Crispy Beef Noodle Bowls | Seasoned Cooking

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. honey
10 c. water
1-2 T. miso paste, depending on your taste
10 oz. long noodles — choose anything from ramen to spaghetti to thick rice noodles
1/2 lb. broccoli flowerets
Additional add-ins (optional - see note below)
Sriracha sauce (optional)
Additional condiments (optional - see note below)

Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until it is well-browned. If needed, drain any extra liquid from the skillet and continue cooking the beef until it is very crispy. When it is nearly done, add the sesame oil and honey and stir until the meat is well-coated. If you are a fan of heat, try adding a teaspoon or two of crushed red pepper, too. Set aside.

Place the water in a stock pot and swirl in the miso paste. Continue stirring regularly while you bring the liquid to a boil. Adjust the amount of miso and add your noodles (choose gluten free options if you are avoiding gluten). Simmer the noodles until they are done to your liking. About halfway through cooking, lightly steam the broccoli.

To assemble the bowls, place a generous pile of noodles in the center of each bowl (tongs work well for this). Using a ladle, add enough broth to nearly cover the noodles. Arrange broccoli and crispy beef over the noodles and garnish with sriracha sauce and additional add-ins and condiments, if desired. Serve the bowls with bowl chopsticks and spoons for eating.

*Some notes about add-ins and condiments: Noodle bowls can be as simple or complex as you wish. The recipe above is a great starting place and amazing on its own (as pictured earlier in this post). However, if you wish to include other items, there are many, many options. Some of my favorite add-ins include:

sliced green onions
shredded carrots
thinly-sliced radish
soft-boiled eggs
zucchini ribbons
sliced hot peppers

Likewise, you can stop with sriracha sauce as the only condiment (or skip that, too). However, if you are looking for additional condiments, some of my favorites include:

fresh lime juice
soy sauce (or tamari sauce for gluten free cooking)
fish sauce
sweet and sour sauce
toasted sesame seeds

However you choose to dress your noodle bowl, enjoy it and know you can try something a little different each time, so this is the kind of recipe that is truly endless in form and variety.

Yields: 4 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Building Dinner