Saucy Ground Beef and Noodles
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This Saucy Ground Beef and Noodles recipe is one my family LOVES that is an easy 30-minute weeknight meal.
It’s one of those reliable back-pocket dinners that checks all the boxes: quick to make, full of flavor, satisfying, andddd you probably have most of the ingredients hanging out in your kitchen already. It’s a fun change of pace from the usual ground beef recipes and makes fantastic leftovers, too.
Don’t be afraid to make it your own! Use ground turkey, chicken, or pork, swap in your favorite noodles, or skip the noodles altogether and serve it over rice. Live. Your. Truth. However you make it, this one is easy, delicious, and seriously slurp-worthy.
Table Talk with Tawnie
If you loved my Chili Crisp Ramen, here is one of my other favorite variations with a little less heat that is just as saucy and delish! It’s a really great recipe to add veggies to and comes together quickly for the busiest of weeknights. If you haven’t noticed I am kind of obsessed with Asian-inspired meals 🤣 so be sure to check out my Korean-Inspired Beef Bowls, Sesame Udon Noodles, Thai Chicken Salad, and Ground Pork Stir Fry too!
If you haven’t noticed, we’re kind of big fans of takeout-inspired recipes around here! It’s comfort food, but quick and easy! If you love homemade takeout style recipes, be sure to check out this Healthy Orange Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Cashew Chicken Stir Fry and Beef and Veggie Stir Fry.
These 15-30 minute weeknight wonders are great recipes to have on hand and can be enjoyed with a variety of options: egg noodles, ramen noodles, white rice, rice noodles or a big side of your favorite veggies.
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Ground beef: I’ve used 80/20 ground beef as well as 90/10, so it’s really your preference. The leaner 90/10 contributes to the noodles still being rich and flavorful without the sauce becoming overly greasy.
- Noodles: Use your favorite ramen-style or Asian noodles. I used Momofuku noodles and discarded the sauce packets, but rice noodles, egg noodles, or even another quick-cooking noodle will work. (Trader Joe’s has some great ones too!) Just be careful not to overcook them since they’ll finish in the sauce.
- Soy sauce + dark soy sauce: Regular soy sauce provides the salty, savory backbone of the sauce, while a little dark soy sauce adds deeper flavor and that gorgeous rich color. I wouldn’t substitute all dark soy sauce—it’s much more concentrated.
- Sweet chili sauce: Adds sweetness, a little tang, and subtle heat while helping give the sauce its glossy, slightly sticky consistency.
- Hoisin sauce: A little hoisin brings sweetness, richness, and another layer of savory umami flavor to the sauce. It’s one of the ingredients that makes these noodles taste extra saucy and satisfying.
- Gochujang: This Korean fermented chile paste adds a savory, slightly sweet heat. I only use 1 teaspoon so the noodles aren’t overly spicy, but you can easily add more if you like some kick, or omit it completely if you’re worried about spice.
- Fish sauce: This is optional, but I love the extra savory, umami depth it adds. A teaspoon is enough to give the sauce that little something extra without making it taste fishy.
- Fresh ginger + garlic: Definitely use fresh here! They’re sautéed right into the beef and give the entire dish so much aromatic flavor.
- Sesame oil: I like adding this toward the end so its nutty, toasted flavor stays prominent. A little goes a long way, so you only need a tablespoon.
- For serving: I love finishing these ground beef and noodles with plenty of sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, chili crisp, and a squeeze of fresh lime. The toppings are optional, but they add so much texture and fresh flavor.
Recipe update info!
This recipe was updated in August 2026 with some ingredient and step changes. If you prefer the older version of this recipe (originally published in August 2021), don’t worry… I put together a printable version that you can view and download here! 🥰 Enjoy!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Make the sauce.
Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the noodles.
Cook according to package directions until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Brown the beef.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet and cook the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Add the sauce.
Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens.
Toss it all together.
Add the cooked noodles and toss until well coated in the sauce. Finish with sesame oil and green onions, then garnish with sesame seeds, chili crisp, and lime as desired.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Cook them just until al dente since they’ll continue to soften when tossed with the hot beef and sauce.
- Save some noodle water. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the noodle water. If the sauce gets too thick after adding the noodles, a splash will loosen everything right back up.
- Brown the beef, don’t just steam it. Let the beef develop some browned, caramelized bits before breaking it up too finely. Those browned pieces = more flavor!
- Mix the sauce in advance. Measure the ingredients and mix the sauce in advance. This way, when you’re ready to make the meal, it can come together in a 15 minutes or less.
- Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. The sauce continues to thicken as it simmers and cools. Add more slurry only if needed. You want the sauce glossy and clingy, not gloopy!
- Add the sesame oil at the end. Stirring it in after the noodles are sauced helps preserve its delicious nutty, toasted flavor.
- Adjust the heat to your liking. Add more gochujang for extra spice or leave it out for a milder version. Chili crisp is also great served on the side so everyone can customize their bowl.
- Great for meal prep! Make this meal earlier in the week so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
Variations / Substitutions
- Meat: Swap the ground beef for ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork (or a mix of more than one of them).
- Noodles: Use any instant noodle, ramen, rice noodle, or egg noodle you prefer. You can even use spaghetti noodles in a pinch, or ditch the noodles altogether and serve with rice. This meal has options!
- Veggies: Toss in broccoli, shredded cabbage, snap peas, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms… whatever vegetables you enjoy and/or need to use up!
- Make it Vegetarian: Skip the ground beef and use crumbled tofu and mushrooms instead
- Make it spicier: Increase the gochujang or add red pepper flakes or chili crisp on top.
- Keep it mild: Leave out the gochujang and serve any spicy toppings on the side so everyone can customize their own bowl.
- No dark soy sauce? You can use additional regular soy sauce instead. The finished sauce just won’t have quite the same deep color.
- No fish sauce? Simply leave it out. It adds an extra layer of savory umami flavor, but the noodles will still be delicious without it.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles and swap the soy sauces and hoisin for certified gluten-free alternatives.
Storage / Freezing
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth as needed to loosen the sauce since the noodles will absorb some of it as they sit.
- Freezing: Honestly, with how quickly this recipe comes together, I don’t really recommend freezing it, but making it fresh when you’re ready to enjoy it. But if you really need to freeze it, I would freeze the ground beef and sauce mixture and make the noodles fresh when you’re ready to eat. Frozen noodles can become mushy when defrosted, and I don’t recommend it for this recipe!
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Saucy Ground Beef and Noodles
Ingredients
For the beef & noodles
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 large white onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 green onions (sliced, plus more for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 8-10 oz noodles of choice* (ramen, rice noodles, or egg noodles)
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup all-purpose soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
- 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. hoisin
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. brown sugar or honey
- 1 tsp. fish sauce (optional but adds umami/restaurant vibes)
- 1 tsp. Gochujang (optional for spice, feel free to add more if desired to make it spicier)
For thickening
- 1-2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Optional add-ins
- 1-2 cups broccoli, shredded cabbage, or snap peas
Garnish
- green onions
- toasted sesame seeds
- red pepper flakes or chili crisp
- lime wedges (optional)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. (Reserve a little pasta water if needed later.)8-10 oz noodles of choice*
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside.1/4 cup all-purpose soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce, 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. hoisin, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. brown sugar or honey, 1 tsp. fish sauce, 1 tsp. Gochujang
- Brown the beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook undisturbed for a few minutes to develop browning, then break it up and cook until fully browned. Drain excess grease if needed.1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 lb ground beef
- Add aromatics: Add diced onion and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Start Timer Stir in garlic and ginger and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.1/2 large white onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger
- Add sauce + thicken: Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch + water, then stir into the pan. Let simmer 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Start Timer (Add any vegetables here in this step if using, cooking for a few minutes to soften)1-2 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, 1-2 cups broccoli, shredded cabbage, or snap peas
- Add noodles + toss: Add cooked noodles directly to the pan and toss to coat. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Finish: Stir in sesame oil and green onions. Taste and adjust: Add lime juice for brightness or add chili crisp for heat.2 green onions, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, lime wedges
- Serve: Top with extra green onions, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes. Serve immediately and enjoy!green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes or chili crisp
Notes
- Noodles: I used 3, 3.55 oz noodle packages from Momofuku and discarded the sauce packets that came with. Trader Joe’s has some good ones, too! You can even use spaghetti in a pinch (my kids love it this way)!
- Other proteins: Swap ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or pork. OR… make it vegetarian using crumbled tofu + mushrooms!
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Recipe Update: This recipe was updated with new ingredients & instructions in August 2026. If you’re looking for the old version of the recipe, click here!
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This recipe was originally published in August 2021. It was updated in August 2026 with new ingredients and instructions as well as refreshed photos and additional tips and tricks. If you prefer the older recipe, you can access a printable version of it here!
📸 Photography by Angelica Oles
Absolutely love this recipe. I wish I’d found sooner. Meets all of my picky kids requirements. I have made recipe with zero subs and also taken liberty with additional veggies, meat, etc. and it is always delicious. Definitely a repeat recipe in our household.
Aw this makes me so happy. Always love when you find a recipe the kids enjoy, too! Thank you 🙂
Quick and easy. I subbed what I had, oyster sauce instead of fish sauce and shaoxing wine instead of mirin. The wine is not as sweet as the mirin but it worked for us.
I love the sound of shaoxing wine in this! Thank you so much for making 🙂
I couldn’t believe how fast and easy this was, and how delicious! I tossed in some steamed broccoli to make a one-pot dinner, used exactly all the ingredients listed without any substitutions. At 2X, we had enough for two dinners and it reheated well. A fabulous weeknight find that is indeed noodles with ground beef but with phenomenal taste!!
so glad you enjoyed it, now I am craving this one too! good idea with the broccoli!
Followed the recipe very closely – which I do not always do! Used rice noodles. Toasted the sesame seeds myself. Came out great. Everyone liked it. Thanks!
I am so glad, thank you!
This turned out well, but I made a few adjustments to fit my tastes and what I had available.
I cooked this in a wok. I browned the ground beef in high heat peanut oil, along with the diced garlic, and then removed the ground beef/garlic mixture to a bowl and set it aside.
I then cooked the onion until it softened and added sliced baby bella mushrooms.
Once the onion and mushroom mixture was almost done, then added left-over brown rice and continued cooking until everything was mix together and hot. I added the ground beef back to the wok, pushed everything to the sides and poured the sauce in the middle, heated it until it was starting to boil, then mixed it all together to coat.
I changed the sauce a bit, substituting chili-garlic sauce for the sriracha.
That all sounds delicious 🙂 thank you!
Awesome! I had all the ingredients on hand and ended up tossing it over zoodles for a healthy alternative!
Love that idea! Thank you 🙂
This was so delicious and absolutely a hit here. One of our favorite comfort foods and a great dinner recipe! Excited to make this again!
Who needs takeout? The flavors in this are incredible – it was an easy dish and we all devoured it! Will make again!
My family love this kind of food. Perfect weeknight dinner.
Hi Beth! I’m so glad. Thank you!
I just love easy dinner ideas like this! Especially since back to school just started back up for us. 🙂
Yay! Thank you. Hope this helps make dinner time a little less stressful! xo, Tawnie