This birria ramen recipe is so satisfying with shredded slow cooked Mexican beef with noodles in a flavorful birria broth and lots of toppings, the ultimate comfort food.
It's noodle time in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. I think you're going to love this version. We're making a sort of a recipe mashup of Japanese and Mexican flavors, with a Mexican spin on one of your favorite comfort foods.
We're talking Birria Ramen, or birriamen, and we can't get enough of it.
Birria Ramen is a dish of ramen noodles served with Mexican birria along with the birria broth and lots of toppings. Mexican birria is a traditional Mexican recipe of beef or lamb that is cooked low and slow in a flavorful chili broth.
It's a popular street food served in bowls or as tacos. It's also a favorite of home cooks because of the wonderful flavor and ease of preparation.
As much as I love a good round of birria tacos, a popular way to enjoy birria is to serve it with ramen noodles. When it comes to fusion recipes, it doesn't get any better than this.
This recipe is ideal for leftover birria, though I've included the birria recipe below so you can make it as desired. If you love ramen noodles, this version may become your new favorite.
Let's talk about how to make birria ramen, shall we?
Birria Ramen Ingredients
- FOR THE BIRRIA RECIPE
- Dried Chilies. Use ancho peppers and guajillo peppers. You can add in a bit more heat by adding a couple of chile de arbol peppers.
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Produce. Onion, tomatoes, garlic.
- Seasonings. Use Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cumin, ground ginger, sea salt and black peppers. Bay leaves are a popular addition.
- Liquids. Beef stock and apple cider vinegar.
- Beef. Use boneless beef chuck, though you can use other cuts of beef or lamb.
- FOR THE BIRRIA RAMEN
- Ramen Noodles. You can use other noodles, like angel hair.
- Fixings. Use your favorites, but I love jalapenos, red onion, radishes and soft boiled eggs.
- Garnish. Red pepper flakes and fresh chopped cilantro, squeeze of lime.
How to Make Birria Ramen - the Recipe Method
MAKE THE BIRRIA
The Dried Peppers. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken. Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened. About 1 cup of water or more.
Cook the Vegetables. While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat. Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
Make the Birria Marinade. Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor. Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid. Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
Marinate the Beef. Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl. Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
Cook the Beef. When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 2 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy. You can use a slow cooker for this.
Shred the Birria. Remove the meat and shred it with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).
MAKE THE BIRRIA RAMEN BOWLS
Prep the Noodles. Boil the ramen noodles according to the packaging. Drain, then divide between 6 bowls.
Toppings and Garnish. Top with shredded beef birria, then cover with the reserved birria consome (flavorful broth). Add your toppings (onion, cilantro, jalapeno), garnish and serve.
Boom! Done! Your delicious bowl of birria ramen is ready to serve. Looks so good, doesn't it? I know I can't wait to dig in. Where are the chopsticks?
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Leftover Birria. You can make an extra large batch of beef birria (birria de res) and use it for other meals. A favorite way to serve it is birria tacos, with the tortillas dipped into the broth or consome, then lightly fried and stuffed with shredded beef. So good!
- The Fixings. Feel free to use any and all of your favorite ramen toppings or fixings for this recipe. I love more Mexican ingredients, but you can add in all types of vegetables and more. Go for it!
- The Noodles. If you can't find ramen noodles, you can use other noodles that are easier to find, such as egg noodles, or Italian spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my birria ramen recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Birria Tacos
- Spicy Ramen Noodles
- Miso Ramen
- Chicken Ramen
- Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
- Yakisoba Noodles
- Dan Dan Noodles
- Lo Mein Noodles
- Spaghetti Verde
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Birria Ramen Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE BIRRIA RECIPE
- 3 ancho peppers
- 3 guajillo peppers
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 large roasted tomato chopped
- 3 cups beef stock separated
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck
FOR THE BIRRIA RAMEN
- 12 ounces ramen noodles 6 portions - you can use other noodles
- 2 jalapenos chopped or sliced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 radishes sliced
- 3 soft boiled eggs halved
- Garnish spicy red chili flakes, fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
MAKE THE BIRRIA
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
- Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
- While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
- Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
- Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
- Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
- Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
- Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 2 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy.
- Shred the meat with forks to your preference. Reserve the birria broth (consome).
MAKE THE BIRRIA RAMEN
- Boil the ramen noodles according to the packaging. Drain, then divide between 6 bowls.
- Top with shredded beef birria, then cover with the reserved birria consome (broth).
- Add your toppings, garnish and serve.
Nutrition Information
