This easy Ground Beef and Ramen Noodles stir-fry recipe is a quick dinner I like to have in my backpocket. Hearty ground beef and perfectly cooked broccoli are tossed with Ramen noodles in a sticky-savory sauce. Much better than getting take-out!

Skillet with ground beef and Ramen noodles.

One of my favorite ways to have takeout made at home!

I don’t know about you, but with the grocery and restaurant prices these days – sorry kids but we have food at home 🙃 I do still like to treat the family to a special dinner, and these noodles are definitely a favorite around here. They are quick to whip up and feel like getting takeout – only that it tastes better, is faster, and more budget friendly. A win all around!

We start by making the sauce – the recipe come together quickly later, so it’s best to whisk this up right away. Then we cook the onion and mushrooms until softened, later add the beef and keep cooking until the beef is browned and crumbled. In goes the chopped broccoli and the sauce, and we simmer this covered until the broccoli is done to your liking. In the meantime, the noodles cook quickly in a pot of boiling water – finally, just toss them with the beef and broccoli, and a little noodle cooking water until everything is coated in sauce. Done!

We like sliced green onion and sesame seeds on top, and red pepper flakes are great for the grown ups. I usually make a quick cucumber salad on the side and dinner is ready!

Close up photo of ground beef and Ramen noodles.

Ingredients I like to use (plus notes)

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredients for Ground Beef and Ramen Noodles with text labels.

Broccoli: We like a lot of broccoli in this recipe, so I usually go for 16oz. You can reduce it to 12oz though if you prefer less. I also chop it quite small into florets so they don’t take long to cook – we don’t like undercooked broccoli.
Mushrooms: Optional, but a favorite in my house.
Ramen noodles: I have tried a few different noodle brands, and the only real difference I’ve found is that the organic brands I tried tend to break quickly. I avoid them now. Otherwise I haven’t really found a big difference, just get what you have available at your grocery store.
Garlic/ginger: If you need dinner to be quicker, you can use lazy garlic/ginger or even just garlic and ginger powder.
Broth: I prefer chicken broth here for some reason, but you can go with beef broth if you prefer.
Soy sauce: Highly recommend low sodium soy sauce here so you have more control over the saltiness!

Can I make this with ground turkey?

Yes, absolutely! For lean ground meats like ground turkey, I recommend to brown it BEFORE adding the onion/mushrooms until no longer pink, drain the liquid from the pan, and then keep browning it until it gets some color. Remove it from the pan, sauté the mushrooms/onions and then just add the ground meat back in and continue with the recipe.

How to make Ground Beef and Broccoli Ramen

Let’s walk through the recipe steps first, and then I’ll share all my tips to make sure your noodles turn out like the pictures the first time around 🙂

Sauce for stir fry in a measuring jug. — 1: make sauce

Sautéed onion and mushrooms in a stainless steel skillet. — 1: make sauce

Kitchen notes/cooking tips

Make the sauce first: Try not to skip making the sauce first, it really does make it easier later in the recipe. The only thing I recommend is whisking it one more time before adding it to the pan.
Sautéing: Give the onion and mushrooms a good 5-6 minutes in the skillet before adding the beef, it adds more flavor.
Simmering: The simmering time entirely depends on the preference you have regarding the doneness of your broccoli. I do usually simmer for around 6 minutes, covered, because we don’t enjoy undercooked broccoli.
Ramen: If you don’t want to end up with mushy noodles, you have to undercook them slightly. Mine say they cook in 4-5 minutes, and I cook them for 3. They will finish cooking in the pan with the meat and vegetables! Don’t forget to save 1-2 cups of noodle cooking water!
Tossing: Add the noodle cooking water gradually (I do 2 tablespoons at a time) so you don’t accidentally end up with a watery dish. Some people like to add the full 2 cups, I usually do about 1 cup plus a little bit. Just do what looks and tastes right to you! If you use full sodium soy sauce, I recommend diluting your noodle cooking water half/half with plain water.

Serving ideas

This really is a dish in one pan, so whenever I don’t have time to make anything on the side – it’s no big deal!

For when I do have time, I like to make a crisp cucumber salad.

If you want to go all-out for a takeout-at-home feast on a Friday night (without much effort on my part, because again – Friday night!), my family gets really excited when I make some store-bought spring rolls and dumplings as an appetizer, and finish the meal with a fortune cookie or mochi ice cream.

Bowl with ground beef and ramen noodles.

Leftovers?

Leftovers keep about as well as takeaway leftovers 😂 Meaning, the noodles will soak up sauce and it will get a little gloopy and sticky. If you like leftover takeout noodles, you will also like these as leftovers 😉

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until heated through to 165°F (you can make them in oil to be a little crispy, or add some water or broth to make them saucy). OR reheat in the microwave until 165°F throughout.