Every recipe on CookZya is tested multiple times in my home kitchen before publishing — no shortcuts, just real food for real families.
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Spring always makes me want to cook again not elaborate stuff, just good, simple dinners that feel lighter than what I was making all winter. After testing hundreds of weeknight meals over the past decade, I’ve learned one thing: the recipes people actually return to on a Tuesday night are the ones that smell amazing, come together quickly, and leave the kitchen calm.
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CookZya Easy Delicious Recipes Warm Satisfying Meals Your Family Will Love
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins
- Yield: Servings 5–6 (10 cups) 1x
Description
This crockpot beef ramen is a flavorful and easy dinner packed with veggies and protein. Perfect for busy weeknights, it offers a nourishing meal the whole family will enjoy. Ideal for quick weeknight meals and simple dinner recipes.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 4–6 green onions thinly sliced white and green parts separated
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 12-ounce bag cole slaw mix
- 2 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure honey
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 3-oz packages of ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- 1 cup shelled edamame frozen
- For serving fresh cilantro sliced green onions Sriracha sesame seeds chili crisp hot honey and or crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Add the ground beef along with the white and light green parts of the sliced onions and the minced garlic. Cook the beef until it loses its pink color, stirring occasionally and breaking it up, about 6-7 minutes.
- Transfer this cooked beef mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add the cole slaw mix, shredded carrots, chicken broth, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and grated ginger to the slow cooker and stir everything together.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 hours, until vegetables are tender and the sauce bubbles.
- Remove the lid and stir in the frozen edamame. Carefully nestle the ramen noodle cakes into the sauce, spooning meat and veggies over them as needed.
- Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for 15 to 30 minutes until the noodles are soft, stirring once or twice to separate them.
- Finally, stir in the green parts of the onions and fresh cilantro. Serve hot with your choice of garnishes.
Notes
- *Preshredded bagged carrots work best because they are thicker and hold up well during cooking saving you time
- If unavailable, shredding your own carrots is fine but they may soften more into the dish
- For gluten-free options, substitute tamari for soy sauce and use gluten-free ramen noodles such as brown rice and millet varieties
- Gluten-free noodles require about 30 minutes longer cooking, so add 10-15 minutes more cooking time when using
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Method: Slow Cooker
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 2/3 cups
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1,191 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Beef Ramen
Here’s the honest truth: this one hits every note a tired Tuesday needs. It’s warm, savory, packed with protein and vegetables and your slow cooker does almost all of the work while you decompress from the day.
It’s my go-to when I’m running on empty and still want dinner to feel like dinner. Low effort, minimal cleanup, and it doesn’t feel heavy perfect for easing into a lighter spring routine without giving up that cozy bowl feeling.
- All the umami depth of your favorite ramen, without the salt bomb seasoning packet
- High-protein and veggie-packed, so it actually keeps everyone full
- One slow cooker, one skillet done
What You’ll Need
Every ingredient in this recipe is a workhorse. Nothing fancy, nothing obscure just real pantry staples and fresh produce that build serious flavor together.
- Lean ground beef browns up quickly and gives the broth a rich, meaty base
- Cole slaw mix and shredded carrots use the bagged preshredded kind; they hold their texture through the slow cook
- Low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger this is your flavor backbone, balancing savory, tangy, and just a little sweet
- Ramen noodles toss the seasoning packets, keep the noodles
- Frozen edamame stirred in at the end for a protein boost without going mushy
How to Make It
The method is simple: brown, dump, slow cook, then finish the noodles. After testing this more times than I can count, the key is adding the noodles at the very end they only need 15 to 30 minutes, and stirring them once or twice keeps them from clumping.
- Brown the ground beef with the white parts of the green onions and garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the cole slaw mix, shredded carrots, chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger. Stir, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
- Stir in the frozen edamame, then nestle the ramen noodle cakes into the mixture. Spoon some of the beef and vegetable mixture over the noodles to help them soften.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until noodles are tender. Stir in the green parts of the onions and serve hot.
Can You Make This Crockpot Beef Ramen Ahead of Time?
You can prep this a day ahead brown the beef, mix your sauce ingredients, and store everything separately in the fridge. When you’re ready, just add everything to the slow cooker and go.
Note: The noodles don’t store well once cooked they’ll absorb the broth and get soft overnight. If you want leftovers that hold up, cook the noodles fresh each time and store the beef and vegetable base separately.
Swaps, Tips, and Serving Ideas
One of the reasons easy, delicious recipes like this one stick around in the weekly rotation is flexibility. A few simple swaps make it work for almost anyone at the table.
- Gluten-free? Use tamari in place of soy sauce and swap in gluten-free rice ramen noodles just add 10 to 15 extra minutes for softening
- Prefer thicker carrots? Bagged preshredded carrots hold up far better than freshly shredded ones, which tend to melt into the broth
- For toppings, set out fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, Sriracha, chili crisp, hot honey, and crushed red pepper flakes let everyone build their own bowl
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a small splash of chicken broth to loosen the noodles
CookZya – Easy and Delicious Recipes for Busy Weeknights Start Here
I burned the first three batches, under-seasoned the fourth, and once set off the smoke alarm so badly my kids refused to come downstairs for dinner. But every single attempt taught me something, and what I am sharing today at CookZya is the version that finally made my whole family stop mid-bite and ask for seconds.
FAQs ( CookZya – Easy & Delicious Recipes for Busy Weeknights )
Can I make this crockpot beef ramen on high instead of low?
Yes. Cook on the HIGH setting for 2 hours instead of 4 hours on LOW – both produce tender vegetables and a bubbling sauce.
When do I add the ramen noodles to the slow cooker?
Add the dry noodle cakes after the main cook time, then cover and cook on HIGH for 15-30 minutes, stirring once or twice until noodles are tender.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Use tamari instead of soy sauce and swap in 3 gluten-free noodle cakes – note they need about 30-45 minutes to soften in the slow cooker.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This meal makes 5-6 servings, yielding about 10 cups total – one serving is roughly 1 2/3 cups at 370 calories and 27 grams of protein.
Do I use the seasoning packets that come with the ramen?
No – discard the seasoning packets. This dish builds its savory flavor from soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar instead.
Your New Favorite Weeknight Bowl Is Ready
This slow cooker beef ramen is the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you actually have it together even on a Tuesday when you definitely do not. The broth turns rich and savory while you do practically nothing, and when you finally lift that lid, the whole kitchen smells like a hug. Easy, delicious recipes don’t get much better than this: one slow cooker, one skillet, and a genuinely satisfying bowl waiting for you at the end of a long day.
A few things I’d never skip: tossing those ramen seasoning packets straight in the trash and building your own flavor with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey instead it’s the move that takes this from “fine” to “can we have this again Friday?” And don’t sleep on the toppings bar. Set out some chili crisp, fresh cilantro, sesame seeds, and a little Sriracha and let everyone build their own bowl it’s the easiest way to make one dinner feel personal for every person at the table. Leftovers? Store the beef and veggie base separately from the noodles and reheat with a splash of broth. Works like a charm.
If you make this one, I genuinely want to hear about it did you go all out on the toppings spread or keep it simple? Drop a comment below or tag me in your bowl photo, because those are honestly my favorite messages to wake up to. And if this is going into your spring dinner rotation, save it now so it’s easy to find on those nights when 5 p.m. sneaks up on you fast. Here’s to dinners that help you get back into a rhythm.
