Beef Ramen
Beef Ramen is a great recipe that takes everybody’s favorite junk food and turns it into an easy dinner recipe that is wholesome and filling. This easy Beef Ramen recipe is not only loads healthier than instant ramen, but it has real ingredients that give deeply savory and salty flavors.
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It doesn’t take a master nutritionist to tell you that instant ramen noodles from the grocery store are not healthy for you. While you might like the salty, beefy flavor of instant noodles, you may not realize that you can make better tasting, healthier homemade Beef Ramen. Best of all, you can do this all with simple ingredients.
The key to delicious Beef Ramen noodles is well sourced beef. We love to use sirloin steak in this dish as it gives you tender chunks of beef that just soak up all the flavors and plays its own part contributing to the flavorful broth. If you are looking to make this more of a thrifty, economically friendly meal, grass-fed ground beef will work just fine! I promise the beef you buy will be healthier than whatever comes in instant ramen beef flavor packets.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Bold, layered flavor: From the seared beef to the garlicky-ginger broth, this ramen is deeply savory with just the right balance of tang and umami.
Veggie-packed and customizable: Includes crisp carrots and mushrooms, with room to add bok choy, snow peas, bean sprouts, broccoli, or bell peppers.
Easy to spice up: Add chili paste, sriracha, or red pepper flakes if you like heat—adjust to your taste.
Healthier than instant ramen: Lower in sodium, made with whole ingredients, and easy to tailor with low-sodium broth or soy sauce.
Flexible noodle options: Use regular ramen noodles, brown rice noodles, or swap for zucchini noodles for a low-carb variation.
Quick one-pot meal: Ready in about 30 minutes, this is a weeknight-friendly dinner that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
Ingredients to Make Beef Ramen:
- sirloin steak: Thinly sliced against the grain for tenderness. Flank steak or ribeye are great alternatives.
- garlic & ginger: Fresh is best—these aromatics form the base of the broth’s flavor.
- beef broth: Use a high-quality or low-sodium broth for the best control over flavor and salt content.
- soy sauce: Adds umami and depth; choose low-sodium if preferred.
- rice vinegar: Balances the richness of the broth with a hint of acidity.
- toasted sesame oil: Just a little gives a nutty, aromatic finish—don’t skip it.
- shiitake mushrooms: Earthy and meaty; button or cremini mushrooms also work in a pinch.
- carrots: Shredded or julienned for quick cooking and vibrant texture.
- noodles: Whole wheat or brown rice ramen noodles work well; swap in zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.
- optional toppings: Soft-boiled eggs, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or chili flakes add flavor and visual appeal.
How to Make Beef Ramen:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced beef and cook for 3–4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed. Sauté the garlic and ginger for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add beef broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the mushrooms and carrot to the broth. Let simmer for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add noodles to the pot, following package directions. Typically, this takes 3–5 minutes.
- Add the beef back to the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with green onions, sesame seeds, and soft-boiled egg if desired.
Recommended Equipment
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Slice the beef thin: For quick cooking and tender texture, slice the steak as thinly as possible across the grain.
- Cook beef in batches if needed: Overcrowding the pan can cause steaming instead of searing—work in batches for best browning.
- Don’t overcook the noodles: Add them at the end and cook just until tender to avoid mushy texture.
- Adjust broth to taste: Add more soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, or a pinch of chili flakes to balance and boost the flavor.
- Spice it up: Stir in chili paste or drizzle with sriracha for extra heat.
- Add extra veggies: Toss in snow peas, bok choy, bean sprouts, or spinach during the final 2–3 minutes of cooking for more nutrition and texture.
- Make it low-carb: Use spiralized zucchini noodles (zoodles) in place of ramen for a lighter version.
Serving Suggestions:
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Let the ramen cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best texture, store noodles separately if possible.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat or microwave in short intervals. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the soup if needed.
Not freezer-friendly: This dish is best enjoyed fresh—freezing can affect the texture of the noodles and vegetables.
FAQs:
Yes. Flank steak, ribeye, or even thinly sliced chuck roast will work well—just be sure to slice thinly against the grain for tenderness.
Whole wheat ramen, brown rice noodles, or traditional instant ramen noodles all work. For a low-carb option, use zucchini noodles or shirataki noodles.
Add chili paste, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to the broth. You can also top with sliced jalapeños or sriracha.
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Beef Ramen
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sirloin steak, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 9 ounces ramen noodles, whole wheat or brown rice noodles
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced beef and cook for 3–4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed. Sauté the garlic and ginger for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add beef broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the mushrooms and carrot to the broth. Let simmer for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add noodles to the pot, following package directions. Typically, this takes 3–5 minutes.
- Add the beef back to the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with green onions, sesame seeds, and soft-boiled egg if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Slice the beef thin: For quick cooking and tender texture, slice the steak as thinly as possible across the grain.
- Cook beef in batches if needed: Overcrowding the pan can cause steaming instead of searing, work in batches for best browning.
- Don’t overcook the noodles: Add them at the end and cook just until tender to avoid mushy texture.
- Adjust broth to taste: Add more soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, or a pinch of chili flakes to balance and boost the flavor.
- Spice it up: Stir in chili paste or drizzle with sriracha for extra heat.
- Add extra veggies: Toss in snow peas, bok choy, bean sprouts, or spinach during the final 2–3 minutes of cooking for more nutrition and texture.
- Make it low-carb: Use spiralized zucchini noodles (zoodles) in place of ramen for a lighter version.
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I have made this so many times it is now part of the family meal rotation. I wanted to add that I substitute apple cider vinegar for the rice wine vinegar and for some reason it makes it taste so much better. Thanks for this!!
So quick and easy! My husband LOVED this recipe! Thanks!
Oriental is a much more beautiful and descriptive word than “Asian.” Russians are Asian for crying out loud. This PC garbage is created by people who like to lord it over others and tell them what to say, what to write, and, most of all, how to think. No thanks. When I visit Japan, China, or Korea, I visit the Orient, not just Asia.
I completely agree with you, Paul. Thanks for stopping by our blog! Hope you have a great day:)
Maybe focus on the recipe instead of the verbiage. Clearly anyone can choose to be offended and tell people what to say … pc or otherwise 😉
Some of you don’t have a clue, bet you’re snowflakes…. Asia could be India, Sri Lanka, whilst this food is definitely from there. It’s from the Orient, hence the term “Oriental” was indeed properly used and in no means slanderous. Wake up. And authentically oriental at that!
Sooooo sooo good. Wish I had done the steak a little different to make it more tender. I’m such a noodle fanatic- and this hit the spot!
Glad you liked it! 🙂
I really want to make this recipe. I am not sure what makes the broth. How much beef broth do you use and what are the ingerdients that make up the broth?
Hi Kristin,
If you look carefully at the recipe card, I separated the ingredients that make up the broth 🙂
It’s:
BROTH
6 cups • water
1/2 cup • soy sauce
3 tbsp • mirrin (found in the oriental section of your grocery store)
2 tbsp • rice vinegar
2 cloves • garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp • ginger (minced)
You can also add a bit of Sake and of course Sriracha or your hot sauce of choice!
Hi there, the recipe is great, thanks for showing how to use zoodles in a soup. I’d like to point out that mirin is spelt with 1 R. Also “oriental” is not a good look, you can easily change that to Asian section of the grocery store.
The recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Just wanted to confirm that “oriental” is no longer considered an appropriate term to use for Asian culture. It is better to use the term “Asian section of the grocery store” instead.
Are we (America folk) doing away with the Orient as well?
Can you tell me how many carbs this Ramen Zoodles is?
Hi Patty 🙂 Unfortunately I unable to provide nutritional information on my recipes as I am not a registered dietitian/nutritionist. There are lots of website you’ll be able to find with through a google search that allows you to enter a recipe and then gives you an estimate of the calories.