These beef ramen noodles cook up fast and easy with tender slices of beef and broccoli florets in a quick garlic and ginger sauce.
I have another comfort food recipe for you today, one of my personal favorites, beef ramen noodles.
There’s just something about sitting down with a giant bowl of ramen noodles and beef that is so cozy and satisfying.
Best of all, this dish is super easy, and once you have your ingredients assembled, it comes together FAST.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps protect the meat while cooking, ensuring that it stays tender, and helps the sauce stick to the meat. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can skip it and just marinate the meat with soy sauce alone, but I recommend picking some up the next time you’re at the store. It’s a good ingredient to keep on hand.
- Top sirloin: I like top sirloin for this recipe because it cooks up nice and tender and has a fantastic beefy flavor. You could also use flap meat or flank steak.
- Instant ramen: Cheap ramen packets work perfectly in this recipe. Any flavor will do since you’ll be discarding the flavor packets.
- Low-sodium soy sauce and beef broth: I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce and beef broth in this dish or it comes out quite salty. I have made it with regular soy sauce and broth, but with full-salt ingredients, it will definitely be too salty for some people.
- Sesame oil: I love the flavor boost toasted sesame oil gives this dish, but untoasted sesame oil works fine. You can also use olive oil.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar (AKA rice wine vinegar) adds a little acidic kick to the ramen. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can replace it with the same amount of apple cider vinegar or half the amount of white distilled vinegar (white distilled vinegar has a much stronger flavor so you don’t need as much).
- Fresh ginger: The flavor of fresh ginger is so good in this dish, use it if you can, but there are measurements in the recipe card for using ground ginger instead.
Some Quick Ginger Tips & Tricks
- Don’t feel like peeling your ginger? Skip it. You really don’t need to peel ginger for most dishes. Just grate away, peel and all.
- Store extra ginger in your freezer. Ginger freezes extremely well. Pop it in a freezer bag and toss it in your freezer. When you need more ginger, you can grate it right from frozen. No need to defrost.
- Not sure how to grate ginger? It’s really simple, you just need a microplane or the small holes of a box grater or hand-held grater . Check out this video to watch it being done.
How To Make Beef Ramen Noodles
Prep the meat: Before you prep any of the rest of your ingredients, slice your meat across the grain into 1/4-inch strips. (Don’t know how or why to slice meat across the grain? Check out this article. ) Toss them with a combination of soy sauce and cornstarch, and set aside for a short marinade.
Prep the rest of your ingredients: It’s always smart to prep your ingredients in advance when cooking, but especially when making quick-cooking stir frys like this. You won’t have time to run around assembling ingredients once the cooking starts, so pull out and prepare all the rest of your ingredients and line them up in order of use before you start cooking. It will make the whole process go much more smoothly.
Cook the beef: Once your ingredients are assembled, cook the beef in hot oil. This is all the cooking the beef will get, so make sure it’s cooked to your preferred level of doneness and then transfer it to a large bowl or plate.
Make the sauce: Give the pan just a minute to cool and then add sesame oil and heat over medium heat. Cook garlic and ginger until they just begin to turn golden and then add red pepper flakes. Add the rest of your sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is reduced by about a third.
Cook broccoli: Add broccoli to the sauce, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Give the broccoli a stir, replace the cover, and continue to cook until the broccoli is fork-tender. Add beef and toss to coat.
Cook the ramen: While the broccoli cooks, cook ramen according to package instructions. Drain and add ramen to the pan with the broccoli and beef. Toss until the noodles are well-coated with sauce.
Serve and enjoy: Serve topped with sliced green onions if desired, and enjoy!
Where can I buy beef ramen noodles?
You should be able to find instant ramen noodles in the soup aisle at your grocery store. If you’ve never bought packaged ramen before, they usually come in brightly colored rectangular plastic packages.
Is this authentic ramen?
Not even slightly. Japanese ramen is a soup and completely different dish. This recipe just uses ramen noodles as an ingredient.
Can I freeze beef ramen noodles?
I don’t recommend it. Broccoli and ramen don’t freeze well and become mushy when defrosted and reheated.
If you really want to make this dish for the freezer, just cook the beef and the sauce and freeze them together. When you’re ready to serve the ramen, reheat and then toss the beef and sauce with steamed broccoli and freshly made ramen noodles.
More Asian-inspired Recipes
- Thick and Sweet Teriyaki Sauce
- Beef Teriyaki
- Easy Baked Chicken Katsu with Pineapple Katsu Sauce
More Comfort Food Faves
- Bacon Potato Soup
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Homemade Carnitas
- Easy Lasagna
Ingredients
- ▢ ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ▢ 1 pound top sirloin steak sliced ¼-inch across the grain
- ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sesame oil preferably toasted*
- ▢ 3 garlic cloves crushed or minced
- ▢ 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ▢ Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ▢ 1 cup low-sodium beef broth *
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) brown sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons rice vinegar optional*
- ▢ 12 ounces broccoli cut into florets
- ▢ 3 3-ounce packages instant ramen noodles discard flavoring packet
- ▢ 2 green onions sliced, optional for topping
Instructions
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Pour over sliced beef and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Prepare and assemble the rest of your ingredients before you begin cooking.
- Set a medium pot of water on to boil for the ramen.
- While the ramen water heats up, in a large skillet with a lid, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sirloin and let it cook undisturbed until the first side is well browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness, about 1 to 2 minutes (this is all the cooking it will get).
- Transfer meat and any drippings to a bowl and set aside.
- Allow the pan to cool for just a minute and then add the sesame oil. Heat over medium heat and add garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden and aromatic. Add red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add the broth, remaining ¼ cup of soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar, and use a spatula to scrape any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about a third, around 3 to 6 minutes.
- Add broccoli, place lid on the skillet, and cook for two minutes. Give the broccoli a stir, replace the lid, and continue to cook until it reaches your preferred level of doneness, 1 to 3 minutes more.
- While the broccoli cooks, add ramen to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
- Stir cooked beef and any juices in the bowl into the broccoli and sauce. Add cooked and drained ramen noodles and toss until the noodles are well-coated with sauce.
- Serve topped with sliced green onions if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
This quick and refreshing iced chai tea latte can be made with just 4 ingredients in about 5 minutes.
Heya, friends, it’s almost spring, the weather (at least here in Southern California) is warming up, and that means it’s time to start thinking about warm-weather recipes.
Top of my list is anything iced, iced mochas , iced caramel macchiatos , iced white chocolate mochas , and today I have a new iced recipe for you, an iced chai tea latte.
It’s actually really simple to make an iced chai latte (or hot chai latte ) at home exactly the way they do at coffee shops. You just need chai concentrate, milk, and ice.
But if you’re here, I’m guessing you don’t have chai concentrate, so I’m going to show you how to make a super quick and simple shortcut chai concentrate so you can be sipping an iced chai latte in about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- Chai tea bags: Use your favorite chai brand, caffeinated or decaf.
- Sugar: I typically use granulated sugar here, but many chai concentrate recipes use brown sugar. Feel free to use whichever you prefer. If you have it, superfine sugar works particularly well because it will dissolve more quickly when you’re making the concentrate.
- Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk in their coffee drinks, but you can use any milk you’d like including non-dairy milks. The higher fat your milk, the creamier your drink will be.
How to Make an Iced Chai Latte at Home
- Make chai concentrate: In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil. Add tea bags and steep tea for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until completely dissolved and add another ¼ cup of cold or room-temperature water (this will help bring down the temperature of the concentrate so it’s not too warm when you add it to the milk).
- Assemble your drink: Fill a 16-ounce cup with about 1½ cup of ice and add milk before pouring the chai mixture over the milk and stirring to combine. Top with optional whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
What is a chai tea latte made of?
Starbucks and other coffee houses use a mix of chai concentrate and milk. Chai concentrate is made by combining black tea with spices, usually ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and peppercorns, along with some form of sweetener.
If you want to give this a try and make an authentic cup of Indian Masala Chai, go check out this recipe .
Does an iced chai latte have coffee?
Iced chai lattes do not usually include coffee. They are made with just chai concentrate and milk served over ice. However, if you would like to add coffee, you can add a shot or two of espresso and make a dirty chai latte (it’s quite good).
What does an iced chai latte taste like?
If you’ve never had one, chai lattes taste just like what they are, sweet chai tea and milk. It’s a refreshing, lightly spicy sweet flavor that is perfect on a warm day.
Is there caffeine in an iced chai latte?
It depends on the tea you use. Chai tea does have caffeine, so if you buy one from a coffee house your latte will almost certainly be caffeinated, but when making your chai latte at home, you can choose to use decaf chai for a caffeine-free chai latte.
Treats to Go With Your Latte
- Cream Scones
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
More Coffee-house Favorites
- Homemade Mocha
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Salted Caramel Mocha
- White Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup filtered water divided
- ▢ 2 chai tea bags
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ( 8g ) granulated sugar *
- ▢ 1 ½ cup ice
- ▢ ¾ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, bring ¼ cup of the water to a boil on the stove or in the microwave. Add tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
- Stir in sugar until completely dissolved and add remaining ¼ cup of cold or room-temperature water. Set aside.
- Fill 1 16-ounce cup with 1½ cup of ice. Add milk.
- Pour chai mixture over the milk and stir to combine. Top with optional whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
This incredibly easy Small Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting is a perfect replica of my mom’s potluck favorite.
I’ve mentioned on the blog before that we weren’t huge bakers in my house growing up, BUT, my mom did have a few really good go-to recipes in her arsenal that she brought out for special occasions.
One of those recipes was (and still is) her carrot cake. If she gets asked to bring a dessert to a potluck, I guarantee you, that’s what she’s going to bring. And when she does, at least five people will tell her it’s the best carrot cake they’ve ever eaten.
And they’re not wrong. Her carrot cake is a pretty magnificent thing. You bake it in a 9×13-inch pan, so it’s huge and basically perfect. It’s soft and fluffy, with just the right level of spice, and the entire thing is just smothered in a killer cream cheese frosting . (Update: so many people have emailed me asking for her recipe, I put it on the blog. You can find her easy carrot cake here. )
With spring nearly here and Easter just around the corner, I thought today would be a good day to share my mini version on the blog, so here we go.
This is a direct replica of my mom’s cake, so it’s everything described above, plus, it’s a small carrot cake, so you don’t need the excuse of a party to whip it up. And look how cute and tiny it is!!
This cake will serve four very generously or make six smaller servings. Make it over the weekend for you and someone special, or if you have a couple of good lunch buddies at work, I totally recommend baking it and surprising everyone at lunch. If you bake it in a pyrex dish , you can even just snap on a lid and go.
Ingredient Notes
- Loosely packed grated peeled carrots: To grate your carrots, use the large holes of a box grater and then loosely pile them into your measuring cup for measuring.
- Allspice: This recipe uses allspice, but not all carrot cake recipes do, and some people don’t enjoy the flavor. You can omit the allspice if you don’t have/like it or cut the amount in half.
- Softened cream cheese: My go-to cream cheese brand for baking and frosting is Philadelphia cream cheese . Make sure to allow enough time for your cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Cream cheese that’s too cold will leave cream cheese lumps in your frosting.
- Walnuts for topping: Nuts are optional. I’m not a fan of nuts anywhere near my carrot cake so these went straight into the garbage post photo shoot. If you like nuts, great, cover your cake in them and enjoy that crunch. If you don’t, skip them! 😉
How to Make a Small Carrot Cake
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, vegetable oil, and egg until well combined. Stir in flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold in grated carrots. Transfer batter to prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place cake (in pan) on a cooling rack, and cool completely before frosting, about 45 minutes.
I don’t have a 7×5-inch baking dish. What else can I use?
You can also bake this in a 6-inch round or square cake pan.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. If you’d like to double the recipe, you can make a 2-layer 6-inch cake or bake it in an 8×8-inch pan, and extend the baking time as needed. To double the recipe ingredients, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
If you’d like to make an extra-large version, go make my Mom’s Carrot Cake , which is this recipe but baked in a 9×13-inch pan.
Does carrot cake need to be stored in the refrigerator?
Yes. Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Unfrosted carrot cake, however, can be stored at room temperature.
More Small Cake Recipes
- Small Chocolate Cake
- Small Red Velvet Cake
- Small Banana Cake
- Small Lemon Pound Cake
- Small Pumpkin Cake
Recipe Notes
- This recipe has been updated to switch the baking soda out with baking powder, which creates a more stable cake and eliminates the slightly metallic flavor that some people sensitive to the taste of baking soda were experiencing. If you loved the old version, no problem! Simply continue to use the same amount of baking soda where the recipe now calls for baking powder.
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ 7x5-inch Baking Dish
Carrot Cake
- ▢ ½ cup ( 60g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ▢ ½ teaspoon allspice
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ▢ 1 large egg
- ▢ ⅔ cup loosely packed grated peeled carrots
Frosting
- ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 4 tablespoons ( 2oz ) unsalted butter softened
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ ⅔ cup ( 80g ) powdered sugar sifted
- ▢ Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, vegetable oil, and egg until well combined. Stir in flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold in grated carrots. Transfer batter to prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place cake (in pan) on a cooling rack, and cool completely before frosting, about 45 minutes.
Frosting
- Whisk together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar and salt and whisk until well-combined and fluffy. Spread frosting over the cake. Chilling before serving is optional but recommended.
- Serve cake in the baking dish and enjoy!
Notes
Broccoli Beef Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound top sirloin steak sliced ¼-inch across the grain
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil preferably toasted*
- 3 garlic cloves crushed or minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth *
- 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar optional*
- 12 ounces broccoli cut into florets
- 3 3-ounce packages instant ramen noodles discard flavoring packet
- 2 green onions sliced, optional for topping
Instructions
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Pour over sliced beef and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Prepare and assemble the rest of your ingredients before you begin cooking.
- Set a medium pot of water on to boil for the ramen.
- While the ramen water heats up, in a large skillet with a lid, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sirloin and let it cook undisturbed until the first side is well browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness, about 1 to 2 minutes (this is all the cooking it will get).
- Transfer meat and any drippings to a bowl and set aside.
- Allow the pan to cool for just a minute and then add the sesame oil. Heat over medium heat and add garlic and ginger. Cook until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden and aromatic. Add red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add the broth, remaining ¼ cup of soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar, and use a spatula to scrape any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about a third, around 3 to 6 minutes.
- Add broccoli, place lid on the skillet, and cook for two minutes. Give the broccoli a stir, replace the lid, and continue to cook until it reaches your preferred level of doneness, 1 to 3 minutes more.
- While the broccoli cooks, add ramen to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
- Stir cooked beef and any juices in the bowl into the broccoli and sauce. Add cooked and drained ramen noodles and toss until the noodles are well-coated with sauce.
- Serve topped with sliced green onions if desired, and enjoy!
