Beef and Broccoli Ramen

This Beef and Broccoli Ramen recipe is an easy one pan dinner that’s ready in 15 minutes! Juicy beef with a simple Asian-style sauce, tender ramen noodles and broccoli – no chopping required!

 

It seems like everybody’s looking for easy, cheap meals these days, and we don’t blame them! When money is tight but you still want to eat a hearty meal that’s delicious AND easy to make, this one pan Beef and Broccoli Ramen is THE ultimate dinner solution. It’s ready in 15 minutes, it’s made with cheap ingredients like ground beef, frozen vegetables and ramen noodles, AND with 34 grams of protein per serving it packs a nutritious punch too!

It’s at the top of our family’s list for a cozy dinner, and we know you’ll love it too!

Here’s how to make the BEST version of this easy one pan Beef and Broccoli Ramen!

Use standard instant ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packets. These noodles are made to rehydrate quickly, which makes them perfect for one-pan cooking like this. Fresh ramen or thicker rice noodles take longer to cook and won’t absorb the sauce the same way instant ramen will.

Frozen broccoli florets soften quickly in the steam from the covered pan and release just enough moisture to help the noodles cook evenly and thin out the sauce. Fresh broccoli can work, but it must be cut into very small pieces or it will stay too firm by the time the noodles are done cooking.

Ramen noodles already absorb a lot of salt as they cook. Using low-sodium soy sauce keeps the dish balanced and prevents it from tasting overly salty. Feel free to add extra salt if you need it before serving.

A small amount of sesame oil adds a lot of flavour and gives the dish that familiar Asian takeout-style aroma. It’s worth using here, even though the quantity is small. A little goes a long way.

Snapping the noodles in half helps them fit in the pan and cook evenly, which means fewer dry spots and clumps. You don’t have to do this, but if you’re serving this dish to kids it’s a good idea since it will make it easier to eat!

The trapped steam is what allows the noodles to soften and the broccoli to cook at the same time. If the pan is uncovered, the liquid can evaporate too quickly and the noodles will be dry.

This dish is saucy when it’s freshly cooked, but the noodles will continue to absorb liquid. That’s normal, and a splash of stock or water will loosen everything up when you reheat it.

This recipe works because it’s made for real life! It’s fast, filling, and made with ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, which means it’s perfect for those nights when you need dinner on the table quickly without having to think too hard.

From a cooking perspective, everything happens in one pan in the right order, leaving you with fewer dishes. Browning the beef first builds flavour, then the simple sweet-savoury sauce coats the meat before the noodles and broccoli go in. The ramen noodles absorb the beef stock as they cook, which makes the sauce rich and glossy without needing extra thickeners or any complicated steps.

Oh, and there’s no chopping required, especially if you’re using frozen broccoli florets, so that makes this recipe EXTRA fast to make because there’s hardly any prep.

What really makes this recipe a keeper is how efficient it is. You get 34 grams of protein, vegetables, and carbs all in one dish, and it’s done in about 15 minutes with minimal cleanup. It’s budget-friendly, flexible, and SO satisfying, which makes it the kind of recipe you can rely on when money, time or energy are tight!

There are so many ways you can make this easy one pan ramen noodles recipe your own. Here are a few ways to switch it up!

1. Swap the protein. Ground turkey or chicken works well if you want a lighter option. Because they’re leaner, add an extra splash of oil to the pan to prevent the meat from sticking.
2. Make it spicier. Add extra sriracha, a pinch of chili flakes, or a drizzle of chili oil before serving.
3. Make it less sweet. Reduce the brown sugar slightly if you prefer a more savoury sauce. You can always add a little more at the end if needed.
4. Add more vegetables. Finely chopped bell peppers, snap peas, or shredded carrots can all be added along with the broccoli. Just keep the total volume reasonable so the pan doesn’t overcrowd. Be sure to use quick cooking, soft veggies that are chopped really small.
5. Use different noodles. If you don’t have ramen, thin egg noodles or quick-cooking wheat noodles can work. Adjust the liquid and cooking time as needed.
6. Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free ramen for the regular ramen.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The noodles will continue to absorb sauce as they sit, which is normal.

To reheat, add a splash of water or beef stock and warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring halfway through to loosen the noodles.

Freezing is not recommended, as ramen noodles tend to become very soft and mushy once thawed.

To turn this into a freezer meal, you can make the beef mixture, freeze it, and thaw when you’re ready to use it. Simply reheat the beef in a pan, add the beef stock and noodles and finish the recipe as directed.

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