Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Ramen
Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Ramen
This Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Ramen combines tender slow-cooked beef, fresh broccoli, ramen noodles, and a sweet and savory sauce for an easy dinner that’s packed with flavor.
Think classic beef and broccoli meets a big cozy bowl of saucy ramen.
The beef slowly cooks in a mixture of soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil until it’s tender. Then broccoli and ramen noodles are added near the end, turning everything into a complete crockpot dinner.
And those noodles soak up that sauce.
SO good.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Ramen
I love turning favorite takeout-inspired recipes into easy family dinners, and this might be one of my favorites.
Instead of serving Crockpot Beef and Broccoli over rice, we’re adding ramen noodles directly to the slow cooker.
The ramen absorbs some of that flavorful cooking liquid while it softens, so you end up with saucy noodles mixed with tender beef and broccoli.
It’s easy, inexpensive, and perfect when you’re craving something cozy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak or sirloin steak, thinly sliced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3 packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Sliced green onions, for serving
- Sesame seeds, optional
How to Make Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Ramen
Thinly slice the steak against the grain.
Place the beef in the crockpot.
Whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and black pepper.
Pour the mixture over the beef.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Add the Broccoli
When the beef is tender, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water.
Stir the cornstarch slurry into the crockpot.
Add the broccoli.
Cover and turn the crockpot to HIGH.
Cook for approximately 15–20 minutes.
At this point, the broccoli should just be starting to become tender.
Add the Ramen
Discard the seasoning packets that come with the ramen. You won’t need them because we’ve already made our own sauce.
Add the ramen noodle blocks directly to the crockpot.
Gently press them into the hot liquid.
Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 5–10 minutes.
Check the noodles frequently.
Once they begin to soften, use tongs to gently separate them and toss them with the beef, broccoli, and sauce.
Continue cooking only until the noodles are tender.
Ramen cooks quickly, so don’t walk away from the crockpot during this step.
Serve Immediately
Once the ramen noodles are tender, give everything a good toss.
The noodles will continue absorbing sauce as they sit, so this dish is best served right away.
Spoon the beef and broccoli ramen into bowls and finish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
If you like a little heat, add crushed red pepper flakes, chili crisp, or sriracha.
Why Add the Ramen at the End?
Ramen noodles only take a few minutes to cook.
If they were added at the beginning with the beef, they’d completely break down during the long cooking time.
Adding them during the final few minutes gives you tender noodles that still have some texture.
The same idea applies to the broccoli.
Both ingredients go in toward the end while the beef gets the long, slow cooking time it needs.
Do I Use the Ramen Seasoning Packets?
No.
You only need the noodles.
The homemade sauce already has plenty of flavor from the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.
Adding the seasoning packets would make the dish unnecessarily salty.
Save them for another use or discard them.
Keep an Eye on the Sauce
Ramen noodles are thirsty!
They’ll absorb quite a bit of the cooking liquid as they soften.
That’s why this version starts with more beef broth than regular Crockpot Beef and Broccoli.
If your noodles absorb more sauce than expected, simply add another splash of hot beef broth and gently toss everything together.
Can I Add More Vegetables?
Absolutely.
Broccoli is the classic choice, but you could also add:
- Thinly sliced carrots
- Bell peppers
- Snow peas
- Mushrooms
- Baby corn
- Sliced green onions
Just remember that most vegetables don’t need the same long cooking time as the beef.
Add quicker-cooking vegetables toward the end so they don’t become overly soft.
Want It Spicy?
This recipe is mild as written, which makes it great for a family dinner.
For spicy beef and broccoli ramen, add red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce.
You can also drizzle chili crisp over each bowl right before serving.
That combination of sweet, savory, and spicy is delicious with the ramen.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keep in mind that ramen noodles continue absorbing liquid while they sit.
When reheating, add a splash of beef broth to loosen the noodles and sauce.
Because of this, Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Ramen is at its absolute best when served right after the noodles finish cooking.
Jennie’s Thoughts
I think ramen makes almost everything more fun and this is such an easy way to turn beef and broccoli into something completely different. Instead of putting everything over rice, the ramen noodles go right into the crockpot and soak up all that sweet and savory sauce.
You get noodles, tender beef, broccoli, and sauce all tangled together in one bowl. I especially love this for a cozy weeknight dinner because you really don’t need anything else with it.
Maybe an egg roll on the side and definitely some extra sauce. If your family loves ramen and beef and broccoli, put this one on the dinner list.
It’s easy, filling, and SO good.
