Asian Beef Noodles

When you have a hungry family and want dinner on the table in 20 minutes, you probably don’t feel like cooking a difficult or involved meal. But of course you still want to serve a delicious and satisfying dinner, so this Asian beef and noodles recipe will come as welcome news.

By using frozen stir-fry vegetables, quick-cooking ramen noodles and ground beef, this dish comes together fast, but it tastes so good it will be asked for again and again. And as with so many ramen dishes, it’s a starting point for virtually endless variations. First try it as laid out here, then enjoy these beef ramen noodles with your own spin.

Ingredients for Asian Beef Noodles

• Ground beef: We recommend using a lean ground beef, as in a 90/10 blend. But if you have 80/20 on hand, it’s fine to use that.
• Soy sauce ramen noodles: This recipe calls for two packages of soy sauce ramen noodles, with the noodles crumbled. You’ll want packages that are 3 ounces each.
• Water: We don’t always mention water in recipes, but when it’s a precise amount like the 2-1/2 cups you’ll use here, we let you know.
• Frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend: A broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend is a great choice for this dish, but of course you can use other vegetables, including any you steam freshly yourself.
• Ground ginger: Just 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger goes a long way, thanks to how potent its flavor is.
• Green onion: If you’re a big fan of green onion, go ahead and use a bit more than the 2 tablespoons.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the beef, add a flavor packet

In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, crumbling it as you go. Drain the excess liquid, then add the contents of one ramen noodle flavoring packet, stirring until it has dissolved into the meat. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.

Step 2: Cook the noodles and veggies

In the same skillet, combine the water, vegetables, ginger, noodles and the contents of the second flavoring packet. Bring the dish to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the skillet and simmer things until the noodles are tender, three to four minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Finish with the beef and green onion

Return the beef to the pan and heat it through. Finally, stir in the green onion.

Asian Beef Noodle Variations

• Try it with chicken: This same recipe will taste great with pan-fried chicken. Chop it into small, bite-sized pieces, and make sure to check the internal temperature before you take it off the heat.
• Spice it up: Add some red pepper flakes or even a hot sauce to the mix if you like some heat in your cooking.
• Serve it with egg noodles: You will need to add a teaspoon or two of soy sauce to compensate for the flavor missing from the packaged ramen, but you can follow the other steps and serve this dish over cooked egg noodles.

How to Store Asian Beef Noodles

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat them in a pan with oil and a tablespoon of broth.

Asian Beef Noodle Tips

What should I serve with this dish?

This take on a beef ramen recipe really is an entire meal in a bowl, so it doesn’t exactly need company. That said, an egg drop soup or a crisp green salad would both be great ideas.

Could I make this meal with ground turkey?

By all means, you can use ground turkey instead of the ground beef, and follow the exact same steps. You could also try it with ground pork.

What do I do if the dish is too soupy?

Beef ramen noodle recipes do tend to be soupy. If there is too much liquid for your preference in the finished dish, you have two options: Simply drain off some of the fluid, or add a bit of cornstarch to thicken things up.