Description
Spicy Beef Ramen transforms classic instant ramen noodles into a hearty and flavorful meal by adding browned ground beef seasoned with garlic and crushed red pepper, chili garlic sauce, and a tangy kick from rice wine vinegar. Topped with a perfectly soft-boiled egg, sesame seeds, and green onions, this quick and satisfying dish brings a spicy twist to a beloved comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Eggs
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Ramen
- 4 packages beef ramen noodles (flavor packets reserved)
Garnish
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef along with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- Drain grease and add garlic: Carefully drain excess grease from the skillet. Add the minced garlic to the beef and continue cooking for one more minute to release the garlic’s aroma.
- Add spicy sauce: Reduce heat to low, then stir in chili garlic sauce and rice wine vinegar. Mix everything to combine evenly. Remove the pan from heat and cover to keep the beef mixture warm.
- Soft boil the eggs: Fill a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Gently lower in the eggs and boil for exactly 6 minutes. Remove eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Once cooled, peel the eggs and set aside.
- Cook the ramen noodles: Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan. Add ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets for now) and cook for 3 minutes or until noodles are tender but still firm.
- Reserve noodle water: Before draining, scoop out and save 1 cup of the noodle cooking water. Then drain noodles thoroughly and return them to the pot.
- Combine noodles with beef: Add the reserved 1 cup of noodle water, reserved flavor packets, and the warm beef mixture to the noodles. Toss everything well until noodles are coated evenly and flavors meld.
- Serve and garnish: Divide the ramen into 6 bowls. Halve the soft-boiled eggs and place half on top of each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Spicy Beef Ramen elevates basic ramen noodles with a rich combination of savory ground beef and spicy chili garlic sauce, making it a satisfying meal perfect for quick dinners.
- Soft boiling the eggs to exactly 6 minutes yields a creamy yolk that pairs wonderfully with the spicy broth.
- You can adjust the crushed red pepper and chili garlic sauce to your preferred spice level.
- Reserve the ramen seasoning packets and add them to the dish at the end to enhance the broth flavor.
- For meal prep, the beef mixture and noodles can be cooked in advance and combined just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 424 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
