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Home » Recipes » Birria Ramen

Birria Ramen

by Mike Hultquist · Dec 12, 2022 · 22 Comments

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Birria Ramen Recipe

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.

Birria Ramen in a bowl

My Favorite Birria Ramen

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. Stemmed and seeded.
  • Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
  • Produce. Onion, tomatoes, garlic.
  • Seasonings. Use Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cumin, ground ginger, sea salt and pepper. Bay leaves are a popular addition.
  • Liquids. Beef stock and apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is good, too).
  • 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 or ramen 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-high 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.

Toasting the chilies to make birria

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.

You can thin it out with a bit of the reserved soaking liquid, if desired.

Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.

Chili paste to make braised birria

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.

Coating the cubed meat in chili paste

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 or Instant Pot for this.

Shred the Birria. Remove the meat and shred it with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).

Shredding the Mexican Birria in a bowl

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?

Birria Ramen in a bowl with a soft boiled egg

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. Or birria quesadillas! Or birria nachos! 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
  • Try my Lo Mein Recipe with soft chewy noodles.
  • Spicy Ramen Noodles
  • Miso Ramen
  • Chicken Ramen
  • Buldak Ramen
  • Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
  • Yakisoba Noodles
  • Dan Dan Noodles
  • Spaghetti Verde
  • Birria Pizza
Mike taking a big scoop of Birria Ramen

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
Print

Birria Ramen Recipe

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.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: noodles, ramen, shredded beef
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 617kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6
Tap or hover to scale
4.86 from 7 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

FOR THE BIRRIA RECIPE

  • 3 ancho peppers stems and seeds removed
  • 3 guajillo peppers stems and seeds removed
  • 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. Add in some of the reserved soaking water if you'd like a soupier birria. 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

Calories: 617kcal   Carbohydrates: 47g   Protein: 42g   Fat: 29g   Saturated Fat: 13g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g   Monounsaturated Fat: 14g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 197mg   Sodium: 1986mg   Potassium: 1167mg   Fiber: 4g   Sugar: 7g   Vitamin A: 1661IU   Vitamin C: 19mg   Calcium: 96mg   Iron: 7mg
Birria Ramen Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/12/22 to include new information. It was originally published on 1/26/22.

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Deven says

    March 23, 2024 at 8:23 am

    5 stars
    This is insanely good, utilizing my absolute favorite flavors combined into a fantastic dish! This was the first recipe from Chili Pepper Madness that I’ve tried and I am hooked- it is now in the regular rotation. The broth is so heady, rich and flavorful. The beef is fall apart tender. As mentioned, the leftover beef is perfect for birria tacos next day!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      March 23, 2024 at 8:29 am

      Thanks, Deven! One of our favorites here for sure. Very happy you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  2. Krish Basu says

    February 01, 2024 at 2:56 am

    5 stars
    Hi Mike,

    Greetings from Mumbai, India. I'm a huge fan of your recipes and follow your channel with a lot of excitement and look forward every week, to your emails with your mouth watering recipes that are so simple and delish! Haiing from India as you may know, getting hands on beef here is a massive challenge due to religious reasons and also that it's not largely consumed by Indians. I'm really excited to try out this gorgeous birria ramen recipe and was wondering if you could help me with the recipe using an alternative to beef, say mutton (goat) and/or even chicken of possible. A huge thanks in advance!

    P.S. I've just returned back to India after a 16 year stint in the Middle East and I'm planning to open a small home kitchen to serve delicious home cooked food to my customers, and I would definitely want to include this recipe and many of your other recipes for the clients to try and relish them as much as I do! I also make my own hot sauces (fermented and cooked) and use them in my recipes! Again, many thanks on advance! Cheers!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 01, 2024 at 6:34 am

      Thanks so much, Krish. Goat is the perfect choice for making this recipe. Birria was originally made with goat. Try it with goat shoulder, or any of the tougher cuts that require low and slow cooking. Good luck with your home kitchen!

      Reply
  3. Micaela says

    March 31, 2023 at 6:54 am

    I have all my ingredients ready to go and I can't wait to try this tomorrow!
    Just one question, I want my ramen to have a lot of broth (soupy I guess you can say) but I noticed that the ramen in your pictures aren't as soupy as I'd like mine to be, are there any adjustments to the recipe you recommend? Or will there be enough leftover consome to use for the soup? I'm going to use a crockpot by the way.
    Thank you for the tip!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 01, 2023 at 8:07 am

      Micaela, you'll have a lot of consome left and you can just ladle in as much as you'd like. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Rob Caldwell says

    February 19, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Mike, thanks for sharing this great recipe. I didn’t know what this was until driving by a Mexican restaurant the other day that had Birria Ramen on the specials board outside. I googled it to find out what it was and found your recipe. It was made exactly to the recipe except that I substituted chipotle peppers for the ancho peppers because my local market didn’t have them, and had a full egg instead of half. We both absolutely loved it and will make it again without changing a thing. Having a little piece of the egg with a forkful really brought out the flavors. Since there are only two of us there was a lot of leftover Birria which will be great for more ramen, or other things like tacos, burritos, etc. The flavor and balance was perfect. Posted a pick on instagram tagging @chilipeppermadness

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 19, 2023 at 10:18 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Rob! Glad to be helpful!

      Reply
  5. Gus Sheker says

    December 18, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    5 stars
    Hi again Mr Hulquist,
    I have a seasonal taco trailer here in northern Minnesota. your recipes have been a great inspiration to me over the years. my question; the chilies in the birria make a bitter taste. I've been countering with honey and fat (butter) got any better ideas?
    regards,
    Gus Sheker. Singing chihuahua Taco Trailer

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 18, 2022 at 9:53 pm

      Hey, Gus. Yes, the bitterness is pretty common with some dried pods. A few things - skip using the soaking water if you're using it. There is more bitterness in there. Use fresh water or other liquid instead. Strain the sauce to remove any bitter bits. Toasting the pods does help. Also, you might consider using powders instead of the dried pods, see if that makes a difference. I hope to visit your taco truck some day soon!

      Reply
      • Renee says

        March 22, 2023 at 4:32 pm

        Maybe she’s toasting the peppers too long, that can make the birria bitter. Just a thought.

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          March 22, 2023 at 5:29 pm

          A possibility, yes.

          Reply
          • Lisette Dahlin says

            April 15, 2023 at 5:28 am

            4 stars
            Leaving in the seeds makes it bitter too. Take the seeds out prior to toasting.

            Reply
            • Mike Hultquist says

              April 15, 2023 at 7:16 am

              Lisette, yes, the stems and seeds should be removed.

              Reply
  6. Anne McKinney says

    December 12, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    I can NOT WAIT to make this! I'll let you know how it turns out.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 12, 2022 at 3:40 pm

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Diane says

    December 12, 2022 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    directions for instant pot please

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 12, 2022 at 8:37 am

      Diane, follow the directions for the regular recipe, but in Step #11 for making the birria, pressure cook for 60-70 minutes with a 15 minute natural release. Then you can shred the meat and proceed to make your birria ramen. Enjoy.

      Reply
  8. Alexandria says

    April 03, 2022 at 12:22 am

    5 stars
    Love the idea again!!!Still working on the availability of the peppers,but a great idea I am vegan and low carb,so I used jack fruit and low carb noodles Oh wow.Just an idea,for me any ,if I was to get the latin names of the peppers,I thought I could hopefully grow them as house plants.What do you think?(from seed I mean!) Take care,and be safe Alexandria

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 03, 2022 at 7:24 am

      Sure thing, Alexandria. I hope you enjoy it! You can definitely grow from seed, through best to work with fresh seeds, not from dried pods. Have fun!

      Reply
  9. Mike says

    January 26, 2022 at 2:30 pm

    The recipe looks great and will be trying it soon. In lieu of the dried peppers, do you think the recipe would turn out well if I used Guajillo and Ancho chili powder? Maybe some Chili De Arbol powder as well? If so, what would be the portions?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 26, 2022 at 3:06 pm

      Thanks, Mike. Yes, powders are good here. I would use 2-3 tablespoons total (about 1 teaspoon or so per pepper), then adjust to personal tastes. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy.

      Reply

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