Slow cooker beef ramen turns two packs of instant ramen into a hearty dinner: browned ground beef, broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper and green onions simmer all afternoon in a savory broth of beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and a little sriracha. The noodles go in at the end so they stay springy. It serves 6.
How to make it: Brown and drain the beef. Whisk the stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha and garlic in the slow cooker, add the beef and vegetables, and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, break in the ramen noodles (toss the seasoning packets) with the sesame oil, let them soften, then stir and cook until tender.
Why You’ll Love It
- Instant ramen, upgraded: real broth, beef and plenty of vegetables.
- Hands-off: the slow cooker does the work all afternoon.
- Sweet, salty and a little spicy: soy, brown sugar and sriracha.
- Feeds a family: 6 generous bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 pound, browned and drained before it goes into the slow cooker.
Broth: 32 ounces of beef stock, 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha and 3 minced garlic cloves.
Vegetables: 1 small head of broccoli in florets, 1 cup thinly sliced carrots, 1 sliced red bell pepper and 4 chopped green onions.
Ramen: 2 packages of instant ramen. Discard the seasoning packets; the broth is already seasoned.
To finish: 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
- 32 oz beef stock
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 2 to 3 tsp sriracha, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 4 green onions, chopped, plus more for serving
- 2 packages instant ramen noodles (seasoning packets discarded)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Ramen
1. Brown the beef. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks, until it reaches 160°F. Drain the excess grease.
2. Make the broth. In the slow cooker, whisk together the beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and garlic.
3. Add beef and vegetables. Add the browned beef, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Add the noodles. About 15 minutes before serving, break the ramen noodles into the slow cooker and add the sesame oil.
6. Soften. Let the noodles soften undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
7. Stir and finish. Stir the noodles into the broth and continue cooking for another 5–10 minutes, until tender.
8. Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and additional green onions.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Ramen
- Brown the beef first. It adds flavor and lets you drain the fat.
- Add the noodles last. Ramen cooks in minutes; added early, it turns mushy.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce. Stock and soy sauce are both salty; you can always add more.
- Adjust the heat at the end. Start with 2 teaspoons of sriracha and taste.
- Serve right away. The noodles keep soaking up broth as they sit.
Which Ramen Noodles to Use?
Any brand of instant ramen works, since only the noodle block goes in. Break each block into a few pieces so the noodles spread through the broth and cook evenly. Fresh or frozen ramen noodles from the refrigerated section are a step up in texture; cook them the same way, adding them near the end. Rice noodles or thin spaghetti can stand in if that’s what you have, though they take a little longer to soften.
Soup or Noodles?
This recipe sits between a ramen soup and saucy noodles: there’s enough broth to slurp, but the noodles absorb a lot of it in the last few minutes. For a soupier bowl, add another cup of stock with the noodles. For saucier noodles, cook them a few minutes longer with the lid off so the broth reduces.
Variations
- Egg: top each bowl with a soft-boiled egg.
- Ginger: add minced fresh ginger with the garlic.
- Mushrooms: add sliced shiitake or button mushrooms with the vegetables.
- Chicken: use ground chicken, cooked to 165°F, and chicken stock.
- Heat: finish with chili crisp or red pepper flakes.
If you like noodle-shop flavors, Dumpling Bake bakes frozen dumplings in coconut milk and red curry in about 30 minutes.
For a quick stovetop ramen, try Hamburger Ramen, with ground beef in a soy, ginger and brown sugar sauce in 30 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. The noodles absorb broth overnight, so add a splash of stock and reheat on the stove until hot, to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
It’s a meal on its own. Add potstickers, egg rolls or a cucumber salad for extras.
More beef and noodle dinners: Mongolian beef stir-fry with ramen, beef and broccoli ramen stir fry, 15-minute Mongolian ground beef noodles, slow cooker ground beef chow mein and Chinese beef and onion stir fry. For a cozy casserole, try slow cooker Amish ground beef noodle casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I use the ramen seasoning packets?
No. The broth is seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, garlic and sriracha.
Can I cook it on HIGH?
Yes, until the vegetables are tender; then add the noodles as directed.
Can I use beef chuck instead of ground beef?
Yes. Cook chunks of chuck until fall-apart tender, then shred them before adding the noodles.
Why are my noodles mushy?
They went in too early or sat too long. Add them in the last 15 minutes and serve right away.
Can I make it ahead?
Cook the broth, beef and vegetables ahead; add fresh noodles when reheating.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Brown the beef, let the broth simmer and add the noodles at the very end. If you top it with a soft-boiled egg or add mushrooms, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Slow Cooker Beef Ramen
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef browned and drained
- 32 oz beef stock
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 2 to 3 tsp sriracha adjust to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small head broccoli cut into florets
- 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 4 green onions chopped, plus more for serving
- 2 packages instant ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks, until it reaches 160°F. Drain the excess grease.
- In the slow cooker, whisk together the beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and garlic.
- Add the browned beef, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions.
- Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
- About 15 minutes before serving, break the ramen noodles into the slow cooker and add the sesame oil.
- Let the noodles soften undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
- Stir the noodles into the broth and continue cooking for another 5–10 minutes, until tender.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and additional green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
