This beef ramen noodles recipe is super comforting and comes together fast! You'll love the tender ground beef with an addictive sweet and savory peanut sauce. Ready in only 30 minutes!
I love making Asian-inspired recipes. My ground beef bowls (with rice), beef and broccoli, and my beef and noodles (made with ramen and sirloin) are very popular whenever I feature them on Instagram, so I decided to create a sort of hybrid of the two. In my opinion, you can never have too many quick and easy beef recipes. 🙂
This one's a bit different because I used peanut butter. I looove a good peanut sauce! I also added some soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce (it's not too spicy mixed in with the other ingredients - don't worry, but also feel free to add more if you do want it spicy!), garlic, and ginger.
This is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. It's cheaper and faster than getting takeout. I seriously had troubles stopping eating this when the photos were done!
How to make this beef noodle bowl (overview):
Brown the beef in a skillet. Meanwhile, boil the water to cook the ramen. Drain the beef of any excess fat and stir in the sauce ingredients, then add the red bell pepper to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until tender-crisp. Add the noodles to the skillet along with a splash of the water they were cooked in, then season with salt & pepper if needed and garnish with chopped scallions. (Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below)
If you're not a fan of red bell peppers, feel free to leave them out. I just added it for a bit of color, crunch, and freshness. You could sub for another veggie if you prefer!
If you love ramen, try my chicken ramen noodle stir-fry, or you might like this easy chicken ramen recipe (soup).
Will you make this ground beef and ramen noodles recipe?
Questions? Let me know in the comments!
Beef Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce or to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 packages ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Scallions chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Add the beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 8 minutes). If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
- Meanwhile, boil a pot of water for the ramen noodles.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the sauce ingredients (peanut butter, hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic).
- Return the skillet to the heat and add in the red pepper (you will probably need to turn the heat down a bit). Continue cooking for a few more minutes, stirring often, until the pepper is tender-crisp.
- The noodles only take about 3 minutes to cook, so I recommend adding the noodles to the boiling water just as you add the red pepper into the skillet.
- Once the noodles are done, add 4 tablespoons (or so) of the cooking water into the skillet prior to draining them. Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet.
- Toss well and season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Top with scallions if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I like to keep a piece of fresh ginger in the freezer (just in a ZipLoc bag or Tupperware container) so that I always have some on hand. It's also much easier to grate when frozen. I use my Microplane grater to grate it (thanks to my friend Meghan for the life-changing tip!).
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Rachel says
Can you make this a crock pot recipe for a large group of people?
Natasha says
Hi! I'm not really sure how you'd do it in a Crockpot... you'd have to experiment.
Pam says
Very tasty and a great blend of flavor. I used 1/2 lb ground beef (cooking for 2) and used 2 packages ramen noodles. Tossed in a chopped carrot at the red pepper stage. This is a keeper recipe we enjoyed very much. Thanks for sharing.
Natasha says
I'm so glad it was a hit! 🙂 You're welcome!
Karen says
Thank you for your amazing recipe. I made a few tweaks for my family but they were insignificant. This was so delicious! I can’t wait to make it again with shrimp and again with steak and again with pork. New go to! Thanks a million!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Karen!! 🙂
Sharon Milsap says
It is very good, but think I'll add another envelope of noodles. A little too much ground meat for me. What do you serve with it?
Natasha says
Hi Sharon! Glad you liked it. I usually just eat it as-is or with a salad.
Mike says
This will be the 4th time I'm makeing this dish. That say's it all about this recipe. Quick and easy, I'm all about easy! Throw in a few frozen vegetables.
What is there not to like!
Except double the sauce but I keep the sriracha on the light side.
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear!! 😀 Thanks for your review, Mike!
Amy says
This looks so yummy! My husband has a peanut allergy though. Do you think it would work with almond butter?
Natasha says
Hi Amy! I think you could for sure try, but I haven't tested it.
Sophie says
Okay, this was a great find! Came together so quickly, dare I say before the 30 min mark? The taste is delicious. This, without a doubt, fixed my Thai noodle craving. The only thing I did differently was add more pasta water to thin out the sauce and sprinkled some Cilantro on top. Thank you!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Wonderful to hear, Sophie! Happy you enjoyed this one!
Martha says
This looks so good!
Do you know of any gluten free Ramen noodles? If so, have you tried them?
Natasha says
Hi Martha! Unfortunately, I do not. Maybe try Amazon to start? Let me know if you're able to to find any and try this recipe. 🙂
Patricia says
Hi. Do you include the packet of beef base that comes with the ramen noodles. Thanks
Natasha says
Hi Patricia! Nope... it indicates in the ingredients list "flavor packets discarded" so I just throw them away (or you can use them for something else). I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Vanessa says
Is there anyway to replace the hoisin sauce?
Natasha says
Hi! It has a very unique flavor and is a large part of the sauce overall, so I would say no unless you happen to have a bottle of pre-made teriyaki sauce or something similar (sweet) in your fridge. That wouldn't be the same, mind you, but it's the closest sub I can think of that could possibly still work in a pinch.
Elizabeth says
I made this today and used a wok, which was probably not the best idea. I used chunky peanut butter, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and only two packages of ramen noodles. It looks and smells good. I still need to chop some scallions for garnish. Thanks for this and other recipes!
Natasha says
You're welcome! Yes, I have not tested this in a wok... was the heat too high?
Kerri says
This is so GOOD! My husband said this was the best thing he had ever eaten. We loved the flavors without all of the sodium from take out. This is in our favorites list! One note: I was able to find plain, organic ramen noodles to use at our H‑E‑B. ❤️
Natasha says
That's awesome!! 🙂 Thank you, Kerri!
Karen says
I thought this was very good but even better after a couple of tweaks. I added in some steamed broccoli and a handful of peanuts on top to give it some extra color and crunch. So good!
Natasha says
Love those ideas, Karen!
Cassie says
Our household is trying to lower overall carb content right now, so instead of the ramen noodles, we served it over stir fry veggies. DELICIOUS. I'll probably add more Sriracha next time because I love spicy food. This was so quick to throw together with minimal ingredients and tasted fantastic. Thank you for a keeper!
Natasha says
That's great!! So happy it worked out and you enjoyed it!
Laura says
Delicious! I made this tonight and the whole family loved it. Thank you again for all of your amazing recipes!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! You're very welcome. 😀
Cindy says
I was just thinking "what can I make tonight... I have ground beef and green onions" and this popped up on Instagram! Thank you! I will add bok choy to it, too. I never thought of having ramen noodles, such a good reminder to use them instead of always just rice.
Natasha says
I hope you enjoy it, Cindy!! 🙂 I think bok choy would go great.
Deena says
We have a nut allergy in our house what do you suggest a substitute peanut butter with
Natasha says
Hi Deena, unfortunately it's a huge sauce component, so I can't really say without testing. You may want to read thru the comments to see if anyone else has made the sub.
Julia says
Hi Deena,
I used sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) as a sub due to an allergy and I thought it still tasted really good!
Kim says
Love this recipe,! Perfect for busy families. Very flexible...you can substitue for other ground meats and/or different vegetables. Can't beat dinner (home cooked) in 20 minutes!
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Jillian says
Never cooked with sriracha before and was a bit concerned about the heat but it was really well balanced flavour.
I would add more pasta water to make it saucier and probably break the noodles before boiling to make it easier to toss together. But I think we will make it again.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you decided to give it a try! Yup, definitely tweak it a bit next time. Thanks for the tips!
Christina C says
This was great. I seasoned the beef a bit with the miso and spice packet from my ramen and also added cut up bok choy. I thought the hoisin and peanut butter created a really nice creamy sauce. Two thumbs up for a quick and tasty meal.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased you liked it!! Thank you!
Kim says
Is there any substitute for the Hoisin sauce?
Natasha says
Hi! I can't really think of one. It's a very distinctive flavor. Maybe bottled teriyaki sauce if you happen to have some, but it isn't really the same thing.
Claire says
Do you have any recommendation for meat substitutes? I 'd like to try this with Beyond Mean ground, and wondering if you'd given it a try?
Natasha says
I haven't tried it, but I think it should work. 🙂 I believe others have tried that as subs in a few of my recipes. Let me know how it goes!
Mama Ross says
Im going to try this today. Beats nachos on Football Sunday. Thanks!
Natasha says
Enjoy!! 🙂
Emily says
Made this tonight for dinner. Kids all loved it. The only thing I did differently was add broccoli. Super flavorful and super easy! Thanks for the recipe.
Natasha says
That's great!! You're very welcome.
Janey Tiesler says
DELICIOUS AND EASY , THANK YOU FOR GREAT RECIPES.
Natasha says
You're very welcome! 😀
Sherry says
Peanut and seed allergies what would you suggest in place of peanut butter. Thanks
Natasha says
I don't have a good sub unfortunately.
Allison Hamilton says
Sunflower seed butter is a great substitute
Nicole says
This sounds delicious! Any specific type of ramen to use, or would any kind of prepackaged noodles work with this?
Natasha says
Hi! I just buy whatever the grocery store happens to have and then discard the flavor packets. I'm in Canada and unfortunately options for more gourmet ramen are somewhat limited.
Diane Lauzon says
Hi There,
I made this recipe this afternoon. My 19 year old Son enjoys ramen noodles, so when I saw the post earlier this week, I made a mental note to come back to it and make it this weekend. This dish is easy and tasty, just as it was stated. I do not peel my ginger first. I just don’t think it is necessary. Some folks may choose to peel, but not me. Thanks for this awesome and simple recipe!
Natasha says
I'm so glad that it worked out! 🙂
Lanna says
Do you peel the piece of ginger before you freeze it?
Natasha says
I don't. I find the peel protects it from freezer burn. I basically grate the first bit and discard it and then grate the rest into the recipe. 🙂
Sar says
My husband is very picky, and I’ve never liked peanut sauces, but we’ve loved every single recipe I’ve made of yours, even when I was skeptical about the ingredients, so I completely trust you’re judgement haha. I told him that there was peanut butter in this and I could tell he was already determined not to like it. He LOVED it and so did the rest of the family! It. Was. So. Good!
Natasha says
Lol that's awesome. 😀
Jai says
This is the 2nd recipe I have tried from your site and I’m so glad I came across it. I followed the recipe as written, and my Grandson who likes nothing of it doesn’t have gravy on it loved this. He came back for a second helping of “spaghetti”. His name for it not mine. Will be making this again.
Natasha says
That makes me so happy!! 🙂 Thanks for following along!
Gina Godewyn says
My husband said this is the best thing I've ever made.....
Natasha says
Awesome!!!
Victoria says
Loved it! I added broccoli!
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Mali says
Hi Natasha,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it was a huge hit in my home (though I’m the only one in it 😁).
I pinned this a while back, but decided to try it today. I definitely regret not making this earlier. This was honestly fantastic. The sauce was incredible. Next time I do it, I feel I should save some of it as topping.
Besides that, I added some more sriracha, and I feel that some grated cheese would have been nice as well 😁
Will definitely make this dish again.
Natasha says
I'm so happy that you liked it so much!! 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
Jillian says
I’m going to sound very basic, but this was my first time ever having peanut sauce or sirracha for that matter. This is so yummy! Love it!
Natasha says
Haha it's all good! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! XO
Megan says
Is it possible to obtain the nutritional information for this recipe? And if I only have access to ground ginger does that make much of a difference?
Looks so yummy!
Natasha says
Hi! I just added it, but keep in mind it's an estimate. Ingredients can vary a lot, and I just use a program to do it, so yeah. I am not the biggest fan of ground ginger. It's very strong and doesn't really give it the same flavor IMO. I'd use it very sparingly.
Mjsti says
Good but a bit to peanut buttery for me! Next time I may use less peanut butter.
Natasha says
Thanks!
Pat says
Made this last night, it was soooo delish! I subbed oyster sauce for the hoisin. Also I keep a jar of pureed ginger from the ginger people in my fridge to use, this stuff is amazing. Served along side steamed brocolli and my kids inhaled it, asked for seconds!
Natasha says
So happy everyone enjoyed it!! I need to check that pureed ginger out...
Cheri says
Loved it!! Did not have sriracha sauce so I added some cayene pepper. Will definitely make this again. Thanks Natasha.
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad it worked out, Cheri!
Libbi V. says
Sooo good! And a great pantry staple! I left out the sriracha, since my son can't handle any spice. I also added a fourth noodle packet and made a little more sauce because I wanted to make sure we had leftovers 🙂 Thanks for another great recipe!
Natasha says
Awesome... I'm glad it worked out! You're very welcome!
Marie-Josee says
It is super delicious!! I used soya butter instead because i am allergic to peanuts and quite a few nuts. Quick to do as I come back from work, less expensive than take out. Thank you !!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you were able to tweak it! 🙂
Erica says
Do you peel your ginger before freezing? This is an awesome tip
Natasha says
Hi Erica! Thank you! I don't... I find the peel flakes off super easily so it doesn't really bug me, and it protects the ginger from freezer burn. You can just grate the skin off (like over the garbage or sink or something) and then once you get past the peel, just grate it onto the food. 🙂
Gina says
This recipe is delicious and has been at the top of my list since I first made it!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know! XO
Norman says
Sounds like a 4or5 star.. Gonna give it a try thanks.
Natasha says
Hope you enjoy it!
Nancy MacDonald says
Easy and fast! It made is both smile:-) You can't beat a garlic and ginger base. Opportunities for veggie additions and I'll be using this recipe again. Thanks, love your 30 minute meals.
Natasha says
That's great to hear! 🙂
Bob says
Do you peel the ginger before or after freezinf?
Natasha says
Hi! I just freeze the whole unpeeled piece of ginger. When you grate it, the peel comes off super quick/easily. You can discard the peel (like grate it into the sink or something until the peel is gone) and just continue grating when you've reached the flesh.
Heather says
This looked so good that I gave up on my original plan for dinner tonight and made this instead (on the very first day you posted it). It was a huge hit with my family (2 girls aged 5&7). The girls almost fought over the last of the noodles and my husband said we can eat this meal anytime. I added a whole pepper because we all love peppers and boiled some very small broccoli florets right in the pot with the noodles for serving of veggies. Thanks for a delicious, easy and budget friendly meal recipe.
Natasha says
Aww I'm so happy to hear that, Heather!! So pleased it was a hit with the family. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment!
Meg says
So excited to try this. Chili oil is a great idea - I also have sesame chili oil may try that as a twist. I’m going to leave out the red peppers. Thoughts on thin sautéed onions with mushrooms or go heavy on scallions?
Natasha says
I think sauteed onions are a great idea!!
Linda says
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter? Allergies..
Natasha says
You could definitely give it a try, Linda! Let me know how it goes - I'm curious. If it's pretty creamy then I don't see why it shouldn't work.
Erika Susanne says
I made this for dinner and added mushrooms for added veggies. Loved it! The sauce was really good and I liked that by adding the water from the noodles I could control how thick or thin it turned out.
This was a really great meal for a weeknight dinner that wasn't too expensive because I had all of the ingredients for the sauce as well as the meat. The noodles and veggies were easy and inexpensive.
For those who love additional Asian flare and flavor (or spice), I also topped it with some chili oil and it was SO GOOD!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Erika!! Great idea on adding the mushrooms and chili oil! Thanks so much for leaving me a comment! 🙂