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Ramen with Beef, Shiitakes, and Spinach

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on March 25, 2012

Yield

Serves 4

Ramen with Beef, Shiitakes, and Spinach

Ingredients

12 ounces blade steak, sliced into thin strips8 teaspoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin3 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 4 (3-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded3 tablespoons dry sherry 2 teaspoons sugar 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach

Before You Begin

MAKE THE MINUTES COUNT: While the beef browns, slice the shiitakes. While the shiitakes brown, prep the garlic and ginger.

Freezing the beef for 15 minutes before slicing makes it easier to slice thin. The sauce in this dish will seem a bit brothy when finished, but the liquid will be quickly absorbed by the noodles when serving.

Instructions

    sauté beef

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and toss with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to clean bowl.
  2. sauté mushrooms and aromatics

  3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. simmer ramen

  5. Stir in broth. Break bricks of ramen into small chunks and add to skillet. Bring to simmer and cook, tossing ramen constantly with tongs to separate, until ramen is just tender but there is still liquid in pan, about 2 minutes.
  6. finish

  7. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, and sugar. Stir in spinach, handful at a time, until spinach is wilted and sauce is thickened. Stir in beef and serve.
Ramen with Beef, Shiitakes, and Spinach
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Ramen with Beef, Shiitakes, and Spinach

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

12 ounces blade steak, sliced into thin strips
8 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 (3-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach

Ingredients

12 ounces blade steak, sliced into thin strips
8 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 (3-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach

Ingredients

12 ounces blade steak, sliced into thin strips
8 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 (3-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach

Why This Recipe Works

We started with instant ramen noodles but ditched the übersalty seasoning packet in favor of building our own sauce. After stir-frying flank steak strips, which we'd marinated in soy sauce and shiitake mushrooms, we added garlic, ginger, and chicken broth to the pan. Next, we stirred in the noodles and simmered them just until they were tender and the sauce was nicely thickened. Soy sauce, dry sherry, and a bit of sugar added savory, sweet flavor to the velvety sauce, and spinach, stirred in at the end, added freshness and color.

Before You Begin

MAKE THE MINUTES COUNT: While the beef browns, slice the shiitakes. While the shiitakes brown, prep the garlic and ginger.

Freezing the beef for 15 minutes before slicing makes it easier to slice thin. The sauce in this dish will seem a bit brothy when finished, but the liquid will be quickly absorbed by the noodles when serving.

Instructions

    sauté beef

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and toss with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to clean bowl.
  2. sauté mushrooms and aromatics

  3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. simmer ramen

  5. Stir in broth. Break bricks of ramen into small chunks and add to skillet. Bring to simmer and cook, tossing ramen constantly with tongs to separate, until ramen is just tender but there is still liquid in pan, about 2 minutes.
  6. finish

  7. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, and sugar. Stir in spinach, handful at a time, until spinach is wilted and sauce is thickened. Stir in beef and serve.

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