Let’s dive into a delicious journey to Noodle Town! We’re cooking up a noodle soup that’s bursting with flavor from tender short ribs, vibrant sautéed spinach, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a gingery broth. And of course, we can’t forget the star of the show – the noodles!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 pound of short ribs (meat removed from bone, fat trimmed, cut into small chunks)
- 1 tablespoon of gochujang sauce (add more if you like it spicy!)
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
- 6 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 to 6 cups of beef broth
- 10 to 16 ounces of dry ramen noodles or any other stir-fry noodles (2-3 individual serving size packages should do the trick)
- Spinach (optional)
- Scallions, sesame seeds, and/or sesame oil for topping
Now, let’s get cooking!
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. Season the short ribs with salt and sauté them until they’re nicely browned on the outside.
- Add the gochujang, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, and shallots to the Instant Pot with the short ribs and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. By the end, the meat should be super tender and flavorful.
- Switch the Instant Pot back to sauté mode. Add the noodles and cook until they’re soft. Give the broth a taste and season with salt, pepper, and maybe a splash of rice vinegar, or anything else you fancy.
- If you’re using spinach, sauté it in a separate pan.
- Serve up your noodle soup bowls topped with the short ribs, sautéed spinach, scallions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
A few tips:
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this on the stovetop. Just sear the short ribs in a large pot until they’re browned, then remove them and cook the tomato paste, ginger, shallots, and garlic until they’re translucent. Add the broth and the short ribs back to the pot and let it simmer on low for a few hours until the meat is tender. Then, add your noodles and cook them through.
- This dish is best served right after the noodles are cooked. If you wait too long, the noodles can get mushy and soak up all the broth. If you want to prep ahead, you can make the short ribs and broth first, then add the noodles just before serving.
- I’ve tried this recipe with other cuts of beef and didn’t like them as much – they just didn’t get as tender. I’ve also tried cooking the short ribs with the bones and fat on them and while the flavor was good, the broth got too oily and it was a mess trying to pull the meat off. So, I recommend doing the trimming before you cook.
- For the broth, I usually start with 4-5 cups but sometimes need to add more to the leftovers – the noodles love to soak up the liquid.
Enjoy your trip to Noodle Town!
