Ramen Stir Fry Recipe

This Ramen Noodle Stir Fry is saucy, satisfying, flavor-packed and on your table in 30 minutes! It belongs in your easy dinner repertoire!

This Ramen Stir Fry is an easy, budget friendly, versatile, 30-minute wonder your whole family will love!  It’s made with springy ramen noodles, juicy ground beef and tender veggies coated an irresistible sweet and savory chili garlic sauce.  Best of all, this Ramen Noodle Stir Fry is extremely flexible and amendable to whatever protein or veggies you have on hand for the best clean-out-the-fridge or last-minute dinner – because it’s all about the SAUCE! Serve this ramen noodles recipe with some crispy crab rangoons or cream cheese wontons for a complete takeout fakeout feast!

If you’re looking for some Asian noodle dishes, try our favorite Spicy Ramen, Easy Ramen, Sesame Noodles, Korean Noodles, Singapore Noodles and Ramen Noodle Salad.

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how to make ramen noodles video

 

Ramen noodles recipe

If you’ve been following Carlsbad Cravings for any time at all, you know I love Asian noodle recipes from Pad Thai to Drunken Noodles to Peanut Noodles.  They are flavor fireworks, quick and easy to make, and the perfect meal-in-one when you don’t feel like messing with sides.   So, today, I’m excited to bring you a Ramen Stir Fry that’s arguably the quickest stir fry yet!  

What are ramen noodles?

Ramen (ラーメン) is a noodle soup that originated in Japan by way of Chinese noodles.  Ramen is hugely popular in America at restaurants/noodles houses and by way of the dry square ramen noodles with the mystery seasoning packet that have become a way of life for college students. 

These same tender, curly, fast-cooking ramen noodles used for soup also make fantastic noodles for stir fries! You can use the dried packaged ramen or fresh refrigerated ramen for this recipe.  Both dried and fresh ramen are wheat-based alkaline noodles made with flour, wheat and most importantly kansui (かん水).  This key ingredient is a salty, alkaline liquid that gives the noodles their signature chewy, springy texture. Dried ramen noodles are fried and dried before being packaged and fresh ramen is treated with an alkaline agent.

The Best Ramen Noodles for Stir Fry

You have a few options when it comes to which type of ramen noodles to use in this stir fry recipe, but for ease and economy, I suggest the widely accessible instant dried ramen.

Dried Ramen/Instant Ramen Soup Packets

Dried ramen packets used for instant soup are what many people think of when they hear the word“ ramen.”  They are ideal for this recipe because they are easily accessible and can be stocked in your pantry indefinitely – which means you can make this Ramen Noodle Stir Fry AT ANY TIME whereas refrigerated ramen only keeps for a few days. 

You will need three 3 oz. dried packets of ramen noodles for this recipe.  You can easily find packets of dried noodles at your local grocery store or at Asian markets.  I prefer NongShim Shin Ramyun ramen packets or Samyang ramen packets. They are thicker and heartier which means they stay nice and firm for longer.

The grocery store ramen will include a seasoning packet, which you will want to discard.  The seasoning packet is filled with preservatives, sodium, and MSG which we don’t need to make our stir fry ramen mega flavorful.

Other ramen options:

• Fresh noodles:  Fresh is always best but not always the most convenient.  Fresh ramen is more common in major cities where ramen noodle producers work nearby, but they can still be found in other areas.  Fresh ramen will be located in the refrigerated section and should be used within a few days.
• Gluten free ramen: Use brown rice and millet ramen noodles such as Lotus Foods Organic Brown Rice Ramen.  They are healthier, vegan and taste great.  If you are looking to make these ramen noodles 100% gluten free, then you will need to use gluten free ingredients for the sauce as well.
• Organic Ramen:  Should be easy to find at your grocery story but tend to become a little mushy when reheated.

INGREDIENTS FOR Ramen stir fry

This Ramen Noodle Stir Fry can be divided into three parts: the noodles, the sauce and the stir fry.  The sauce ingredients are just a dump and whisk away, made with pantry friendly ingredients if you do much Asian cooking.  If you don’t have any of the ingredients, I HIGHLY suggest adding them to your pantry because I use them all the time in my Asian recipes – so they will not go to waste!

THE STIR FRY SAUCE

• Chicken broth:  Creates the savory base of the sauce and mellows the other ingredient.  If you don’t have chicken broth, you may substitute with water but you may need to add a pinch more salt. You may also use vegetarian broth for vegetarian ramen but it is not quite as flavorful.  Pro Tip:  You can freeze unused chicken broth in desired quantities in plastic bags so it doesn’t go to waste.
• Soy sauce: Grounds the sauce and adds the salty, savory undertone. Please use low sodium soy sauce or your ramen noodles will be too salty.
• Oyster sauce:  Is the base of almost ever stir fry sauce and adds that extra punch of flavor that cannot be replicated with other ingredients/sauces.  Oyster sauce is a thick, brown sauce with a balance between sweet and salty with an earthy undertone, due to the oyster extracts.  You can find oyster sauce in the Asian aisle of any supermarket for only a few dollars.  Please use QUALITY oyster sauce such as Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman.  You truly can taste the difference and will be sorely disappointed with less quality brands.

What if I’m allergic to shellfish? Or vegetarian?  If you’re allergic to shellfish/vegetarian, use LEE KUM KEE Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce instead of oyster sauce.

• Asian sweet chili sauce:  This sauce makes everything better! It is sweet and spicy and packed with flavor from a combination of red chilies, onion, garlic, brown sugar and fish sauce.  I love to use it instead of all sugar in recipes because it adds sweetness with multi-dimension FLAVOR.  Asian sweet chili sauce can be found in the Asian section of our grocery store and is sometimes labeled as Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.
• Brown sugar:  Balances the soy sauce for a hint of added sweetness. You may substitute with granulated sugar or honey.
• Rice vinegar:  This balances the sauce with a subtle tang of acid. Use unseasoned/natural rice vinegar. If you see a label saying rice wine vinegar, it’s the same thing.
• Asian chili sauce:  Use your favorite hot chili sauce or sriracha to taste.  Remember, if your recipe feels like it’s missing something – you probably need to bring some heat!

THE STIR FRY

• Oil:  You’ll need a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to toss the ramen in after cooking so the noodles don’t stick together.   If you don’t have toasted sesame oil, you can use a drizzle of any other neutral flavored oil. You’ll use vegetable oil for stir frying the vegetables.  You don’t use sesame oil for stir frying because it has a lower smoking point so it breaks down easily.   
• Lean beef:  Use 85/15 percent lean ground beef so your stir fry is juicy without being greasy.
• Aromatics: Ginger, onions and garlic (added with the stir fry) add warm spicy, almost peppery taste.  These aromatics awaken and elevate the entire ramen noodles recipe. If you’re looking to save time and skip some chopping, you can substitute the fresh onions, garlic and ginger with powders. The typical rule of thumb is 3:1, so one part dried to three parts fresh.
• Vegetables:  I’ve used carrots, broccoli and bell peppers, but you can substitute with any veggies of your choice.

Can I make this ramen noodles recipe gluten free?

To make this ramen noodles recipe gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten free oyster sauce. Use gluten free ramen noodles such as Lotus Foods Organic Brown Rice Ramen.   I haven’t personally tried these noodles, but I’ve heard they are excellent. If you can’t locate gluten free Ramen, then try rice vermicelli.  Rice vermicelli is usually gluten free, but not always, so just make sure you check the ingredients for wheat starch or wheat flour.

Can I make this ramen noodles recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely!  Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, LEE KUM KEE Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce instead of oyster sauce and use mushrooms, tofu, additional veggies or plant-based ground “meat” in place of the ground beef.  

HOW DO I CHOP VEGETABLES FOR ramen stir fry?

It’s important to chop your vegetables the right size for this Ramen Stir Fry – you don’t want some veggies to be crunchy and some to be mushy!  There are some vegetables that take longer to cook such as broccoli and carrots and some take less time to cook such as zucchini and bell peppers.

In order to cook all of the veggies at the same time, the longer cooking vegetables need to be chopped smaller/thinner, and the shorter cooking vegetables larger.  For example, slice zucchini thick and THINLY slice the carrots, so they cook in the same amount of time.  Now you’ll have perfectly crisp-tender veggies without crunchy or mushy ones mixed in! 

How to make ramen stir fry

This Ramen Noodle Stir Fry is quick and easy – the biggest tip is to not overcook the veggies or the noodles (which coincidently makes it even quicker 😉). Let’s take a closer look at how to make it (full recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Step 1:  How to cook ramen noodles

Ramen noodles are easy to pan-fry (or stir fry) for this recipe. The biggest secret is to not overcook them! 

• Boil the noodles:  Ramen noodles should be cooked in boiling water so they can be submerged otherwise you get unevenly cooked, gummy noodles. 
• Only cook for 2 minutes:  Set a timer and don’t cook the noodles for longer than two minutes.  The noodles should be al dente – still have a little bite to them because they will finish cooking with the sauce to soak up flavor.
• Drain the noodles:  Immediately drain the al dente noodles and rinse them in cold water to prevent them from continuing to cook if the stir fry isn’t ready for them yet.  Toss the ramen noodles with a drizzle of sesame oil so the noodles don’t clump together.

Step 2:  Make stir fry sauce

• Whisk ingredients together.  The stir fry sauce may seem like a lot of ingredients, but it takes just a few minutes to make. Whisk chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, Asian sweet chili sauce, chili sauce and cornstarch together until smooth.
• Pro tip: Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved because it will not dissolve further once added to the hot skillet and you’ll be left with a lumpy sauce.

Step 3:  Stir fry beef and veggies   

• Cook beef:  Get your skillet nice and hot to the point it starts to smoke. Add your ground beef, chicken or pork along with the onions, and cook, while breaking up the beef.
• Stir fry veggies: When beef is almost cooked through, add carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, garlic and ginger and cook another couple minutes.

Step 4:  Get saucy!  

• Thicken sauce.  Add the stir fry sauce to the beef and veggies and simmer for a about a minute until it thickens.
• Pan fry ramen noodles:  Add the noodles and toss with the sauce until the noodles are evenly coated and the noodles are al dente, about one minute.
• Serve:  Taste and season with additional chili sauce, salt or pepper if desired. Garnish with green onions and dig in!

CAN I PREP stir fry RAMEN AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely!  You can whisk your sauce, chop your veggies and even cook your ramen noodles ahead of time. You can prep all or some of the following in advance:

• Sauce: Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate. Whisk the sauce again before using.
• Noodles: Cook ramen for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and rinse with cold water; toss with a drizzle of sesame oil to prevent the noodles from clumping together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Veggies: Chop all your vegetables and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Aromatics: Chop your onions, garlic, and ginger and store in separate airtight containers or bags in the refrigerator.

Toppings for stir fry Ramen Noodles

This Ramen Noodle recipe is delicious as is or get fun and flirty with extra flavor, texture and/or heat by way of garnishes:   

• Green onions Add subtle onion flavor with bright, crisp greenness.  
• Sesame oil:  A drizzle of toasted sesame oil adds a subtle, sublime nuttiness.  Take care not to use too much – a little goes a long way!
• Sesame seeds: Also add pops of subtly sweet nuttiness with the added benefit of texture.   
• Chili sauce:  Use your favorite chili sauce such as sriracha, sambal oelek or gochuchang, or even red pepper flakes instead to add some heat.  A little heat will awaken all of the flavors

Expert tips for cooking Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

This Ramen Stir Fry is quick and easy, but it’s important to pay attention to a few key factors such cooking the ramen al dente and the type and size of your skillet for a sizzling success ever time.  Here’s what you need to know:   

• Use a large cast iron skillet or wok:  There is a lot going on in this skillet with the beef, veggies and ramen noodles so you need a large skillet that evenly retains and distributes heat, continuously evaporating any moisture to achieve the signature stir-fried texture.  The best pan for this is cast iron or heavy bottomed stainless steel.  If you don’t use a large skillet, your veggies will steam instead of stir fry.  
• If you don’t have a large skillet: Cook the beef first, remove it from the pan and then stir fry the veggies, then combine with the sauce.  
• Don’t use the seasoning packet!  We only want the ramen noodles, not the MSG seasoning packet it comes with.   We will be seasoning the noodles ourselves with plenty of garlic, onion and ginger.
• Prep ingredients first:  Make sure your veggies and aromatics are prepped before you start stir frying because once you start cooking, everything comes together super quickly. 
• Shortcut prep:  See section below for substituting fresh aromatics for powders, using pre-cut veggies or frozen veggies. 
• Chop vegetables the right size: The most important key to making a good stir-fry is cutting each ingredient to a uniform size as specified in the recipe. As detailed earlier in the post, chop the bell peppers large and the carrots thinly so they remain crisp-tender.
• Don’t overcook the ramen:  The ramen should be undercooked and still have a bite to it after it’s boiled because the ramen will continue to cook in the sauce.  If you completely cook the ramen initially, it will become mushy when tossing with the sauce.
• If using fresh ramen: You will only need to boil the noodles for about 30 seconds before tossing them in the stir fry.
• Customize heat:  If you feel like your stir fry ramen is missing something, it is probably heat. Add additional heat as needed to really make the flavors pop.
• Customize recipe:  Don’t be afraid to make this YOUR ramen recipe! Swap the protein or veggies per section below.
• Serve immediately:  The noodles will continue to soak up the sauce, so it’s best to serve the Ramen Noodle Stir Fry immediealty when it’s still hot and saucy.

How to serve Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

You can serve this Ramen Stir Fry by itself because it is a complete meal-in-one with protein, veggies and carbs or you can make it part of an Asian feast, along with  Crab Rangoons, Wontons, Asian Salad, Potstickers, Wonton Soup and/or Egg Rolls.

How to store this Ramen Sri Fry Recipe

Store leftover ramen noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. For the best leftovers, take care you don’t overcook your stir fry ramen initially.  You want the noodles to remain al dente so they don’t become mushy when reheated. 

HOW TO REHEAT RAMEN NOODLES

• To reheat in the microwave: Transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat at 20-second intervals as needed. 
• To reheat on the stove: Warm in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often.  You may need to toss with a drizzle of oil or both/water to loosen the noodles. 

LOOKING FOR MORE ASIAN NOODLE RECIPES?

• Chicken Pad Thai
• Ground Beef Korean Noodles
• Sesame Noodles
• Vietnamese Noodles
• Thai Pumpkin Noodles
• Honey Sriracha Chicken Noodles
• Laksa Noodle Soup
• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup