Quick Minced Beef Ramen

Minced Beef Ramen recipe

Bloody hell it’s back to school time again already. The lovely quiet summer streets are filling up again and the traffic’s backing up. For many, not me as I’m ancient and my boys are grown ups, it’s time to start thinking about off/back to uni meals. And if George’s diet at uni was anything to go by, these Minced Beef Ramen would have featured almost every night of the week, had I sent him back with most of the ingredients, in large quantities.

Ramen are big players in our house. Spicy, chicken, beef even vegetable, as long as they’re quick to make and cost less than £1, we have them in bulk. But these Minced Beef Ramen make a humble packet of noodles far more boujie, and on the table in 20 minutes. The mince is fried until crisp, then tossed in a simple mixture of soy, oyster sauce, chilli flakes and sugar with just a touch of garlic and ginger. The ramen get cooked in the sauce along with some edamame, or peas unless you’re George, and spring onions for that allium hit. The crispy fried egg topping is optional, again, unless you’re George, who would want two.

If you’re looking for a great value supper, or a recipe to send your darlings off to uni with, look no further than Minced Beef Ramen, it’s a bloody beauty.

I used to send my boys off to uni with plenty of noodles, along with a some cheap vodka and shot glasses, and they happily survived their 3 years beautifully, and managed to both get degrees. I’ve added some greenery to my ramen with spring onions and edamame beans, both adding colour and flavour but you can mix it up and add what you have to hand.

Make a start on this great value, super speedy dish with a high sided, large frying pan. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil and heat over a high flame then add your mince. Don’t move it too much, just spread out over the bottom of the pan and leave for 2 to 3 minutes to brown.

When the bottom of the mince is starting to brown beautifully, turn the mince over, break up a little more, and cook again until the meat is brown and crispy.

While the beef crisping is happening, combine the sauce ingredients. In a jug mix the soy and oyster sauces, chilli flakes, brown sugar, garlic and ginger until blended.

Pour the sauce into your beef, turn down the heat and cook for a further minute. Tip in the finely chopped spring onions, keeping a couple of tablespoons back for garnish, and the edamame beans and stir.

Push the mince to the sides of the pan, leaving room in the middle to add the two blocks of ramen.

If you would like extra beefyness *probably not a real word* mix one of the beef seasoning sachets from your ramen with 500ml boiling water, if not use chicken stock, then pour around the noodles. Press down on the noodles to semi immerse them, then pop a lid on and cook for 2 minutes.

When the 2 minutes is up, turn the noodles over and cook the other side with the lid off for another 2 minutes until the noodles are cooked.

Once the noodles are cooked, stir everything together until well mixed. Stir through some fresh coriander and sesame seeds, if you have them to hand *students I doubt it*.

Serve these beef ramen in large bowls, with all the add ons you love. I adore a crispy fried egg, chopped spring onions, sriracha and some more sesame seeds. Then dig in.

My nest is full again now George has graduated so these noodles are going to be featuring in my kitchen more than ever; with 3 hungry men back at the table, frugal food is king.

Lucy x

Minced Beef Ramen recipe

Serves 2 to 3, appetite dependent

You will just need a large high sided frying pan with a lid

1 tablespoon sesame oil

500g minced beef

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, more if you like more heat

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon of lazy garlic and ginger, or a heaped teaspoon of each if using fresh

2 packets beef ramen noodles, reserve one of the seasoning sachets, if using for the stock below

500ml water, stock or I used one of the beef flavouring sachets from the ramen

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1 mug of edamame beans, or peas if you prefer

Fresh coriander, sesame seeds, sriracha and a crispy fried egg, to serve, if you like

Take your large high sided frying pan and add a tablespoon of sesame oil. Heat over a high flame then add the minced beef. Spread it out over the base of the pan and leave to brown, without moving for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the mince over, and finish cooking until crisp.

In a small jug mix the soy, oyster sauce, brown sugar and chilli flakes. Pour this into the mince, stir well, and cook out for a minute or so. Tip in the edamame or peas and chopped spring onions (reserving a tablespoon for garnish), and stir to mix. Push the beef to the sides of the pan and place the noodles in the middle. Pour over the stock, water or water mixed with one of the beef ramen seasoning sachets, press the noodles down, and put on a lid. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove the lid, turn the noodles over and cook for another minute with the lid off, or until the noodles are soft.

Stir the noodles into the beef and mix well until the whole lovely lot has been combined. Stir through some sesame seeds, black or white, and some chopped fresh coriander.

Serve piping hot, topped with a crispy fried egg and the reserved chopped spring onions. More sesame seeds and some sriracha would also be lovely.

Any leftovers will be just as tasty the next day.