Today were preparing a beef and noodle soup that’s layered with savory flavors, and that’s super simple to put together. From the ‘pleasant brine’ of nori seaweed, to a delicious mix of teriyaki, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, today’s soup features a medley of familiar umami flavors. As a nice bonus, the soup couldn’t be simpler to put together.
One of my favorite uses for leftover meat is to make a soup out of it. The fat and flavor from the meat really works wonders for adding texture and taste to a broth, as we’re doing today. As an example, my Leftover Chicken Soup uses leftover roast chicken to make an orzo soup. This works with pretty much any leftover protein, be it tofu, pork, fish, or beef – as we’re doing today.
Yes, we’re crumbling up seaweed sheets into the soup. Why? Because seaweed has become one of my must-have flavoring agents. I simply love the briny notes it adds, and how it really presses the boundaries between being ‘pleasantly ever-present’ and ‘nearly overpowering.’ The flavor is more or less ‘seawater,’ but it works deliciously alongside beef and tofu. As a nice bonus, it is blissfully easy to work with.
For an example of using seaweed in soup, see my Seaweed and Ginger Soup. As a bonus, seaweed is blissfully easy to work with – just crumble it up and toss it in.
Now, without further delay, let’s make some beef soup.
Ingredient Checklist and Notes
- The Noodles. I’m using my favorite brand of Korean ramyun noodles. These noodles are delicious on their own, and have a very pleasant texturing. However, feel free to substitute in the noodle of your choice.
- Lettuce. Not a lot to say here, other than slice it up thin, almost as if you were making coleslaw. See the pictures for reference.
- Fresh Ginger. You’re going to want to slice the ginger ‘very’ thin, or perhaps even grate it into the soup. If you don’t like fresh ginger, or don’t have it on hand, I’ve got a few workable substitutes below.
- Soy Sauce. Personally, I’m using plain Light/Standard Soy Sauce, though Dark Soy Sauce should do fine if that’s all you have on hand – although that will result in a slightly stronger ‘soy sauce’ flavor. Yes, low sodium soy sauce works in today’s recipe as well.
- Sesame Oil. A key ingredient for getting those ‘earthy’ and ‘nutty’ flavors that really brings out the umami notes in the other ingredients.
- Seaweed. Plain nori seaweed sheets, the same kind we use to wrap sushi.
- Avocado. This adds a nice bit of texture to the broth.
- Scallions. Mostly for garnish, though they do add a nice bit of ‘oniony’ flavor to the soup.
- Sesame Seeds. Again, mostly for garnish.
Substitutions
- The Ginger. The simplest substitute is ground or powdered ginger. If a recipe calls for one tablespoon of fresh ginger, use about a quarter teaspoon of ground or powdered ginger. The next best substitute is Allspice. Here again, use about a half teaspoon per tablespoon of fresh of ginger.
- The Scallions. An equivalent amount of chopped onion, preferably red or white. Again, simply sprinkle that over the top of the soup.
- The Lettuce. Really, any green of your choice will work. Romaine, cabbage, etc.., will all do fine in today’s soup. It’s just preference.
Variations
- Eggdrop. Super simple to do, and brings so much to the table. Begin by making a corn starch slurry with cornstarch and water, mix until the corn starch is fully dissolved. About a tablespoon of cornstarch to a tablespoon of water. Then whisk that into two eggs, beating thoroughly until the eggs and slurry are fully combined. Once the soup is done cooking, very slowly stir the eggs into the soup. Be sure to keep stirring to keep the eggs from ‘scrambling’ in the soup. Once that’s done, serve right away.
- Any Other Meat. As mentioned above, today’s recipe format works with cooked pork, chicken, or fish. And, thankfully, the prep process remains identical.
- Vegetarian. You can use chunks of grilled tofu in place of the beef to keep today’s soup vegetarian friendly. Again, prep the same way we do with the beef.
Ramen & Beef Soup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 - 1 cup leftover steak, sliced very thin (any leftover meat would work: pork, chicken, or lamb)
- 1 cup of lettuce - sliced very thin
- 1/2 inch of fresh ginger - sliced very thin
- 1 tbs. of soy sauce
- 1 tbs. teriyaki sauce
- 1 tbs. sesame oil
- 1 sheet of seaweed - ripped
- 1/2 avocado - sliced thin
- 2 - 3 tbs. fresh Italian parsley - chopped
- Scallions for garnish, sliced thin
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- 1 - 3 packets of ramen noodles (without the seasoning packet) depending on how many you are serving.
Instructions
- Place the meat, lettuce, ginger, avocado, fresh Italian parsley, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil and seaweed in a large soup bowl.
- Cook the ramen noodles in well salted water. Lift the noodles into the bowl with the prepared ingredients. Reserve about 1 - 2 cups of the water the noodles were cooked in and add to the bowl with the noodles. Adjust the water amount to how much broth you like and how many ramen packets you are using.
- Garnish with the scallions and sesame seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Asian
David J Myers says
Hi Catherine, This soup looks very interesting. You may find it hard to believe, but I recently had my first ramen dish. I'm not overly sold but 'dressing it up' with ingredients we like, could be the answer that convinces me that it's something I could eat regularly. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Beth says
This looks amazing! I'm a huge fan of REAL ramen, so I'm really eager to give this a try.
Karen says
Ramennnn yes please...I love Ramen but haven't had it for a while now. I've always thought it's too difficult to prepare at home...I will try your recipe, can't wait.
Indu says
Thanks for including vegetarian option to relish a steamy soup. I shall use chunks of tofu.
Indu says
Its good you have included vegetarian option as well to relish this steamy soup. I shall use chunks of tofu.
Lisa says
Now you have me craving for ramen! I love everything about this dish. It looks tasty, warming and very satisfying! I’m making this.
Samantha Donnelly says
We do love raman and this sounds so tasty and easy to make
Marie Cris Angeles says
I love ramen so much. But this Ramen & Beef Soup looks so new to me but it looks so good that I want to try it!
Yeah Lifestyle says
These noodles look and sound so good. We are big fans of a beef noodle dish. I like to add spice. I love the addition of the seaweed sheets.
Luna S says
This looks delicious! I love the addition of the green onions. Thanks for sharing this.
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh says
Your beef and noodle soup recipe sounds absolutely delicious! I love the idea of incorporating nori seaweed for that pleasant brine and the combination of teriyaki, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil for those familiar umami flavors. The simplicity of putting it all together is a great bonus.
Using leftover meat to enhance the broth is such a clever and sustainable approach. It adds a rich texture and taste, turning the soup into a comforting and flavorful experience. Your creativity with various proteins, like tofu, pork, fish, or beef, is inspiring. I can't wait to try making this savory dish with leftover beef. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe!
Marysa says
I love how easy and customizable this recipe is. I miss having ramen, and I think adding in meat and veggies is a great way to elevate your recipes.
Hari says
I am always looking out for different soup recipes to add to my collection and this one looks super delicious. Love the variety of flavors as well.
Jupiter Hadley says
I love ramen and this recipe really kicks it up a notch! Thank you so much for sharing.
Lavanda Michelle says
The variety of ingredients, from the Korean ramyun noodles to the avocado, creates a unique and wholesome dish. I can't wait to try it, and the versatile substitutions and variations you provided make it even more appealing for our family's preferences.
Claudia Krusch says
My son loves ramen! I can't wait to try your recipe! All the ingredients are favorites at our house!