Description
A quick and flavorful Asian Beef Ramen Noodles recipe featuring ground beef caramelized in a savory sauce, combined with tender ramen noodles and fresh bean sprouts. Ready in just 15 minutes, this dish is perfect for a satisfying and easy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 packets ramen or other instant noodles, discard seasoning
- 1 tsp oil
- 2 tsp sesame oil (or more oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 200g / 7oz beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) water, plus more as needed
- Big handful bean sprouts
Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or hoisin sauce)
- 2 tsp hoisin sauce (or more oyster sauce)
- 1 tbsp mirin
Garnishes (optional)
- Finely sliced green onion / shallots
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix Sauce: In a small bowl, combine dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and mirin. Set aside.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Heat oil and sesame oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add sliced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 1 1/2 minutes until they start to turn golden and fragrant.
- Cook Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up as you cook. Continue until the beef changes color from pink to light brown.
- Caramelize Beef: Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is well coated and caramelized.
- Add Water and Noodles: Push the beef mixture to one side of the skillet to create space. Pour in 1 1/4 cups water and add the ramen noodles into the water.
- Cook Ramen: Let the noodles cook undisturbed for 45 seconds, then turn them over. After another 30 seconds, untangle the noodles gently and toss them through the beef mixture to combine.
- Add Bean Sprouts: Toss in a big handful of bean sprouts and stir for about 1 minute or until the sauce reduces slightly and coats the noodles, and the noodles are cooked through.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with finely sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Use any brand or type of instant or ramen noodles, but avoid large ramen blocks or break them to fit the skillet.
- Toasted sesame oil adds a richer flavor, but untoasted sesame oil is an acceptable substitute.
- Ground beef can be substituted with any ground meat like chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, or veal.
- If dark soy sauce is unavailable, regular soy sauce can be used though the color will be lighter.
- Oyster sauce can be replaced by vegetarian oyster sauce or hoisin sauce.
- Mirin can be substituted with Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry, or for a non-alcoholic version, use a mix of water and low sodium chicken broth, skipping the mirin.
- Adjust water amount if noodles require longer cooking time as per packet instructions.
- For larger servings, use a bigger skillet and break noodles as needed.
- To reduce sodium by about 175mg per serving, use low sodium soy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
