Beef ramen is truly a comfort dish that never gets old The savory broth, tender beef slices, and perfectly cooked noodles create pure magic in your mouth But sometimes you want to spice things up and take your beef ramen from basic to spectacular.
That’s why I’ve compiled this ultimate guide on how to upgrade your beef ramen with simple yet mouthwatering add-ins. Whether you want extra richness a flavor punch fun textures, or added nutrition, these beef ramen hacks have got you covered. Let’s dive in!
Vegetable Add-Ins for Freshness and Nutrition
Packed with just carbs and protein, beef ramen could certainly use an injection of vegetables to balance things out. Luckily, it’s easy to throw in all kinds of veggies to give your ramen a nutritional boost.
Some quick-cooking vegetables like spinach, watercress, and bean sprouts can be stirred in right before serving. They’ll wilt in the hot broth within seconds. Heartier veggies like mushrooms, bok choy, broccoli, and snap peas can be added in during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time.
For a refreshing crunch, go for raw veggie toppings. Cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and radishes are perfect shredded or sliced on top Some pickled veg like kimchi also pair nicely.
Add Protein with Eggs, Meat, or Tofu
While the beef provides protein, extra proteins like eggs, seafood, or tofu can make your ramen next level. For eggs, soft boil or poach them directly in the broth, or go classic with a sunnyside fried egg on top.
Thinly sliced chicken breast, pork tenderloin, or flank steak cook in just seconds if swished in the hot broth. Shrimp, crab meat, and scallops also cook fast for a surf and turf ramen. For a vegetarian option, cubed tofu adds substance.
Herbs and Spices Give a Flavor Punch
It’s incredible how big of a difference some fresh herbs and spices can make. Green onions and cilantro provide brightness, while garlic and ginger add a little zing. Sichuan peppercorns bring mild numbing heat.
Lemongrass and lime leaves instill Southeast Asian flavors. And you can’t go wrong with spice blends like five-spice powder or curry powder. Adjust amounts to your taste.
Take It Up a Notch with Sauces and Seasonings
If you really want to amplify the flavors of your beef ramen, break out your favorite sauces and seasonings. Examples include soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili oil, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha.
A spoonful of miso paste or gochujang (Korean red chili paste) can also do wonders. For creaminess, swirl in some peanut butter or tahini. Just a splash or two is all you need to take your ramen to Flavor Town.
Get Creative with Fun Toppings
Now we’re moving into fun and creative add-in territory. How about some corn for sweetness and crunch? Tofu or mushrooms marinated in teriyaki sauce are tasty. Kimchi provides tangy spice while seaweed packs an umami punch.
For texture, try crunchy items like crushed peanuts, fried shallots, toasted sesame seeds, or even crumbled potato chips. Green onions and cilantro add freshness on top. The possibilities are endless!
Take the Cheese Route for Comfort Food Bliss
Oh yes, cheese can absolutely take your beef ramen into comfort food heaven. Just place a slice of melty American cheese over your noodles and let it work its magic. Mozzarella and Monterey Jack also melt wonderfully.
For next-level cheesy bliss, stir in a spoonful of Velveeta or sprinkle on some Parmesan. Cheese takes beef ramen from savory to downright decadent. But hey, you deserve a little decadence!
Perk It Up with Citrus, Vinegar, or Hot Sauce
When beef ramen tastes a bit one-note, perk it up with citrus, vinegar, or hot sauce. A squeeze of lemon or lime adds brightness. A splash of rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar contributes a tangy kick.
A few shakes of Sriracha, sambal oelek, or other chili sauce provides heat that complements the rich broth. Start with small amounts and adjust to your liking.
Take Your Ramen on a World Tour
Once you’ve nailed the basic beef ramen, why not take your noodles on a world tour? Channel Japanese flavors by topping with an onsen egg, nori, and green onions. For Thai vibes, add coconut milk, lime, chili paste, and basil.
Create Vietnamese pho with bean sprouts, Thai basil, hoisin, and Sriracha. For a Chinese spin, go with oyster sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder. Endless global flavor combinations await!
Vegan and Vegetarian Options
Vegans and vegetarians need not miss out on ramen deliciousness. Substitute the beef broth with a veggie or mushroom broth. For “beefiness”, add mushroom powder, miso paste, liquid smoke, or vegan beef crumbles.
Load it up with tofu, veggies, noodles, and flavor-packed sauces like hoisin and sriracha. A few seaweed sheets on top provide “meaty” umami too. Get creative with plant-based ramen!
Gluten-Free Tips
People avoiding gluten can still enjoy ramen, just with a few swaps. Opt for rice noodles or bean thread noodles instead of wheat noodles. Use tamari rather than soy sauce.
Verify broths and condiments are gluten-free or make your own. With care, you can craft a tasty gluten-free beef ramen. It just may look a bit different than the traditional version.
Freeze for Later
Make a big batch of beef ramen and freeze portions so you can enjoy later. The broth and cooked noodles freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop or microwave.
Add any toppings after reheating. Freezer beef ramen makes for an easy weeknight dinner after a long day.
So there you have it – endless ideas to take your beef ramen from basic to spectacular. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new ingredients and global flavors. Just have fun making each bowl of ramen your own with simple add-ins you love. Soon this comforting noodle dish will become your new favorite meal!
Simple Add-Ins to Boost Your Ramen Experience
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The easiest way to quickly upgrade a bowl of instant noodles is with ingredients that require no extra cooking. Im talking simple sauces and condiments like:
- Miso paste
- Chili bean sauce
- Thai curry paste
- Japanese curry powder
- Fish sauce
- Harissa
- Vinegar
- Ponzu
Im a condiment devotee (Ive got a whole double-layered shelf of my fridge plus the entire door and a full pantry cabinet devoted to them), so this is a particularly easy thing for me to do. The key is not to go overboard with too many different competing flavors. I often make this mistake after long nights out, assuming that when it comes to hangover cures, more is better. Not the case. Keep it simple. Bear in mind that if youre using a salty condiment, you should omit some of the seasoning packet. You can also add:
- Spices like white pepper, sichuan pepper, or chile flakes to the finished dish, or try adding a cinnamon stick, star anise, and coriander seeds to the simmering broth (remove em before serving!)
- Fats like toasted sesame oil, chile oil, or an animal fat (pork, chicken, or duck are all awesome)
- Citrus juices—a quick squeeze of lemon or lime right before serving can go a long way to brightening flavors.
But imagine this scenario: Youre in college, the power went out in your dorm room, and you obviously had no choice but to finish all the beer in the fridge rather than let it warm up. Youre hungry, but you cant use the water kettle. Keanu Reeves pops up in your brain and asks: What do you do? What do you do?
Heres the answer: Just crunch up the noodles in the bag, tear off a corner, add the seasoning packet, hold the torn corner and shake it up, then consume. Lick your fingers clean after this one. Its like eating Cheetos, but with delicious, complex flavor fingers instead of “orange cheeze.”
Add Protein to Ramen With an Egg
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Ramen are pretty much all starch and fat (with most inexpensive ramen brands, the noodles are dehydrated by deep-frying them!). What about adding some extra protein? Eggs are cheap, delicious, and in most cases, can be cooked directly in the same pot with the noodles or the broth. Here are a few simple ways to do it. The World Society for Ramen Egg Cookery (an organization which I founded, chair, and am the sole member of) has divided ramen-eggs into 5 levels. It is inadvisable to attempt a higher level process until youve completed each of the levels preceding it.
- Level 1: Hard-boiled eggs are the easiest—just add the eggs to a pot of cold water, bring it to a boil, then drop in your noodles. The egg should be pretty perfectly hard-boiled in just about the same time that it takes to cook the ramen through.
- Level 2: Soft-boiled eggs are a tad trickier, because they involve a time. Drop them into the pot after its come to a full boil, start a timer, and pull them out after 3 minutes for super-soft, or 5 for a fully-set white and semi-liquid yolk. I like to cut the eggs open and stir the yolk into the broth as I eat it.
- Level 3: The egg-drop method creates small curds of egg blossoms that float in the broth and coat your noodles. Lightly beat an egg in a small bowl. Once your noodles are cooked, swirl the noodles and hot broth gently around the pot. While the broth is moving, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg. It should set into fine ribbons.
- Level 4: Poached eggs will never come out perfectly shaped, but who really cares? Just cook the noodles until theyve just started to separate from each other (about halfway through their total cooking time), pull the pot off the heat, break a raw egg into the center, place the lid on the pot, and let the whole thing sit for a couple minutes until both the noodles and eggs are cooked.
- Level 5: Fried eggs require the use of an auxiliary pan and heat source. This is hyper-advanced stuff, and not to be trifled with until youre comfortable with all of the first-level egg techniques.**
**Not really. Its still pretty darn easy.
Beef ramen
FAQ
How do you fancy up beef ramen?
- Miso paste.
- Chili bean sauce.
- Thai curry paste.
- Japanese curry powder.
- Fish sauce.
- Harissa.
- Vinegar.
- Ponzu.
What is good to put on ramen?
- Negi or chopped spring onions (green onions) — A must for any and every ramen bowl.
- Tamago or eggs — Another topping that I just have to have.
- Sesame oil —
- Sesame seeds —
- Radishes or sweet bell peppers —
- Mushrooms —
- Steamed or stir-fried greens —
- Fried chili and garlic, or fried garlic —
What vegetables can you put in beef ramen?
Here are some great options: Carrot, capsicum (bell pepper), zucchini (courgette), wombok cabbage, sugar snap peas or snow peas (mangetout): Slice thinly or julienne (think matchsticks) and add at the same time as the bok choy so the vegetables retain their crunch.
Is cheese good in beef ramen?
Melting cheese in ramen makes for an extremely simple and delicious spin on typical ramen noodles that can be easily made in the college environment.