Easy One Pot Beef and Broccoli Ramen Noodles

This easy one pot beef and broccoli ramen noodles recipe is fast, flavorful, and perfect for a busy weeknight! You can easily use ground beef or leave it meatless, too.

Confession: my kids love ramen noodles. Second confession: I never buy ramen for them. Maybe it’s because I’m still detoxing 20 years later for all the ramen I ate in college, but I just can’t do it. {Thank you faithful church youth leaders and grandma who have gotten wind of this and buy my boys a case of ramen each year on their birthday.}

While I’m not the biggest ramen-in-its-purest-form fan, I don’t really have anything against using the squiggly little noodles in other recipes. If you’ve been around long enough, you probably remember this kicked up ramen noodles recipe. We’re still making it eight years later because it is so simple and good, and it’s the recipe that inspired me to try some different variations.

Because we are huge broccoli beef fans, I firstly wanted to figure out a way to combine quick ramen noodles + the flavors of broccoli beef. Can it be done? Oh yes, it can. And wow, is it delicious.

This meal is simple and fast

I’ve labeled it a 30-minute meal because it’s proven to be doable in that amount of time, but don’t stress if it takes you a bit longer. I tend to be a messy, fast, haphazard chopper (I mean, just have a quick look-see at all the asymmetrical pieces of beef and broccoli in the pan and you’ll see what I mean). If you are a more precise (ahem, neater) chopper than I am, it might take a bit longer.

Mostly, the point is that this is a super quick meal. It’s not necessarily a great make-ahead meal because it tastes best eaten right after it is made, but if you are looking for a meal that can be start-to-finish on the table fast, this is a great one.

Steak vs ground beef 

The recipe calls for flank or sirloin steak. The meat cooks really fast in this dish, so keep those slices less than 1/4-inch! We have a freezer packed full of sirloin steak from our back pasture cows, so that’s what I grab for this dish (also, I just really like the classic Asian-style beef broccoli vibe). 

But after making it a couple of times, I think it would transition really well to using ground beef (or even ground turkey). Kind of like this Korean beef or these Dan Dan noodles. A more humble approach perhaps but certain to be tasty. My recommendation: cook the ground beef in the sesame oil (flavor!!) and remove it to a plate after it has cooked; add it back to the pot in step #5. 

Make it meatless 

Along those lines, you could leave the meat out completely for an easy meatless meal. What about tossing in more veggies? Maybe sliced bell peppers, carrots, or mushrooms? Sounds pretty darn yummy, if you ask me. 

The flavorful sauce brings this dish together. Sure, the ramen and broccoli and beef – it’s all pretty good, but the robust, flavor-packed sauce elevates the meal to straight up amazing. I’ve given some notes below in the recipe about substitutions for some of the Asian-style ingredients you may not have on hand, but if you’re willing to branch out, I’d encourage you to use the real stuff for a total flavor explosion. 

Here are a few other recipes that use sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and oyster sauce if you want to be sure buying a bottle of it will be worth it. And perhaps while you consider, think of me chanting in your ear: do it, do it, do it!  🙂

-Recipes that use SESAME OIL
-Recipes that use HOISIN SAUCE
-Recipes that use OYSTER SAUCE

One Year Ago: Thin and Chewy Toffee Bits Cookies
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Three Years Ago: Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Four Years Ago: White Bean Chicken Chili
Five Years Ago: Classic Slow Cooker Chili
Six Years Ago: White Texas Sheet Cake
Seven Years Ago: Cheesecake Rice Pudding {Plus a Chocolate Version!}
Eight Years Ago: Herb Focaccia Bread

Easy One Pot Beef and Broccoli Ramen Noodles

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds flank or sirloin steak, sliced thin (less than 1/4-inch)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or ginger paste
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4-6 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
• 4 packages (3 ounces each) ramen noodles, flavoring packets discarded

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
• 1/4 cup hoisin or oyster sauce (see note)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Pat the beef pieces dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients, whisking to combine. Set aside.
2. In a 12-inch deep skillet or pot, heat the olive oil and sesame oil over medium or medium-high until hot and rippling. Cook the beef in a single layer until browned and mostly cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Repeat if all the beef didn't fit in the first batch. Remove the beef to a plate.
3. In the skillet or pot, add the ginger and garlic. If the pot is dry, drizzle in another teaspoon of oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing the ginger and garlic, for about 30 seconds until sizzling and fragrant (don't let it burn). Add the broccoli and broth.
4. Break the bricks of ramen noodles into chunks and add them to the skillet/pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the ramen and broccoli are tender, 3-4 minutes, tossing and stirring the ramen while it cooks to help it separate. There should be a bit of liquid left in the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the beef back to the pot. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add it to the pot as well. Stir and toss the ingredients to combine. Cook at a gentle simmer for 1-2 minutes to heat through. Serve immediately.

Notes

Meat: I haven't tried it, but I think this meal would work quite well with ground beef in place of the flank or sirloin steak.

Low-Sodium: using low-sodium broth and low-sodium soy sauce might be important if you are worried about the overall dish being too salty.

Hoisin or Oyster Sauce Substitution: If you don't have hoisin or oyster sauce on hand, you can think outside the box a little and consider using ketchup or BBQ sauce. It will change the flavor profile, but can probably be used in a pinch for a thick, saucy substitution.

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