This ground beef and noodles recipe is a family favorite and makes an easy 30-minute weeknight meal.
If you enjoy homemade takeout-style dishes, you’ll love how quickly this comes together. These 15–30 minute weeknight recipes pair well with egg noodles, ramen, rice noodles or a side of roasted vegetables.
You’ll love this recipe because:
- It’s a reliable back-pocket dinner for busy nights.
- Most ingredients are likely already in your pantry or fridge.
- A flavorful, slightly different way to use ground beef.
- Filling, makes great leftovers, and reheats well.
- Adaptable — swap ground beef for chicken, turkey or pork and use your preferred noodles or rice.
- Easy, satisfying, and totally slurp-worthy.
Ingredient Notes
This meal comes together fast and needs minimal prep — just a bit of onion and some simple sauce ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

- Ground beef: an 80/20 blend gives great flavor; substitute any ground meat if desired.
- Noodles: use ramen, egg noodles, rice noodles or instant noodles (discard seasoning packets) — whatever you prefer.
- Mirin: a sweet Japanese cooking wine. Substitute with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry if needed.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: fresh adds the best flavor, but garlic powder can be used in a pinch.

Step by Step Directions
Scroll to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or jar.
- Heat sesame and vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and stir briefly until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Stir in the sauce and the green onions. Bring to a simmer, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately over your noodles of choice; egg noodles work especially well. Garnish with extra green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Tips and Variations
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or pork to change the flavor profile.
- Any noodle works here — ramen, udon, egg noodles, or rice noodles — or serve over steamed rice.
- Serve alongside roasted broccoli, bok choy, or your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.
- Make the sauce ahead of time for a quicker assembly on busy nights.
- Toss the cooked noodles into the pan with the beef to coat them thoroughly in sauce.
- Great for meal prep — store beef and noodles separately to preserve texture, then combine when reheating.
Ground Beef and Noodles (Asian Style)
Prep:
10 mins
10 mins
Cook:
20 mins
20 mins
Total:
30 mins
30 mins
Servings:
4 people
4 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 large white onion, diced small
- 2 tsp. garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- noodles of choice (ramen, egg noodles, rice noodles, etc.)
Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. mirin
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp. hoisin
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Sriracha (optional)
Garnishes (optional)
- Finely sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, ginger, hoisin, fish sauce and Sriracha (if using) in a small bowl or jar.
- Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink.
- Pour the sauce over the beef, add the chopped green onions, and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately over cooked noodles. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Other great noodle options: ramen or rice noodles.
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter version.
- We recommend serving with roasted broccoli or another vegetable side.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 serving — Calories: 415 kcal — Carbohydrates: 48 g — Protein: 21 g — Fat: 30 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
© Author:
Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner
Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner