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Spicy Short Rib Peanut Ramen, our favorite winter ramen! Enjoy this on nights when you’re craving your favorite bowl of carry-out ramen, but want something simple and homemade. This ramen is flavored with warm spices, peanut butter, and chili paste. It’s creamy, spicy, and filled with plenty of ramen noodles. Each bowl is topped with kimchi, fresh herbs, nori, and lots of toasted sesame seeds. And best of all, it’s all cooked in one pot – either the crockpot, instant pot, or on the stove. One of our favorite bowls of ramen – even better than a restaurant! Best enjoyed on cold days, because there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of ramen on a cold winter’s night.
Soup is the name of the game these days, it’s all we’ve been wanting. With the snow falling pretty consistently and many people battling colds, I’ve been making soup after soup. Everything from classic chicken noodle soup to my creamy potato, chili, and then so much ramen. Which I think might be the all-around family favorite.
I’ve made more variations on ramen than I can remember, but if you take a family poll, I think everyone will say that this is their favorite. My brothers especially love this one since I finally used short ribs.
It’s simple as can be to make and so warmingly delicious. Pretty hard to pass up a bowl of this ramen.
The inspiration for this ramen, however, came from my younger brother, Red. He was in Hawaii for Christmas with his girlfriend’s family. He sent me a ton of photos of food from the restaurant they ate at on Christmas Eve. It was a Korean place and it looked absolutely incredible.
The thing about Red is that he doesn’t go into much detail, if any. He sent the photos and said, “this was really good”. I tried to get more out of him, but then he disappeared for the night.
It was obvious from the photo that they enjoyed Korean-style BBQ with kimchi on the side. And that’s when I dreamt up this soup. A ramen with Korean-inspired short ribs in a spicy but creamy broth with lots of kimchi on top.
Different, but it sounded really dish!
The details
You can make this easily on the stove, in the crockpot, or super fast in the instant pot. I’ve made this all 3 ways and each yields the same outcome. I think the crockpot is easiest, but use the cooking method that works best for you.
For the crockpot, layer in the short ribs, then pretty much every other ingredient goes in. The broth, tamari, coconut milk, peanut butter (the not so secret, secret to this ramen), chili paste (I love to use Gochujang – Korean chili paste), shallots, garlic, ginger, a couple of bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick.
Cover and cook low and slow until the ribs are falling apart.
When the soup has finished cooking, preheat the broiler to high, broil the ribs with some of the sauce until caramelized.
While the short ribs broil, add the spinach and ramen noodles to the broth.
As always, I use Brown Rice and Millet Ramen noodles (which you can find at Whole Foods and in many grocery stores). These taste just like real-deal ramen noodles, but they’re much healthier, gluten-free, and vegan.
For toppings, I kept things easy and simple. Lots of kimchi, cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds. You can add some chili oil too if you like.
This ramen is perfect for any night of the week, whether it’s a snowy night, pouring rain, or simply a night where you just need a warming soup.
I’m so thankful for easy dinners like this!
Looking for more warming winter soups? Here are a few to try:
Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup.
30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen
Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic
Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Lastly, if you make this Spicy Short Rib Peanut Ramen be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spicy Short Rib Peanut Ramen
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 570 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds beef short ribs, bone-in or out, fat trimmed
- 8 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2-4 tablespoons chili paste, to taste (I use Gochujang)
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 shallots, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 4-6 squares dry ramen noodles
- kimichi, cilantro, and green onion, for serving
- chili oil, nori sheets, and sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of the crockpot, season the short ribs with pepper. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari. Add the chili paste, peanut butter, shallots, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.2. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the short ribs from the crockpot and place onto a baking sheet. Break into a few chunks and discard any bones. Broil until caramelized on top, about 3-5 minutes, but watch closely.3. Meanwhile, crank the heat on the slow cooker to high. Stir in the spinach and noodles and let cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the short ribs.4. Ladle the broth, short ribs, spinach, and noodles into bowls. Top as desired with kimchi, cilantro, green onions, chili oil, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Instant Pot
- 1. In the bowl of the instant pot, season the short ribs with pepper. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari. Add the chili paste, peanut butter, shallots, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 60-70 minutes. Quick release the steam.2. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the short ribs from the instant pot and place onto a baking sheet. Break into a few chunks and discard any bones. Broil until caramelized on top, about 3-5 minutes, but watch closely.3. Switch the instant pot to sautè. Add the spinach and noodles and let cook, uncovered, for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the short ribs.4. Ladle the broth, short ribs, spinach, and noodles into bowls. Top as desired with kimchi, cilantro, green onions, chili oil, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Stove
- 1. In a large soup pot set over medium heat, season the short ribs with pepper. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari. Add the chili paste, peanut butter, shallots, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat for 3-5 hours or up to all day, adding water if needed to keep the short ribs covered.2. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the short ribs from the pot and place onto a baking sheet. Break into a few chunks and discard any bones. Broil until caramelized on top, about 3-5 minutes, but watch closely.3. To the soup, add the spinach and noodles and let cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the short ribs.4. Ladle the broth, short ribs, spinach, and noodles into bowls. Top as desired with kimchi, cilantro, green onions, chili oil, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
This post was originally published on January 5, 2023
I made this tonight in the instant pot using a chuck roast that I had. It was excellent and everyone loved it! Highly recommend the addition of the kimchi and nori sheets, and I did cook the noodles separately so they wouldn’t get mushy for leftovers. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hey Holly,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
This sounds amazing and flavorful, but we try to eat vegetarian most nights…any thoughts on how to make this without meat?
Hey there,
Sure, I would just skip the short ribs and add some veggies that you enjoy like mushrooms and bok choy! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I read the comments about the short ribs being fatty, so I used a beef chuck roast cut into chunks and it turned out beautifully. I cut most of the fat off before I cooked it and the slow cooker made it fall apart just like the short ribs would have done. YUM!!
Thanks so much for making this dish Traci! So glad to hear that the chuck roast worked well for you! xT
Absolutely incredible!! Simple to set it and forget it – even though the delicious smell made it difficult to “forget” (and clean up while it’s cooking, always a win). Did have to add a step of skimming the fat, but well worth it. Incredible and complex flavor. Topped it with a jammy egg and can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Jessie,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
Is the coconut milk unsweetened?
Hi Ivette,
Yes, I like to use unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I had high hopes and really wanted to love this. Enough so that I invested almost $40 into short ribs, but it was just ok. The cinnamon stick really overpowered the rest of the flavors and although I thoroughly trimmed the short ribs, it had a thick layer of fat on top. We didn’t even save the leftovers, which is unheard of in my house.
Hi Molly,
So sorry to hear this did not turn out for you! Is there anything that I can help with or try to fix? Please let me know! Sorry for the trouble! xT
This was a lot of work and then not a hit. There was so much grease after cooking the short ribs in the slow cooker that I thought about sticking it in the fridge and calling for pizza. Instead, I spent the 30 minutes separating and skimming to get the grease off. The coconut milk curdled even though it was cooked on low and so there were chunky white bits in the soup. I followed the seasoning guidelines, but it was still a flavorless broth and the meat was fairly mediocre. Broiling for 2 minutes just dried it out, not caramelizing it. It was so much work for an edible but not delicious dinner. Would not recommend at all.
Hi Clarissa,
Thanks for giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xT
LOVE your ramen recipes!! This is next on my list.
Question: Would it totally change the flavor if you skipped the short rib? Or added another protein of choice?
Hey Alexa,
You could definitely use another meat, chuck roast would be great but you could also use chicken! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Yummmmy ramen soup for a cold rainy day. Thanks for all the amazing recipes. I added avocado and didn’t put peanut butter. Turned out delish.
Is there a beef substitute? Short ribs are really expensive and fatty. Thanks.
Hi Terry,
Chuck roast would also work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
Thanks so much for making this dish Madison!! I love to hear that it turned out well for you:) xT
Absolutely loved the recipe! Ended up buying smoked short ribs which gave it an amazing flavour. Followed recipe to a T and it was great. I may have added too much salt so be careful. Added about a tbsp of brown sugar to neutralize the flavour. Made the noodles separate and placed in the bowls, meat and then the liquid, added the garnishes and it was a hit! Thank you for the recipe! Wish I could have left a photo as it was picture perfect : )
Hey Kathy,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Another winner! Made this tonight and it tasted just like our fave ramen restaurants. The broth was complex and so delicious. Loved the fatty meat on short ribs. Thanks again!!
Hey Kelli,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
It looks great. Peanut allergies on my family, what would you substitute for the peanut butter?
Thanks
Made this for dinner yesterday and it was delicious. Set aside 1/2 the broth for later before adding the spinach and noodles. Next time I’ll use a different cut of beef, the short ribs were ridiculously expensive for the end result.
Hey Annemarie,
Happy Sunday!!❄️ I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out and sharing your feedback! xx
Hi, you must be getting sick of questions on a new recipe. I picked up all the ingredients to make for my son who is recuperating from surgery. I was considering doing the initial crock pot cooking and then chilling so I could skim off the fat because short ribs can be fatty. Your thoughts on whether that is a waste of time. Love HBH so much. Thanks.
Hey Julia,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe!! If you just take a large metal spoon and put some ice in it and skim the top, the fat will stick to the spoon so you can serve the day you make it:) I hope this helps! xT
Our family LOVED this dish last night! Thanks for the inspiration and recipe!
Hey Lia,
Happy Sunday!!❄️ I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out and sharing your feedback! xx