A Chinese takeout favorite—beef with broccoli—cooked with ramen noodles means this is one completely filling meal. And it’s on the table in less than 30 minutes!
This easy stir fry is a one-pot dinner twist on the classic Chinese takeout beef and broccoli dish. I like to add ramen noodles, along with a homemade savory sauce, to make it a complete dinner on its own.
If you are interested in a more traditional recipe without the ramen noodles, check out this Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe!
The Best Beef for Stir Frying
I like to use sirloin steak when I’m making beef stir fries. It has the perfect mix of lean meat and fat, and it’s still tender even if cooked quickly. You could use other cuts of steak, but try to avoid getting one that has a high fat content, like porterhouse steak. (Save those for the grill!)
I wouldn’t use roast cuts such as chuck roast or round roast, or something like skirt steak, which can be tough if not cooked correctly.
How to Prep Beef for Stir Fry
To prepare the beef for cooking, I recommend trimming off any large pieces of fat from the steak and then slicing it into about 1/4-inch thick strips. Some steaks will have a grain to them, and if yours does, you should slice against the grain, which will lead to a more tender finished steak.
Which Ramen Noodles to Use for Stir Fry
I use nothing fancy for the noodles in this stir fry version—the cheap dried ramen noodles. I just discard the seasoning packet. Don’t worry; our homemade sauce is much better!
That said, you could use a wide range of noodles for this dish. You could use six to eight ounces of fresh ramen or udon noodles. Even soba noodles would work okay.
Personally, though, I love the texture and the ease of using the basic ramen noodles.
How to Make the Stir Fry Sauce
This sauce has a fair number of ingredients in it, but they are all doing something. The soy sauce and sesame oil give a savory umami taste; the honey and hoisin sauce bring some sweetness to it, and the garlic and ginger add a bright aromatic flavor.
The recipe makes a lot of sauce. I like this recipe to be pretty saucy, like you would get from a Chinese takeout box. But if you are worried it’s too much sauce, start by adding half of it to the stir fry and then taste. Add more if you think it needs more. If you do have leftover sauce, it keeps fine in the fridge for a week.
Cooking Order for the Stir Fry
The order is important for this stir fry!
- Start with the steak and cook it mostly on one side, so it gets some color on it.
- Then remove the steak, add a fresh drizzle of oil to the pan, and add the broccoli.
- Add a splash of water to the skillet with the broccoli, cover it, and let the broccoli steam for a few minutes.
- Once the broccoli is tender but not mushy, add the steak back in along with the cooked and drained ramen noodles.
- Then stir in the sauce and toss everything together until the sauce thickens around the stir fry.
Serve immediately with sesame seeds and sriracha!
CAN’T GET ENOUGH? HERE ARE MORE STIR FRY RECIPES TO TRY!
Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the stir fry sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the stir fry:
- 2 (3-ounce) packages dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and sliced into 1/4-inch thick strips
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- Sesame seeds, garnish
- Sriracha, garnish (optional)
Special equipment:
Method
1 Make the stir fry sauce: Add garlic and ginger to a bowl and whisk in soy sauce through sesame oil. Whisk in cornstarch last, and try to whisk out as many lumps as possible. It’s okay if there are a few lumps, as they will cook out when you add the sauce to the skillet.
This makes a lot, because I like this dish to be very saucy. You could halve the recipe if you like a drier stir fry. If you have leftover sauce, it stores well in the fridge for a week in an airtight container or jar.
2 Prepare the noodles: Cook dry ramen noodles in boiling water until they are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking.
3 Cook the stir fry: In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Once the skillet is glistening hot, add the steak strips. Cook for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, to allow them to sear well on one side. Then stir and continue to cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the steak is cooked through.
Remove the steak from skillet, and add another tablespoon of olive oil and the broccoli florets. Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and cover. Steam broccoli for 2 minutes. Broccoli should be bright green and tender, and not mushy at all.
Add the steak back to the skillet, along with cooked and rinsed noodles. Pour in all of the sauce. (If you prefer a drier stir fry, you can start with half the sauce.) Use tongs or a large rubber spatula to stir together ingredients as sauce cooks. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens.
5 Serve: Serve stir fry immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and, optionally, sriracha.
