Easy Ground Beef Sesame Noodles

Dear Dinner Therapist: I’m always looking for dinners that feel exciting for me AND that my kids will also eat. Sometimes they surprise me and eat random things. My kids are relatively adventurous eaters and like a lot of foods, although green vegetables are hit or miss (although they’ll eat around them or just pick them out). I’m also always thinking about ways to get more protein on their plates. We’ve been doing a lot of bowls and then everyone can kinda make their own, and lately I’ve been using a motto of “just try this; it could be your next favorite food.” —Kelsey

Kelsey: First, a moment of appreciation for your pitch to get your kids to try new foods — it’s so clever. I’m definitely trying this with my son, and I have a hunch other readers will also be jumping on board to try it out. I love your submission because it hits so close to home for me! This is my personal goal for most of my weeknight dinners, and was also the inspiration for my column’s first recipe: miso butter pasta.

These protein-packed sesame noodles with ground beef check all the boxes, and also happen to be graded “double thumbs up, A+” by my 5-year old. I find that there’s something very familiar and comforting about saucy noodles and ground meat for kids. Now for the part that’s especially exciting for you: The sauce has the most amazing depth of flavor, and a half-pound (!) of greens gets mixed into the noodles. Best of all, this recipe comes together largely with pantry ingredients, and you only need 20 minutes from start to finish. 

• The sauce is the star. There’s just enough so that everything in the skillet is well-sauced but not swimming in sauce. If you like some heat, I highly recommend mixing in some sambal oelek.
• Dinner is on the table in 20 minutes from start to finish. This dinner is so quick and easy. The only upfront prep is mixing together the sauce — and once you get cooking, everything comes together fast.

• Noodles: A wide variety of dried noodles work here, including udon noodles, ramen noodles, soba noodles, lo mein noodles, and even spaghetti. Choose your favorite or use what you already have on hand. 
• Ground beef: I love lean ground beef here because it has just the right fat content and adds a nice richness to the noodles.
• Spinach: There’s a half-pound of greens mixed into the skillet. It’s going to seem like a lot of spinach when you first add it to the skillet, but trust me — it cooks down so much.
• Toasted sesame oil: This is stirred into the sauce and used for cooking the ground beef.

1. Cook the noodles. The cook time will vary depending on the type of noodles you’re using. Check the instructions on the package and cook the noodles for one minute less than the suggested cook time; they’ll finish cooking in the sauce.
2. Stir the sauce together. While the water for the noodles comes to a boil and the noodles are cooking, whisk the sauce together.
3. Brown the ground beef. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up into medium pieces until browned. In the last minute of cooking, stir in a spoonful of sesame seeds.
4. Add the spinach, sauce, and noodles to finish. Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, followed by the sauce and noodles. Cook, tossing regularly, until the spinach is just wilted and combined well with the beef and noodles.

• Any kind of ground meat (or a combination) is fair game here. Ground turkey and ground chicken would make nice alternatives.
• Most leafy greens will work as an alternative to baby spinach. If you’re using hearty greens like kale or chard, I recommend chopping the leaves into small pieces and plan on cooking for an extra minute or two before adding the sauce and noodles to the skillet.

This was a huge hit with everyone! The sesame and soy flavor was really savory and delicious. I loved the ground beef crumbles nestled throughout each bite. The spinach was a nice addition here too, adding both color and a vegetable. Will definitely be making this again. –Patty, April 2025