Description
This Easy Creamy Ramen recipe is a comforting and versatile meal perfect for any day. Featuring a rich and velvety broth made from cream cheese and milk, combined with tender beef and aromatic garlic and ginger, it’s a delicious twist on classic instant ramen. Customize with your favorite toppings like soft-boiled eggs, scallions, spinach, and chili oil for a satisfying, restaurant-quality dish at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 packets instant ramen noodles
- Water or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, 4 cups
- Whole milk (or oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk), 1 cup
- Cream cheese (full-fat or reduced-fat), 4 oz
- Freshly minced garlic, 2 cloves
- Grated ginger, 1 tablespoon
- Ground beef (or thinly sliced beef, cooked shredded chicken, or firm tofu), 8 oz
- Low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
- White (shiro) miso paste (optional), 1 teaspoon
- Unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon
Optional Toppings
- Soft-boiled eggs, 4
- Thinly sliced scallions (green onions), 2 stalks
- Chili oil or chili crisp, 1-2 teaspoons
- Fresh spinach or corn, 1 cup
- Toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Prepare Your Aromatics and Beef: Mince the garlic and grate the ginger. If using ground beef, break it into small pieces. For thinly sliced beef, ensure it is ready to cook.
- Cook the Beef: In a medium pot or deep skillet, melt half a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up, and cook until browned and cooked through. For thinly sliced beef, sear quickly until just cooked, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining half tablespoon of butter if needed, then sauté the minced garlic and grated ginger for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Build the Creamy Broth: Pour in water or broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated. Stir in milk, ramen seasoning packets, soy sauce, and optional miso paste. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Cook the Noodles: Add ramen noodles to the simmering creamy broth. Push them down to submerge and cook according to package directions, usually 2–3 minutes, or slightly longer for fresh noodles.
- Assemble and Serve: Divide noodles and broth evenly into serving bowls. If using thinly sliced beef, add it back to the bowls now.
- Add Your Favorite Toppings: Top with soft-boiled eggs, scallions, chili oil, spinach or corn, and toasted sesame seeds as desired. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute the milk with any plant-based milk like oat, soy, or almond for a dairy-free option.
- Using low-sodium broth and soy sauce helps control the salt content.
- Adjust the amount of cream cheese for a thicker or lighter broth texture.
- Soft-boiled eggs can be prepared by boiling for 6-7 minutes and then cooling in ice water before peeling.
- Add fresh vegetables like spinach or corn for extra nutrition and texture.
