Spicy Beef Ramen Noodle Soup

A serving of the soup in a dark coloured bowl with chopsticks.

5 from 1 vote

Spicy Beef Ramen Noodle Soup

Mouthwatering bowls of spicy beef ramen noodle soup with tender marinated steak pieces, in a rich and savoury spicy beef broth.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Helen

Equipment

Ingredients

Beef & marinade

7 oz sirloin steak chilled (Note 1)
2 tbsp soy sauce (Note 2)
2 tbsp mirin (Note 3)
1 tsp sugar
½ tbsp Doubanjiang or chilli oil (optional)

Ramen ingredients

2 tbsp neutral oil (Note 4)
2 portions ramen noodles (Note 5)
2 cloves garlic finely grated
2 scallions/spring onions (white parts only) finely grated
2 tsp ginger finely grated
2 tbsp miso paste (Note 6)
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp Doubanjiang or chilli oil (optional) (Note 7)
1 tsp sugar (Note 8)
2.5 cups beef stock (Note 9)

Toppings

3 cups spinach (Note 10)
1 cup mushrooms
scallions/spring onions (green parts only) thinly sliced
2 soft-boiled ramen eggs (optional) (Note 11)
toasted sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Beef Marinade

Remove any fat from the steak with scissors or a sharp knife and slice horizontally into 0.5 cm / ¼ inch strips. (Note 12)
In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients (soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and optional Doubanjiang or chilli oil) and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the steak pieces to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (ideally overnight)

Cook the mushrooms and steak

Place a pan on a medium to high heat and add half of the neutral oil. Add the mushrooms once the oil is hot and fry for a few minutes until they begin to brown and set aside.
Add the spinach to the pan, cook for a couple of minutes until wilted, and set aside.
Add the steak strips and fry for a few minutes until brown and set aside.

Make the ramen broth

Place a Dutch oven or large pan on a medium heat and add the remaining oil.
Add the minced ginger, garlic and scallions/spring onion and fry for a minute or two until fragrant.
Add the miso paste, tahini, sesame oil, soy sauce, chilli oil and sugar and stir until incorporated.
Pour on the beef stock and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the ramen noodles according to packet instructions (plan to have them done for when the ramen is ready to be assembled). Drain them while they are still slightly underdone. They will cook a little more when you add them to the broth.

Assemble

Add a portion of cooked ramen noodles to each bowl and pour on the hot broth.
Top each bowl with the cooked beef, spinach, mushrooms, soft boiled eggs and sliced scallions/spring onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

Beef: I use sirloin because it's lean, tender, flavourful, and cooks quickly. Flank steak is also a good choice. You can use rump steak, but it's not the best option because it can have a chewier texture, so you'll need to cut it thinly and cook on a high heat. Ribeye is another good option, but is more expensive. You'll need to remove the fat before cooking.
Soy sauce: Use regular or light. Dark will be too rich.
Mirin: Substitute with Chinese cooking wine OR dry sherry + 1 tsp white sugar.
Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high burn point like sunflower, vegetable, canola or ground nut.
Ramen noodles: Use fresh or dry or substitute with egg noodles. For gluten-free options use gluten-free ramen noodles or rice noodles.
Miso paste: White miso paste is best and the most readily available. Avoid using red miso, it will make the broth too strong.
Doubanjiang: A spicy Chinese bean paste that also brings a slightly sweet umami flavor. Substitute with Chinese chilli oil or leave it out if you prefer non-spicy ramen.
Sugar: Used to balance out the saltiness of the broth rather than as a sweetener.
Beef stock: Can use homemade or store-bought.
Spinach: Use fresh or frozen.
Ramen eggs: Make my Easy Soy Marinated Ramen Eggs or cook up regular soft-boiled eggs in simmering water for 6 minutes, leave to chill in icy or cold water and peel carefully.
Slicing the beef: It is easier to cut the steak into thin slices when it's cold so it's best to cut it as soon as you remove it from the fridge.

Nutritional information: is for one bowl of ramen topped with a portion of steak, mushrooms, spinach and a soft-boiled egg.

Nutrition