Julie Clark
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Beef and Ramen Noodles (Easy 25 Minute Dinner)
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Beef and ramen noodles is a quick 25 minute skillet dinner with ground beef, broccoli, carrots and instant noodles. Skip the seasoning packet and toss in a homemade sauce.
Our pro tip for this stir fry recipe is to boil the ramen just until it starts to loosen, then rinse the noodles in cold water to stop them from cooking. That way, when you add them to the skillet, they don’t turn to mush.
Love beef and noodle recipes? Try our ground beef stroganoff and Philly cheesesteak casserole.
What makes this beef and ramen noodles taste like takeout?
The sauce. It’s pantry ingredients with oyster sauce to deepen the savory-sweet flavor. Sesame seed oil adds nuttiness and is what gives it that restaurant like flavor.
And the secret? A tablespoon of butter added at the end that pulls it all together. Butter is also the finishing secret in our chicken fried rice and raspberry sauce.
This is one of the dinners my family turns to on busy weeknights. I always have some veggies that need used and a pound of ground beef in the freezer. And yes, because my kids are college-aged, I have ramen noodles on hand too!
If you like dinners that aren’t fussy, try our cold ramen noodle salad and Amish yumasetti, too.
Ingredients Needed
You’ll need a pound of ground beef, instant ramen, fresh veggies and a handful of pantry ingredients for the sauce.
- 1 pound lean ground beef (93/7): leaner beef keeps the sauce from going greasy. 85/15 or 80/20 work too, just drain the grease well.
- 1 cup diced yellow onion + 2 cloves garlic + 1 teaspoon ginger paste: the aromatic base that makes your kitchen smell amazing
- 1 cup carrot chips + 2 cups fresh broccoli florets: enough veggies to make a full meal! Fresh broccoli is best since it will stay crisp. Frozen will soften more. If you want to switch it up or use what’s in the crisper, snap peas or snow peas, mushrooms, bell pepper, shredded cabbage, and zucchini all work beautifully.
- 3 packages instant ramen, seasoning packets removed: the noodles only. Ditch that seasoning packet! Any brand will work.
- The sauce: ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- 1 tablespoon butter + 2 sliced green onions: the secret to the perfect finish.
How to Make Beef and Ramen Noodles
Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, break up the ground beef as it cooks. When the beef is about halfway cooked, stir in the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain off any grease.
Boil the ramen. Boil the noodles just 1 to 2 minutes, until they start to loosen. Rinse and drain under cold water until no longer hot, then set aside. This is what prevents the noodles from becoming mushy.
Cook the vegetables. Add the carrots and broccoli to the beef and cook until tender but still crisp and bright green.
Whisk the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, beef broth, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a bowl and whisk until even.
Toss it together. Add the drained noodles to the pan, pour the sauce over, and toss the beef ramen noodles until everything is coated.
Finish with butter. Add the tablespoon of butter and toss off the heat until it melts. Top with green onions and serve immediately.
Make it Your Own!
- Make it brothy: Double the sauce ingredients to give it more liquid. Or add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce when mixing to make it a little glossier.
- Spicier or milder: the ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes gives a heat that works for our whole family. Start at ¼ teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice, or add more to taste. A drizzle of chili crisp or sriracha sauce is a great idea, too.
- Protein swaps: ground turkey or ground chicken work with the same sauce. Thin-sliced steak is delicious if you want to go a little fancier.
- Gluten-free: Use tamari in place of soy sauce and a gluten-free rice noodle.
- Add a touch of sweet: I purposely did not add sugar to this beef and ramen noodles sauce, but if you’d like a touch of sweet to balance the savory, add a tablespoon of brown sugar or honey.
What to Serve with Beef and Ramen Noodles
Nothing is required for this complete skillet meal since it has noodles, beef and veggies.
If you are feeding more, serve with our cucumber tomato salad and a slice of garlic bread.
For dessert? Try something simple like our brown sugar butter cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with the ramen seasoning packet?
You can, but the packets are built for broth and will oversalt the dish and clash with the homemade sauce. I recommend tossing them making the sauce.
How do I keep the noodles from getting mushy?
Boil them only 1 to 2 minutes until they just loosen. Then rinse cold to stop the cooking. They cook the rest of the way in the skillet and stay chewy.
Can I make beef and ramen noodles ahead of time?
It’s best fresh, but leftovers reheat nicely. Store in a covered container in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat with a little soy sauce.
Is this a soup or a stir-fry?
This is a stir-fry style skillet dinner, not a soup. The noodles are tossed in a simple sauce, not served in broth.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Store leftovers in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, and add a little soy sauce or beef broth to moisten the noodles. I don’t recommend freezing since the ramen will turn soft after thawing.
You’ll also have to try our noodles with peanut sauce, taco soup with noodles and lemon basil chicken noodle soup.
Ground Beef and Ramen Noodles Stir Fry
This easy beef and ramen noodles skillet skips the seasoning packet, uses a quick homemade sauce, and keeps the noodles chewy, not mushy.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or grated ginger
- 3 packages ramen noodles (no seasoning packets)
- 1 cup carrot chips
- 2 cups broccoli florets fresh
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. 1 pound lean ground beef
- When the beef is about halfway cooked, stir in the diced onion, garlic and ginger paste and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes. Drain off any grease. 1 cup diced yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- While the beef is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until they begin to break apart and soften. Drain the water and rinse under cold water until the noodles are no longer hot. Set aside. 3 packages ramen noodles
- Add the carrots and broccoli to the beef and cook until the vegetables are tender but crisp. 1 cup carrot chips, 2 cups broccoli florets
- Combine the soy sauce, beef broth, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk until even. ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the ramen noodles to the skillet and pour the sauce over. Toss to combine until everything is coated with sauce and heated through.
- Add the tablespoon of butter and toss until it melts. Serve immediately with some sliced green onions on top. 1 tablespoon salted butter, 2 green onions
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being ¼ of the ground beef and noodles. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 2523mg | Potassium: 907mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5860IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 6mg
