Birria Ramen

This birria ramen is packed with flavors, fulfilling, and perfect to serve on those chilly nights. This fusion dish combines elements of traditional Japanese ramen with rich Mexican flavors, perfect for anyone who loves trying new and exciting flavor combinations!

this recipe

The birria broth, with its deep, savory flavors derived from slow-cooked meat and spices, brings a unique and robust taste to the ramen. It’s a departure from traditional ramen broths, adding a delicious Mexican kick!

I am leaving you a quick recipe to make the flavorful stew in an Instant Pot, but feel free to use your birria leftovers too, is just another way to repurpose leftover shredded beef and broth from Birria de Res into an entirely new and delicious dish.

Ingredients

• Beef: Use chuck roast, brisket, or shank.
• Chilies: You’ll need dried chile ancho, guajillo, and pasilla. You can leave out one of those chilies, but try to add at least two types.
• Spices and aromatics: Garlic cloves, white onion, black peppercorns, oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and ginger.
• Tomatoes: To give some flavor and texture. Substitute with tomato sauce in a pinch.
• Vinegar: White or cider vinegar.
• Salt: To taste.

To assemble the ramen bowl

• Ramen noodles: Use your favorite brand of packed noodles, but discard the seasoning package, you’ll get all the flavors from the birria consome!
• Garnishes: White onions, cilantro, serrano chilies, lime wedges, and any hot sauce you prefer.
• Boiled eggs: This is optional but they make this birria ramen recipe more fulfilling and fun!

How To Make Birria Ramen

Step 1. Make the adobo sauce

Clean the chilies and lightly toast them on a griddle. Place them in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes.

Roast tomatoes and onions until soft and some charred spots appear.

Place soaked chilies and all spices for the sauce in a blender. Add tomatoes, onions, 2 cups of water, and vinegar. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until you have a smooth sauce.

Step 2. Make birria

I am using an Instant Pot here, but feel free to use a regular pot and cook on your stovetop, it will only take more time.

Place the meat into your Instant Pot. Pour over the chili sauce and enough water to cover the meat for about 3 inches (8 cm).

Add salt, set your instant pot to high pressure, and cook for 45 minutes, then natural release the steam for 15 minutes.

Step 3. Assemble ramen

Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a large cutting board.

Using a knife, chop it well. Since the meat is so tender, it will be very easy to do this step in less than a minute.

Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Strain and divide them into bowls. Ladle the hot birria broth and add some chopped meat.

Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro. And, if you want, with a ramen egg cut in half (see instructions below to make those).

Serve your birria ramen with a squeeze of lime, chopped chilies, and Mexican chili oil.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• If you prefer, skim off excess fat from the broth to reduce greasiness, or you can also refrigerate the broth and remove the solidified fat layer on top.
• You can also add some shredded melty cheese on top of your ramen for a cheesy kick! Play around with additional garnishes like avocado slices, radishes, or pickled jalapeños for extra texture and flavor contrast.
• I like to serve my ramen with boiled eggs but I usually make them ahead and marinate them in the birria broth for a few hours for extra flavor.
• Did you know? —It is believed that the celebrity chef Antonio de Livier invented this dish around 2015 to add it to his menu at Ánimo Ay Caldos! and that he called it Birriamen.

Drinks to Serve With

Wondering what drinks to pair with your birria ramen? I’ve got a few suggestions:

• Tepache: Pinneaple fermented drink.
• Tamarind drink: Tangy and sweet agua fresca de tamarindo.
• Agua de pepino: A cucumber refreshing soft drink.
• Tamarind margarita: The classic Mexican drink with a tangy twist.
• Strawberry agua fresca: Made with fresh or frozen strawberries and chia seeds.

These drinks not only balance the spiciness of the birria ramen but also help cut through some of the fat richness in the broth.

Store & Reheat

Birria ramen makes the perfect prep meal for your busy weekdays! Store the ingredients separately in airtight containers and assemble them whenever you’re craving this fulfilling dish.

The beef stew can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. Noodles and toppings don’t last that long in either place so make sure to eat them within 2-3 days.

The stew can be reheated in a stockpot on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals.

More Birria Recipes

If you enjoyed my Birria Ramen recipe, please take a minute and rate it below in the comments. Also, don’t forget to share and follow this blog on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Video