I swapped tortillas for ramen to create a taco-inspired noodle dish I now include among my Dinner Recipes With Ramen Noodles.
I didn’t expect Taco Ramen to hit like this, it’s a little wild, a little sloppy and totally addictive. I love how savory ground beef and bright salsa crash together in one bowl, neither pretending to be anything fancy.
This is the kind of thing I hide in my list of Ramen Noodle Dinner Recipes when I need a fast win, and it kind of lives up to that Beef And Ramen reputation people joke about. There are odd little textures and flavor turns that make you curious, like why you never thought to mash these two worlds together before.
You’ll probably laugh at yourself.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: Rich in protein and iron, gives meaty depth but can be high in saturated fat
- Ramen noodles: Quick carbs that fill you up, often refined but kinda comfortingly soft
- Taco seasoning: Adds smoky, spicy flavor and salt, check ingredients for sodium though
- Salsa: Tomato based fresh tang, gives acidity and veggies, can boost vitamin C
- Black beans: Great fiber and plant protein helps keep you full and give steady energy
- Cheddar cheese: Melty salty adds calcium and fat, makes dish richer and more satisfying
- Cilantro and lime: Bright herbs and citrus cuts richness, adds fresh aroma you’ll notice right away
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb ground beef (85 to 90% lean)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 oz) or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 2 packages instant ramen noodles (seasoning packets optional)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup salsa (mild or medium)
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make this
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the diced onion and cook about 3 to 4 minutes until soft, toss in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
2. Add the ground beef, break it up with a spatula and brown it, season with a little salt and pepper as it cooks, drain excess fat if theres a lot and put the beef back in the pan.
3. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the beef and add about 1 2 cup of water to help it coat evenly, stir and cook a minute so the spices bloom.
4. Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup salsa, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the 2 packages of ramen noodles (break them if you like shorter strands) and stir in the ramen seasoning packets only if you want extra salt, cook until noodles are tender about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the drained black beans and thawed corn if using, simmer another minute so everything heats through.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 1 cup shredded cheddar until melted, then fold in the 1 2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt for creaminess, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
8. If it looks too thick add a splash more chicken broth to loosen it up, if it needs more zip add a squeeze of lime or a little hot sauce.
9. Serve right away topped with the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro and lime wedges, more shredded cheese or sour cream on top if you want.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or frying pan (10 to 12 inch) with lid
2. Spatula or wooden spoon for breaking up the beef
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Can opener
7. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining beans
8. Cheese grater (unless your cheddar is pre shredded)
9. Small mixing bowl for sour cream or to hold toppings
FAQ
Taco Ramen Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef: swap with ground turkey (leaner, cooks quicker), ground pork (richer and juicier), or plant-based crumbles like Beyond/Impossible (use same volume, add a splash of oil if very lean).
- Instant ramen noodles: use fresh ramen or udon, dried spaghetti or lo mein noodles, or rice noodles for gluten free; cook times vary so check package and dont overcook.
- Chicken broth: replace with beef or vegetable broth, or dissolve low-sodium bouillon in water; plain water plus a bit more taco seasoning also works in a pinch.
- Sour cream / Greek yogurt: swap for Mexican crema or crema fresca for a creamier tang, try plain mayo in a pinch, or use coconut yogurt or cashew crema for a dairy free option.
Pro Tips
Pro tip 1: Brown the beef hard so you get those little crispy bits on the bottom, they add flavor. Drain off most of the fat but leave about a tablespoon in the pan, then sprinkle in the taco seasoning and give it 20 to 30 seconds in the hot fat so the spices wake up before you add the big pour of liquid.
Pro tip 2: Add the ramen only at the very end and watch the clock, noodles go from perfect to mush real fast. If you dont want them too soft break them up first and stir gently, and always take the pan off the heat before stirring in the cheese and sour cream so the dairy melts smooth and doesnt split.
Pro tip 3: Use fresh shredded cheddar not the pre shredded kind, it melts way creamier. Also if you want more depth try browning the onion longer or a teaspoon of tomato paste while the beef cooks, it makes the broth more rounded and less one note.
Pro tip 4: Finish with acid and texture: a big squeeze of lime brightens everything, and add chopped cilantro, green onions, avocado or crushed tortilla chips for crunch. If you have leftovers store them without the sour cream or yogurt and add fresh when you reheat, that keeps the texture better.
Taco Ramen Recipe
I swapped tortillas for ramen to create a taco-inspired noodle dish I now include among my Dinner Recipes With Ramen Noodles.
4
servings
871
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or frying pan (10 to 12 inch) with lid
2. Spatula or wooden spoon for breaking up the beef
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Can opener
7. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining beans
8. Cheese grater (unless your cheddar is pre shredded)
9. Small mixing bowl for sour cream or to hold toppings
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (85 to 90% lean)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 oz) or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
2 packages instant ramen noodles (seasoning packets optional)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa (mild or medium)
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the diced onion and cook about 3 to 4 minutes until soft, toss in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef, break it up with a spatula and brown it, season with a little salt and pepper as it cooks, drain excess fat if theres a lot and put the beef back in the pan.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the beef and add about 1 2 cup of water to help it coat evenly, stir and cook a minute so the spices bloom.
- Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup salsa, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and bring to a simmer.
- Add the 2 packages of ramen noodles (break them if you like shorter strands) and stir in the ramen seasoning packets only if you want extra salt, cook until noodles are tender about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the drained black beans and thawed corn if using, simmer another minute so everything heats through.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 1 cup shredded cheddar until melted, then fold in the 1 2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt for creaminess, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- If it looks too thick add a splash more chicken broth to loosen it up, if it needs more zip add a squeeze of lime or a little hot sauce.
- Serve right away topped with the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro and lime wedges, more shredded cheese or sour cream on top if you want.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 619g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 871kcal
- Fat: 44g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 5g
- Monounsaturated: 20g
- Cholesterol: 207mg
- Sodium: 1970mg
- Potassium: 750mg
- Carbohydrates: 53g
- Fiber: 8g
- Sugar: 8g
- Protein: 50.5g
- Vitamin A: 525IU
- Vitamin C: 13mg
- Calcium: 240mg
- Iron: 3.3mg
