Ramen has always been my ultimate comfort food—whether I’m nursing a hangover or craving something warm on a chilly night, a big bowl of noodles and broth is what I turn to every time. True to my obsession, I’ve made variations of ramen at home for years, but since I’m still nursing a broken wrist and stuck in a cast for two more weeks, I needed something simple enough that I could make one-handed.
Now, y’all know that around here, simple doesn’t mean lacking in flavor—it just means getting creative with a few powerhouse ingredients. The key players in this recipe are miso for umami, tahini for creaminess, sake to balance everything out, a good quality bone broth (homemade or store-bought), and aromatics like shallot, ginger, and garlic to really amp up the flavor.
For this Spicy Beef Miso Ramen, tender miso-tahini beef, soft-boiled eggs with creamy yolks, bright bok choy, and perfectly cooked ramen noodles all come together in a rich, savory broth that tastes like it’s been simmering all day—but you don’t need hours in the kitchen to pull it off.
I know the idea of making homemade ramen can feel intimidating, which is why I wanted to make this recipe approachable for a weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend treat. Making your own ramen eggs might feel fancy, but it’s actually super easy, and they really take the bowl over the top. And if I can make this one-handed, you definitely can! Whether you’re curled up on the couch or looking to switch up your weekly dinner rotation, this ramen is comforting, flavorful, and totally slurp-worthy—you’re going to love it.
Key Ingredients & Why They Matter
A few star ingredients really make this ramen shine and pack tons of flavor with minimal effort:
- Chuck Roast: Tender, juicy, and perfect for shredding, I like the texture and meaty flavor this adds to the ramen. You could do chicken thighs, but the flavor won’t quite be the same. If swapping for chicken thighs, sear as you would the chuck roast but cut the time to 20 minutes.
- White Miso Paste: Brings deep, savory umami that makes the broth taste rich and layered.
- Tahini: Adds a subtle creaminess and nutty depth without weighing the soup down. You could substitute for cashew butter or sunflower butter, I think peanut butter would overpower the flavor too much.
- Sake: Balances the flavors and adds a hint of sweetness and complexity. If needed, you could swap for dry white wine or Chinese rice wine.
- Chicken Stock: The backbone of the broth—use store-bought or homemade bone broth for rich, comforting flavor. If using store-bought, try and use a high quality bone broth. I really love the Mushroom Chicken Bone Broth from Kettle & Fire (you can use code ROCKINMEALS20 for 20% off)
- Ramen Noodles: any ramen noodle will work here, I love the texture of the ramen noodles from Hakubaku.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: Adds a customizable kick of heat to make the bowl your own – you can sub for sriracha if you don’t have chili garlic sauce.
Spicy Miso Beef Ramen
- Total Time: 65
- Yield: 4
Description
This Spicy Beef Miso Ramen has tender shredded chuck roast, a rich miso-tahini broth, soft-boiled eggs, and slurpable ramen noodles. Quick and flavorful, it’s an easy homemade ramen recipe perfect for weeknight dinners or cozy comfort food cravings.
Ingredients
For the Spicy Beef Miso Ramen:
- 1.5 lb chuck roast
- 1 tbsp avocado or neutral oil
- 1 shallot, peeled and cut in half
- 3” piece of ginger, sliced in half lengthwise
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsps white miso paste
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ¼ cup sake
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 9oz ramen noodles
- 5oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 bunches of baby bok choy, cut into 1” pieces or left whole with the leaves separated
- 2–4 tbsps chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- Sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and togarashi (if desired) for topping
Instructions
For the Spicy Miso Beef Ramen (InstantPot Method):
- Trim any excess fat off the pot roast and cut into 1½” cubes. Pat dry and season generously with salt.
- Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté function and, once hot, drizzle in avocado oil.
- Add the beef in a single layer, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Sear for about 5 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms, then flip and cook another 2–4 minutes until browned all over. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Add the shallot, ginger, and garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the miso paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Add the tahini, white pepper, and sake to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Return the beef to the pot and pour in the chicken stock. Stir to combine.
- Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- Once cooking is complete, allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
- While the beef cooks, prepare your ramen egg:
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
- Gently lower in the egg with a slotted spoon and boil for 7½ minutes.
- Transfer to an ice water bath for 2–3 minutes, then peel.
- When the beef is done, remove the lid carefully. Discard the ginger, shallots, and garlic. Remove the beef and set aside to shred. Skim off any excess oil if desired.
- Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Switch the Instant Pot back to Sauté. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the bok choy and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the bok choy is tender but still bright green.
- Divide the ramen noodles and shredded beef among serving bowls. Slice the ramen eggs in half lengthwise and add one half to each bowl.
- Ladle the hot broth and vegetables over top. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and togarashi if desired.
- Serve immediately, or store the broth, noodles, and eggs separately if prepping ahead.
For the Spicy Miso Beef Ramen (Stove Top Method):
- Trim any excess fat off the pot roast and cut into 1½” cubes. Pat dry and season generously with salt.
- Heat avocado oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef in a single layer, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Sear for about 5 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms, then flip and cook another 2–4 minutes until browned all over. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Add the shallot, ginger, and garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the miso paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Add the tahini, white pepper, and sake to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Return the beef to the pot and pour in the chicken stock. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer gently for about 2–2½ hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- While the beef cooks, prepare your ramen egg:
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
- Gently lower in the egg with a slotted spoon and boil for 7½ minutes.
- Transfer to an ice water bath for 2–3 minutes, then peel.
- When the beef is done, remove and discard the ginger, shallots, and garlic. Remove the beef and set aside to shred. Skim off any excess oil from the broth if desired.
- Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Add the mushrooms to the broth and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the bok choy and chili garlic sauce or sriracha, cooking for another 2 minutes, until the bok choy is tender but still bright.
- Divide the ramen noodles and shredded beef among serving bowls. Slice the ramen eggs in half lengthwise and add one half to each bowl.
- Ladle the hot broth and vegetables over top. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and togarashi if desired.
- Serve immediately, or store the broth, noodles, and eggs separately if prepping ahead.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Dinner
- Method: InstantPot
- Cuisine: Japanese