Description
This recipe for Spicy Korean Ramen with Grilled Beef & Creamy Sauce offers a perfect balance of bold, spicy flavors and rich, creamy textures. Tender marinated ribeye steak is grilled to juicy perfection and paired with a flavorful gochujang-spiked broth, fresh ramen noodles, vibrant vegetables, and topped with a luscious creamy sauce swirl. The dish is garnished with soft-boiled eggs, crunchy bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and toasted sesame seeds for a satisfying, restaurant-quality Korean-inspired meal you can make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Grilled Beef:
- 350 g ribeye or sirloin steak, about 1.5–2 cm thick
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean soy sauce for soup (optional, regular is fine)
- 1 tbsp mirin or rice wine
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), adjust to taste
- 2 tsp brown sugar or honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (for grilling, if using pan)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Ramen Broth and Noodles:
- 2 packs fresh or instant ramen noodles (about 180–200 g total, not the seasoning packets)
- 4 cups (1 liter) low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger, thinly sliced or julienned
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (more or less to taste)
- 1–2 tbsp soy sauce, to taste
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional, for depth)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Salt, to taste
For the Creamy Sauce Swirl:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (Japanese Kewpie preferred)
- 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk (to loosen to drizzling consistency)
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1–2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional, for extra heat)
- 1 tsp lime juice or rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar or honey
- Pinch of salt
Toppings and Garnishes:
- 2 soft-boiled eggs (6–7 minutes), halved
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts (optional, blanched)
- 1 cup napa cabbage or bok choy, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2–3 green onions, finely sliced
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- 1 small sheet roasted seaweed (gim/nori), cut into strips
- 1–2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Fresh red chili slices or jalapeño, to taste
- Fresh coriander or perilla leaves (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef: Pat the steak dry with paper towels and place it in a shallow dish or resealable bag. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, gochujang, gochugaru, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and a pinch of black pepper until smooth. Pour the marinade over the steak, coating all sides well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1–2 hours, flipping halfway if possible.
- Prepare the creamy spicy sauce: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, heavy cream or milk, gochujang, sriracha (if using), lime juice or rice vinegar, sugar or honey, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and drizzleable. Adjust thickness with additional milk or cream if needed, and adjust heat by adding more gochujang or sriracha. Cover and chill in the refrigerator to meld flavors while preparing the rest of the meal.
- Prepare vegetables and toppings: Soft-boil the eggs by bringing a small pot of water to a boil, gently lowering the eggs in, and cooking for 6–7 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice water, peel when cool, and set aside. Wash and chop napa cabbage or bok choy into bite-sized pieces. Slice mushrooms, green onions, and chili peppers. Julienne the carrot. If using bean sprouts, rinse and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. Cut the seaweed sheet into thin strips. Set all toppings aside for assembly.
- Make the spicy ramen broth: Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a medium or large pot over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and ginger, sautéing for 30–60 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in gochujang and gochugaru, cooking for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly until the paste darkens slightly and aromas develop. Pour in the broth and water, stirring well to dissolve the chili paste mixture completely. Add soy sauce, fish sauce (optional), sugar, and rice vinegar. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 8–10 minutes to develop flavors. Adjust seasoning as needed, then stir in toasted sesame oil before keeping the broth warm on low heat.
- Grill or sear the marinated beef: Remove the steak from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high, lightly oil grates, and grill steak for 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting for thickness and preference. Alternatively, heat a grill pan or heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot, add a thin layer of neutral oil, and sear steak 3–4 minutes per side to develop good char without moving too much. Rest steak on a cutting board for 5–10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain into bite-sized strips.
- Cook the ramen noodles and vegetables: Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions until just al dente (about 2–3 minutes for fresh noodles). In the final minute of cooking, add napa cabbage or bok choy and sliced mushrooms to blanch quickly. Drain noodles and vegetables together and distribute evenly between two large ramen bowls.
- Assemble the ramen bowls: Ladle the hot spicy Korean broth over the noodles and vegetables, just enough to comfortably cover. Arrange slices of grilled beef on top in a fan or small mound. Add half a soft-boiled egg to each bowl (or whole eggs if preferred). Top with bean sprouts, julienned carrot, green onion, chili slices, seaweed strips, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle the creamy spicy sauce generously over the beef and part of the noodles in a decorative swirl or zig-zag pattern.
- Serve: Serve the ramen immediately while piping hot, with extra creamy sauce, lime wedges, and chili flakes on the side for individual adjustment. Encourage mixing some creamy sauce into the broth during eating to enrich the soup with tangy creaminess and smooth texture.
Notes
- If time permits, marinate the beef for 1-2 hours to deepen flavor.
- Use Kewpie mayonnaise for an authentic creamy sauce texture and flavor.
- Adjust the level of spiciness by varying gochujang and gochugaru quantities to taste.
- Soft-boil eggs carefully to maintain a slightly runny yolk for best texture.
- Fresh ramen noodles provide best texture but instant noodles work well as a substitute.
- For vegetarian options, omit beef and fish sauce, using vegetable broth instead.
- Adding fresh herbs like coriander or perilla leaves adds a bright contrast to the rich broth.
- Resting the grilled steak is important to retain juices and tenderness.
