camp meals

Beef and Vegetable Ramen

Instant ramen boosted with freeze-dried beef, vegetables, oil, and parmesan. More protein and texture than the block alone.

calories
480
weight
4 oz
cal / oz
120
protein
14 g
serves
1, scales
prep
2 min
cook
6 min
total time
8 min
water
500 ml boiled
cost
$$

Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.

  • Dinner
  • Canister stove
  • Alcohol / Esbit
  • Backpacking
  • Thru-hike
  • Car camping
  • One pot
  • Grab and go
  • Shelf stable
  • Dump and stir

Ingredients

Instant ramen block 1 block
Freeze-dried beef and vegetable mix 3/4 oz dehydrated beef, cabbage, bok choy, mushroom, carrot, garlic, bean curd, egg, and green onion
Beef bouillon cube 1 cube
Olive oil 1 tbsp carried in a small dropper bottle
Parmesan cheese 0.5 oz grated or shaved
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Boil 500 ml of water in your pot.
  2. Break the ramen block into quarters and drop it in. Add the bouillon cube.
  3. Simmer for three minutes, stirring occasionally to separate the noodles.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in the freeze-dried beef and vegetable mix.
  5. Let it sit for one minute so the dehydrated pieces rehydrate.
  6. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and scatter the parmesan across it.
  7. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Freeze-dried vegetables and beef rehydrate in the hot broth and add texture and seasoning that plain ramen lacks. The oil and parmesan are where the calories come from; ramen and broth alone are mostly starch.

One pot, one boil, and everything happens at once. The freeze-dried mix replaces the meat and vegetables you’d normally carry fresh, at nearly nothing for weight.

Packing

Ramen block goes in one quart bag. Bouillon cube, freeze-dried mix, and parmesan ride in a small ziplock to prevent the oil from greasing the entire pack.

Variations

  • Use a vegetable-only freeze-dried mix for a vegan version, though you lose the beef protein.
  • A splash of vinegar or hot sauce adds complexity without much weight.

https://trailcooking.com/2024/07/10/food-find-ramen-bae