen (if that’s your jam, though, you might like this soba noodle soup).
I cook my instant noodles in a mouthwatering broth that gets soaked up along the way. It takes very simple ingredients to make! Here’s what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list of ingredients.
- Oil – I use vegetable oil to saute the meat and veggies. You can opt for any mild-flavored cooking oil you have on hand in the kitchen.
- Ground Beef – Lean ground beef makes this recipe super easy. See below for more ideas.
- Seasonings – Salt and pepper, plus garlic powder or onion powder.
- Veggies – Carrots and bell peppers, sliced julienne (matchstick) style. I throw some scallions into my ramen for a pop of green, or you can use parsley.
- Garlic – Everything is better with garlic, and I never add less than three cloves to any recipe, lol. Feel free to mince up as many cloves as you’d like.
- Broth – Beef broth goes best with beef ramen, but you can always substitute chicken broth or stock if that’s what you have.
- Sauces – Traditional ramen recipes use “tare” (pronounced “ta-reh”), a kind of seasoning sauce that flavors the soup. This can be soy sauce only, but my version has soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil for all that umami goodness.
- Ginger – Ground ginger works great, or you can substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger for every ¼ teaspoon of ground.
- Sweet Chili Sauce – My shortcut ingredient for a touch of sweetness and delicious chili heat all-in-one. You can also use another chili sauce, like Sriracha.
- Ramen Noodles – I always pick up a couple of packages of instant ramen noodles from the store. You won’t need the flavor packets (life hack: save the packets and sprinkle ramen seasoning over popcorn on movie night. You can thank me later!).
What Kind of Beef Should I Use?
While it’s not exactly a conventional choice, I use ground beef in this ramen recipe since it’s widely available, easy to cook, and it really clings to the noodles. Other good options for ramen are thinly sliced flank steak, sirloin steak, or pretty much any beef you’d use in a stir fry. It should be a tender cut that cooks nicely over high heat.
Of course, if you’d prefer to make your ramen noodles with another protein altogether, you can always opt for ground or shredded chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu instead.
How to Make Beef Ramen Noodles
Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to make the best beef ramen in just over 30 minutes!
- Cook the beef. First, you’ll season and then saute the ground beef over medium-high heat. Scoop the browned beef from the pan, and drain the grease. I like to leave a little bit behind for flavor.
- Saute the veggies. Saute the carrots, bell pepper, and the white parts of the scallions in the leftover oils. After a few minutes, stir in the garlic. Move the skillet off the heat.
- Make the cooking broth. Now, in a saucepan, mix beef broth with soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and sweet chili sauce. Bring the broth to a boil, then a low simmer.
- Cook the noodles. Toss in your ramen and let the noodles cook in the broth until they soften. You might need to ladle in extra broth to get the noodles cooked through.
- Put it all together. Finally, bring back the skillet with the sauteed veggies, and add the cooked beef. Over medium heat, stir in your noodles. Let everything heat through, and then serve!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Swap out the noodles. If you don’t have instant ramen noodles, you can make this recipe with pretty much any noodle. Udon noodles, soba noodles, egg noodles, or rice noodles will all work, too. You can even use spaghetti or linguine! Just follow the recommended cooking times on the package.
- Different protein. Swap out the beef for chicken or pork, or try an easy shrimp ramen. Crispy baked tofu or pan-fried tofu are also great as meatless options.
- Use your favorite veggies. I love red bell peppers and carrots, but you can absolutely fill your ramen with any of your favorite stir-fry vegetables. Try broccoli, cauliflower, onions, snap peas, mushrooms, or baby corn.
- Add greens. Wilt in baby spinach, or add sauteed bok choy or chard for even more veggie power.
Serving Suggestions
I save the scallion greens to sprinkle over my beef ramen bowls when serving. For even more flavor, I’ll top my ramen with an extra drizzle of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or oyster sauce. If you like it spicy, try a squeeze of Sriracha, or spoon over some chili oil or chili crisp (so good!).
Some of my favorite sides for this beef ramen recipe are a creamy Japanese kani salad or a spicy Asian cucumber salad. Light and crispy bang bang shrimp are also great as an easy appetizer. As a side, ramen noodles are a fun way to round out main dishes like chicken katsu or Korean chicken bulgogi.
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead?
Whenever I meal prep this ramen recipe, I’ll skip the ground beef and make a vegetarian version (it’s as easy as following the recipe as written, with only the veggies). Then, I’ll store the finished ramen in Tupperware containers to customize for easy lunches! One day, I’ll top my noodles with leftover chicken teriyaki, the next, I’ll toss over some beef strips. It’s also tasty topped with salmon, or sticky sesame cauliflower bites on Meatless Monday.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Leftover beef ramen should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It’ll keep for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm the ramen in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stovetop until everything is hot throughout. You might want to sprinkle over some water to help loosen up the noodles again if they’ve dried out in the fridge.
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Cook the beef. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, crumbling it with a wooden spoon as you go. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from the pan. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease.
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Saute the veggies. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and the white parts of the scallions to the pan. Saute until softened, and then add the garlic. Saute for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Turn the heat off and set aside.
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Make the cooking broth. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and sweet chili sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to low.
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Cook the noodles. Add the ramen to the saucepan and turn it in the sauce until the noodles start to soften. Continue until the noodles are cooked through. Add more broth if needed.
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Put it all together. Return the beef to the skillet with the sauteed veggies. Turn the heat to medium and add the noodles. Stir until everything is well combined and the beef and veggies are heated through.
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Serve. Serve warm garnished with the greens of the scallions.
Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 2798mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4065IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
