I love ramen bowls. They are warm, comforting and full of flavor. The biggest problem? Ramen bowls upset my stomach most of the time, likely because they are very high in sodium. So, I wanted to make a quick and simple ramen bowl that I could eat for dinner (and not worry so much about the consequences.) So, I made this beef and veggie ramen.

This beef and vegetable ramen is lower sodium but is still VERY flavorful. Cooked carrots, shallots, leeks and garlic are blended together with crushed tomatoes to create a warm sauce. THEN – slow simmered beef falls apart in the sauce. The simmer process will require some patience, but good things come to those who wait.

What you need to make beef and veggie ramen

I recommend using a dutch oven if you have one. We will be simmering the beef and sauce for about two hours, and I found that my Staub dutch oven (linked here)did a fabulous job tenderizing the meat. However, use a large pot if you do not have one!

You will also need another large pot to boil your ramen noodles. Any pot you use for pasta is good for this.

I also used my immersion blender (linked here) to blend our cooked vegetables into a hearty sauce. My mom got me one for Christmas and it has CHANGED my cooking game. However, you can certainly transfer the vegetables to a food processor or blender momentarily and then return the sauce to the pot.

You will also need a colander, a large spoon and a lid for your dutch oven or pot.

What ingredients do you need for beef and veggie ramen?

1 pound of beef stew meat – if you are wondering why we are using stew meat, it’s because of money. It’s cheaper than steak or prime beef cuts! Stew meat is technically the cuts of beef that have a lot of connective tissue, so it can be quite chewy. HOWEVER, when you let it simmer in liquid for a couple hours, it becomes just as tender as short rib. So in this case, it’s worth saving a few bucks!
Leeks – These stalky vegetables are somewhat similar to garlic, chives, shallots, and onions, so they provide quite a lot of flavor. Be sure to wash your leek. I also peel off the outer-most layer, since there tends to be some stubborn dirt on it.
Carrots – I always just snag a handful out of the baby carrot bag that I buy every week.
Shallots – because this recipe would be incomplete without some kind of onion.
Crushed tomatoes – just use canned tomatoes for this! No need to make your own.
Ramen noodles – I bought a standard package that was 8 ounces, or half a pound.
Low sodium chicken broth – you can also substitute vegetable broth.

How to make the beef and ramen sauce

Add some olive oil to a dutch oven over medium heat. Add your beef and sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper. Brown the beef all over, about five to seven minutes. Carefully remove the beef from the dutch oven or pot with a slotted spoon. NOTE: You might have excess liquids from the beef. You can keep it or pour it out.
In the same dutch oven or pot, add in the garlic, shallot, carrots and leeks. Add another pinch of salt, pepper and oregano. Stir the vegetables over medium heat and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dump in the crushed tomatoes, the chicken broth and some water. Let it warm up for about two minutes, and then add the cilantro and parsley.
Turn the heat down low. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables until pretty smooth (or keep it chunky if you want! Carefully dump the beef back into the pot. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. NOTE: You can definitely transfer the vegetables to a blender in several batches if needed. A food processor would also work.
After an hour, check on the meat and sauce. Add another ¼ or ½ cup of water to the mixture and stir. Cover the pot and allow to simmer for 1 more hour. When time is up, use two forks to shred some of the bigger pieces of meat into smaller chunks. NOTE: the water is to your discretion. If you want soupier beef and meat sauce, add more water. If you want it to be stiff like pasta sauce, you can use less.
When the last hour is almost over, make the ramen noodles. In another pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them for three minutes. Strain.
Top the ramen noodles with a few spoonfuls of the beef and vegetable sauce. Top with chopped green onions.

Toppings for beef and veggie ramen

I chopped up some green onions for my ramen bowls, but you can also top your beef ramen with:

hard boiled eggs
sesame seeds
sriracha
grated ginger
bean sprouts

How to store your ramen for leftovers

Keep your noodles separate from the sauce! They will absorb the liquid and they will get mushy. Place the noodles in a closed container and refrigerate. You can leave the sauce in the dutch oven and refrigerate that as well. To reheat: I find the microwave is the fastest way to heat up a bowl of this ramen – I promise it will taste just as good.

Other recipes to try

If you enjoyed this beef and veggie ramen, leave a comment below or a star rating! And then check out these other recipes:

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