Creamy Steak Ramen

Dinner | Korean

Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 10 min Servings: 1

Got leftover steak trimmings? Here’s a quick ramen hack that turns scraps into something worth sitting down for. A silky sauce made from egg yolk, mayo, and instant noodle seasoning gives this dish a creamy kick, while the steak adds proper heft. It’s fast, it’s clever, and it’s way better than your usual packet dinner. Use whatever ramen you like just don’t skip the spring onion.

Key Steps

This ramen is built around an egg yolk and Kewpie mayo sauce emulsified with hot noodle cooking water, similar in principle to carbonara. The spicy seasoning packet from the ramen goes into the bowl as the base flavour, and the hot water cooks the yolk gently and loosens everything into a smooth, creamy sauce without any dairy. The steak goes on top, sliced thin after resting.

I use the end piece from the fillet when I’m trimming steaks, so it’s a good way to use offcuts rather than have them go to waste. Any cut of steak works. Keep it on the rare side in the pan because it carries over heat once it sits on top of the hot noodles. The whole dish comes together in about 10 minutes and serves one.

Ingredient Notes

Kewpie mayonnaise: Japanese mayo made with egg yolks only and a touch of rice vinegar, which gives it a richer, creamier texture than standard mayo. It’s the key emulsifier in this sauce, helping the yolk and hot cooking water combine into something smooth rather than greasy. It’s widely available in supermarkets now, usually in the Asian foods aisle.

Ramen: I use a two-packet spicy ramen here. The spicy seasoning packet goes into the sauce bowl to flavour the emulsion, and the second packet flavours the noodle cooking water. If your ramen only has one seasoning packet, use about half in the sauce and the rest in the water. The brand doesn’t matter much, so use whatever you like.

Egg yolk: The yolk does the same job here as it does in carbonara: it emulsifies with the fat from the mayo and the hot cooking water to form a thick, glossy sauce. Make sure the cooking water is hot but not at a rolling boil, otherwise the yolk will scramble instead of emulsify.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Small saucepan
Frying pan
Serving bowl
Tongs

Ingredients

1 piece of fillet steak (normally I use the end piece that I cut when slicing steaks)
130g packet ramen (your choice)
1 spring onion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
chilli crisp, to garnish (optional)
salt, to season

Directions

Season the steak with salt and pan-fry to your preferred doneness (keep it rare if it’s going over hot broth).
Set the steak aside to rest.
In a serving bowl, add the egg yolk, mayonnaise, white of the onion and the spicy seasoning packet from the ramen.
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Add the noodles and the other seasoning packet, and cook according to the instructions on the packet.
Take 100mls of the cooking water and add to the serving bowl. Mix well, until it forms a smooth, creamy sauce.
Drain the noodles and add them straight into the bowl. Toss well to coat in the sauce.
Slice the rested steak thinly and place on top of the noodles.
Garnish with spring onion greens and a spoon of chilli crisp if using.

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes