Teriyaki Beef Meatball and Ramen Bake
This Teriyaki beef meatball and ramen bake is a delicious and easy Asian-inspired pasta bake! It’s gluten-free, soy free, and full of flavor.
So many of my favorite dishes are pasta bakes, and I always love to find different ways to enjoy these flavors! Typically, a pasta bake is going to be made with Italian flavors, but I love turning the idea on it’s head a bit with recipes like my Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Noodles, and knew I had to keep iterating on the concept with new options! This recipe is Asian-inspired and not traditional, but it’s a great way to shake up your dinner rotation and makes for an easy, gluten and soy-free dinner.
This flavor-packed Teriyaki beef meatball ramen bake is sure to be a new addition to your weeknight meal schedule!
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Great weeknight meal! This recipe is the perfect comforting meal to enjoy on a weeknight when you want something nourishing that still won’t take up your entire evening.
- Good for the whole family. Gluten and soy-free, so everyone can enjoy!
- Packed with flavor! My gluten-free Mongolian beef recipe is a popular one because it’s so flavor-packed, and I wanted to mimic that vibe but pack it with even more flavor with this recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Ground beef.
- Beef broth.
- Mixed vegetables.
- Ramen noodles. I use these!
- Almond flour, Coconut flour, and Egg.
- Coconut aminos.
Substitutions & modifications
- Ground chicken. You can modify the meatball recipe to make chicken meatballs instead.
- Frozen meatballs. If you have a fully cooked frozen meatball recipe you already like, that will greatly cut down on the prep time of this recipe and will work just as well! Just make sure you let them defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Tamari. I often get the question if tamari will swap 1:1 for coconut aminos, and typically, the answer is no for recipes like this. Tamari is much saltier and will make your dish super salty if you swap it 1:1. You’ll need to cut it with broth, and the overall flavor will be a little less strong as a result.
How to make Teriyaki Beef Meatball and Ramen Bake
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step one. Whisk the ingredients for the sauce together in a bowl and set aside.
Step two. Add the ramen bricks to a bowl and cover with hot water. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to sit for about 15 minutes, separating halfway through and replacing the water if needed.
Step three. Allow to sit until softened for about 10 minutes—strain and lightly coat with some avocado or olive oil to prevent sticking.
Step four. While the ramen soaks, add the ingredients for the meatballs (reserving the avocado oil) to a bowl and gently mix with your hand until combined. Use either your hands or a small cookie scoop to roll out 20-22 meatballs.
Step five. Using a large pan set over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once shimmering, add the meatballs in an even layer. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, just to crisp the outside of the meatballs. Remove from the heat.
Step six. Add the softened ramen, frozen veggies, and crisped meatballs to the casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the casserole dish, reserving ¼ cup of sauce on the side. Gently mix to coat the meatballs and noodles in the sauce.
Step seven. Cover the casserole dish and cook for about 15 minutes, removing halfway to toss. The meatballs should be cooked to 165 F, and the sauce should be thick. Remove from the oven once cooked. Prep the extra sauce and pour over the ramen bake and top with green onions to serve.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meatballs. This not only makes the process go faster but it makes for uniform sizes.
- Put on a set of gloves. I almost always use disposable food-safe gloves with recipes like this to keep my hands clean!
Recipe FAQS
You can, but may need to adjust the amount of coconut flour as you go depending on whether or not the meat is fresh or frozen. Previously frozen meat will have more moisture and will need more coconut flour as a binder.
I’ve found that a blend of almond flour and coconut flour is perfect for binding meatballs without breadcrumbs to make them gluten free.
I use Lotus foods gluten-free ramen noodles, but feel free to use other options!
Other asian-inspired meals to try…
If you tried this Terriyaki Meatballs and Ramen or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Teriyaki Beef Meatball and Ramen Bake
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Teriyaki Beef Meatball and Ramen bake is a delicious and easy Asian-inspired pasta bake! It’s gluten-free, soy free, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 1/2 tsp arrowroot starch
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
For the ramen bake
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted (see notes, I use carrots and peas)
- 3 bricks gluten-free ramen
- 2 tbsp green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and lightly grease a 9×13” casserole dish.
- Whisk the ingredients for the sauce together in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the ramen bricks to a bowl and cover with hot water. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to sit for about 15 minutes, separating halfway through and replacing the water if needed. Allow to sit until softened for about 10 minutes—strain and lightly coat with some avocado or olive oil to prevent sticking.
- While the ramen soaks, add the ingredients for the meatballs (reserving the avocado oil) to a bowl and gently mix with your hand until combined. Use either your hands or a small cookie scoop to roll out 20-22 meatballs.
- Using a large pan set over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once shimmering, add the meatballs in an even layer. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, just to crisp the outside of the meatballs. Remove from the heat.
- Add the softened ramen, frozen veggies, and crisped meatballs to the casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the casserole dish, reserving ¼ cup of sauce on the side. Gently mix to coat the meatballs and noodles in the sauce.
- Cover the casserole dish and cook for 15 minutes, removing halfway to toss. The meatballs should be cooked through to 165 F, and the sauce should be thick. Remove from the oven once cooked.
- Add the remainder of the sauce to a small saucepan and heat for 2-3 minutes or until thick. Pour the extra sauce over the ramen bake and top with green onions to serve.
Notes
Adjust coconut flour depending on whether or not the beef is fresh or frozen. Previously frozen beef will have more moisture and will need more coconut flour as a binder. Fresh beef will need less, so adjust as you go, depending on how moist your turkey is!
You can easily modify this recipe with previously cooked frozen meatballs! Be sure to let them defrost in the fridge overnight. You may need to adjust the cook time depending on the meatballs used.
For the frozen vegetables, simply leave them in the fridge for a bit to defrost so they’re not frozen solid when going into the ramen bake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 393
- Sugar: 4.6g
- Fat: 13.4g
- Carbohydrates: 41.1g
- Fiber: 3.3g
- Protein: 23.8g
Photos by Jo Harding.
