This ramen noodle stir fry is made with the cheap block-shaped packages of ramen noodles that you loved from your childhood. With frozen peas and carrots, your favorite vegetables (or just the ones in your produce drawer), and a simple homemade sauce, this stir fry noodle recipe is an easy and inexpensive dinner to fix on the griddle or in a skillet!
Let’s be honest, the prices at the grocery store aren’t getting any lower. So I’ve been looking for cheap griddle dinners that my family will love and that are easy to prepare on busy weeknights.
And it doesn’t get any easier or cheaper than ramen noodles!
But this isn’t your late night college dorm room ramen noodles – it’s an elevated Asian-inspired dish that takes advantage of the easy to prepare and cost effective noodles to create a noodle stir fry that’s full of flavor, a delicious protein, and whatever veggies you need to use up from your fridge.
The wife and I loved it, and even our picky-eater daughters asked for seconds. I’d call that a win!
*And be sure to check out some of our other favorite noodle recipes – Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles and Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry.
Ingredients
To keep this recipe budget-friendly, we used simple ingredients that are inexpensive. You probably already have most of these items in your fridge or pantry:
- dried ramen noodles (in the block shape with seasoning packets) – You can use any flavor of noodles that you like. You will need 3 packs of noodles, but only 1 of the packets of seasoning that’s included.
- pork tenderloin – We used pork tenderloin for the protein, but this recipe can easily be made with boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, or you can omit the meat completely. Pork tenderloin is relatively inexpensive, and my kids love it.
- frozen peas and carrots – Chosen because of their convenience and cheap price point. There are only a few vegetables that I like to buy frozen, and the diced carrots and peas mix is one of them.
- broccoli florets – I prefer to cook with fresh broccoli, cut into small florets. I find that frozen broccoli tends to get soggy and lacks flavor when cooked, especially for stir fry recipes.
- garlic – I prefer fresh minced garlic cloves for all of my stir fry and fried rice recipes.
- soy sauce and oyster sauce – The base of the quick stir fry sauce.
- brown sugar – Offers the perfect amount of sweetness to the sauce and balances out the saltiness of the soy sauce. We used dark brown sugar, but light brown works as well.
- cornstarch – To slightly thicken the sauce so that it holds onto the ramen noodles.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork tenderloin is an economical choice that often goes on sale. I love using it for stir fry recipes like this one, because it stays fairly tender even if you accidentally overcook it.
- No salt needed – the soy sauce and ramen seasoning provide plenty of sodium.
- Substitute hoisin for oyster sauce if preferred, but reduce the brown sugar as hoisin is naturally sweeter. You can also add a splash of rice wine vinegar if using hoisin instead of oyster sauce.
Preparing the Ramen Noodles
The blocks of ramen noodles cook up much more quickly than regular spaghetti or other pasta noodles, making this the perfect dinner recipe for busy weeknights. Just follow these steps before adding the noodles to the griddle or skillet:
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the 3 blocks of dried ramen noodles and 1 packet of seasoning. You only need to add 1 packet of seasoning total, not all 3. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Drain the noodles and set aside – they’ll continue cooking on the griddle and absorb the sauce flavors.
How to Make Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
Preheat your outdoor griddle or a large skillet on medium heat. For griddle cooking, you can preheat with different temperature zones – for my three burner griddle, I used one burner on medium and two burners on low. You’ll use multiple zones to cook different components simultaneously.
Step 1: Make the stir fry sauce. In a medium bowl, add soy sauce, cornstarch, and brown sugar. Use a fork to stir well and break up any clumps. Then add the the oyster sauce and mix well. Set the sauce aside to add to the ramen stir fry later.
Step 2: Slice the pork tenderloin. Remove any silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Then slice the pork crosswise into thin slices.
Step 3: Cook the vegetables. Add a bit of cooking oil to the heated griddle surface, and begin sautéing the diced onions, peas, carrots, and broccoli. Allow the vegetables to cook, stirring occasionally, while you start the pork and noodles.
Step 4: Cook the sliced pork. Add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to a clear spot on the griddle, and add the pork slices in a single layer. Allow the pork to cook for about 1 minute untouched, and then sauté together.
Step 5: Create a garlic oil and cook the ramen noodles. While the pork continues to cook, add a bit of oil to a clear spot on the griddle. Add the fresh minced garlic to the oil to create an aromatic garlic oil. I do this with all of my stir fry recipes, and the simple garlic oil really makes a huge difference in the overall flavor of the dish. When the garlic is fragrant and just starts to turn color, add the cooked and drained ramen noodles. Toss the noodles in the garlic-infused oil, and spread them out in a thin layer to develop a bit of char.
Step 6: Combine ingredients and add the stir fry sauce. Combine all of the components together on the griddle or in the skillet – noodles, cooked pork, and sautéed vegetables. Then slowly pour in the sauce, reserving a small amount for finishing. Stir fry everything together for about 2-3 minutes. Add in remaining sauce, sprinkle with black pepper, and stir again briefly.
Then your easy ramen noodle stir fry is ready to serve! You can top with sliced green onions for garnish, or drizzle with sriracha for a bit of added heat.
This budget-friendly ramen stir fry proves that inexpensive doesn’t mean boring. With simple ingredients and quick cooking, you can have a delicious, satisfying meal on the table faster than you could order takeout – and for a fraction of the price!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Chicken thighs or breast, beef strips, or shrimp would all work well. Adjust cooking times accordingly – chicken and beef may take slightly longer than pork tenderloin.
Oyster sauce is savory and slightly sweet with umami depth. Hoisin is sweeter and thicker. Either works well – just reduce the brown sugar if using hoisin.
Yes, you can use a large wok or skillet. Cook in batches if needed, and follow the same basic steps. A wok works particularly well for stir-fry dishes.
Ramen Noodle Stir Fry with Pork
Ingredients
- 1 – 1½ lb pork tenderloin
- 3 3 ounce packages ramen noodles (pork or chicken flavor) see notes
- 2-3 tablespoons oil divided
- 1½ cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup onion diced
- 5 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- sliced green onions or sriracha for serving optional
For the Sauce:
- ⅔ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
Instructions
- Cook the ramen noodles. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the 3 blocks of dried ramen noodles and 1 packet of seasoning. You only need to add 1 packet of seasoning total, not all 3. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then drain the noodles and set aside.
- Remove any silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Then slice into thin slices crosswise to create thin medallions. Set aside.
- Preheat outdoor griddle or a large skillet on medium heat. *For griddle cooking, you can preheat with different temperature zones – for my three burner griddle, I used one burner on medium and two burners on low. You’ll use multiple zones to cook different components simultaneously.
- Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Mix until well combined, breaking up any clumps. Then mix in oyster sauce. Set aside.
- Add about ½-1 tablespoon cooking oil to the heated cooking surface. Add the peas and carrots, diced onions, and broccoli florets. Sauté until about halfway cooked through.
- When the vegetables are about halfway done, add another ½-1 tablespoon of cooking oil to a clear area on the griddle. Add the pork slices in a single layer, and allow to cook for about 1 minute untouched. Then sauté together for an additional minute. Combine the sliced pork and vegetables together, and sprinkle with black pepper. Move the pork and veggies to the side of your griddle to continue to cook while you start the noodles.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to a clear area on the griddle. Add the minced garlic to the oil, and allow to lightly sauté until the garlic is fragrant and just before it turns color. Then add the cooked and drained ramen noodles to the garlic oil. Toss the noodles in the garlic-infused oil, and spread them out in a thin layer to develop a bit of char for about 1-2 minutes.
- Combine the noodles, pork, and vegetables together on the griddle. Slowly pour in about 80% of the sauce. Stir fry everything together for about 2 minutes. Add in remaining sauce, and stir fry for another 1 minute.
- Serve ramen noodle stir fry immediately with optional sliced green onions for garnish or sriracha.
Notes
- For the ramen noodles – We used 3 “blocks” of the Maruchan brand of ramen noodles. You will only need one of the packets of included seasoning to add to the boiling noodles.
- For skillet cooking – This recipe can easily be made in a large skillet on the stovetop by cooking in batches. Cook the peas, carrots, broccoli, and onions first and transfer to a bowl. Then cook the sliced pork until almost done and transfer to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables. Next add the oil and garlic to the skillet to become fragrant before adding the cooked and drained ramen noodles. Sauté the garlic oil and noodles together, add the sautéed vegetables and pork slices, pour in the sauce, and stir fry everything together.
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Turned out amazing! My new favorite way to cook ramen noodles.
Thank you so much for all of you and your wife’s content. I purchased shake that and smash that and I use them frequently and enjoy both. The Ramen noodle pork dish can you tell me how many people it would serve. Also Thank You for your service…