Mexican Ramen with Birria

Give your old college standby a serious upgrade with this recipe for Mexican Ramen with Birria. My popular recipe for Mexican shredded beef with flavorful consomé makes a lovely soup base, perfect for adding to a tangle of Japanese noodles. This Birria Ramen is the fusion recipe of your dreams!

What is Birria Ramen?

Today, we’re diving into the world of Birria Ramen—a delightful blend of two culinary powerhouses: Mexican birria and Japanese ramen. ¡Vamonos!

Birria Ramen is like taking a flavorful trip to both Mexico and Japan in one fantastic bowl. Featuring tender, succulent pieces of birria meat swimming in a rich and aromatic broth, accompanied by toothsome ramen noodles. 

Birria, a traditional Mexican dish, typically consists of slow-cooked meat — like beef, goat, or lamb — marinated in a magical blend of spices, including dried chilies, cloves, cinnamon, and more. The meat is slow-cooked until it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender, juicy, and packed with incredible flavor. It’s a culinary masterpiece!

On the other hand, we have ramen, the iconic Japanese noodle dish. Picture a steaming bowl of umami-rich broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and an array of toppings like sliced meat, scallions, jalapeños, and a soft-boiled egg. 

Now, we’re going to combine my beef birria recipe (or the lamb birria recipe in my newest cookbook) with a couple of packages of instant ramen noodles. But, we’re not done yet! Traditional birria is often served with a side of consommé or jus—a deeply flavorful broth made from the meat’s cooking juices. 

In this birria soup recipe, this consomé takes on a new role as the base for our ramen broth. It’s a genius way to elevate the dish even further, infusing every spoonful with that signature birria essence. 

When you take your first spoonful of ramen birria goodness, you’ll experience an explosion of flavors. The luscious birria meat, seasoned with those aromatic Mexican spices, plus the noodles with their lovely chewiness, absorbing all those delicious flavors as you slurp them up.

Now, you might be wondering about the toppings. This birria maruchan loves to get dressed up! You can feel free to get creative with your garnishes, using items like fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, diced onions, and a squeeze of zesty lime to add color, flavor, and texture. 

So, my food-loving amigos, if you’re ready to embark on a culinary adventure, this homemade beef ramen birria soup recipe is calling your name. So grab a spoon, take a slurp, and let the magic of my easy birria ramen recipe transport you to a world of Mexican-Japanese deliciousness. ¡Buen provecho!

Why You’ll Love This Mexican Ramen Recipe

If the idea of comfort, simplicity, and two powerhouse cuisines teaming up in one big bowl of goodness is appealing, you’ve come to the right place. This beef ramen birria soup is the ultimate in Japanese-Mexican fusion, and I’m fully obsessed.

As if that weren’t enough to love, this birria en caldo recipe is also:

• Made With Only 5 Simple Ingredients – If you have a batch of birria and a few packets of ramen noodles on hand, you’re basically there. You can also feel free to customize your brothy bowl of birria noodles to your liking, so feel free to use up all the bits and bobs of veggies and herbs in your crisper drawer here.
• Quick & Easy – It’s the absolute ideal way to put the tail-end of your Mexican shredded beef recipe to good use. 
• Hearty & Satisfying – Trust me, one bowl of this easy beef ramen recipe is certain to crush even the most enormous just-played-a-full-day-of-sports teenage hunger.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make these birria ramen noodles. Here’s what to grab:

• Birria Broth & Meat – There’s always too much consomé to use if you only make birria tacos. I like to put the rest of the meat and all that lovely broth to good use in this simple beef ramen recipe.
• Instant Ramen Noodles – It doesn’t matter which variety you choose, since the seasoning packets will be reserved for another use.
• Fresh Cilantro – For a pop of color and bright herbaceousness. If cilantro isn’t your favorite, feel free to omit it or replace it with another tender herb like parsley or Thai basil.
• Scallions – Use both the white/pale green and dark green parts for the best combination of flavor and color.
• Jalapeños – For a fiery kick. If you don’t want quite as much heat, remove the seeds and membranes first. You can also swap in pickled jalapeños instead.

How To Make Birria Ramen

This leftover shredded Mexican beef recipe comes together without any fuss. Here’s how:

Step 1: Heat leftover birria in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just simmering. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Step 2: Meanwhile, cook ramen noodles according the package directions (without seasoning packets). Drain noodles and divide between 2 serving bowls. 

Step 3: Assemble. Top noodles with broth, meat, and toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Optional Variations

As much as I love this birria ramen recipe as is, we can always add a few extra ingredients to amp up the flavor and make it even more exciting. Here are some ideas:

• Cheese: Who can resist the ooey-gooey goodness of melted cheese? Sprinkle some shredded melty cheese or crumbled queso fresco on top of your Mexican beef ramen just before serving. The cheese will melt into the hot broth, adding a quasi-French onion soup vibe to your fusion ramen.
• Avocado Slices: Creamy avocado is always a delightful addition to any dish. The cool and buttery texture of the avocado will balance out the spiciness and bring a fresh element to the bowl.
• Pickled Red Onions: The pickled onions will provide a vibrant pop of color and a tangy kick that pairs perfectly with the rich flavors of the dish.
• Poached Egg: Elevate your Mexican ramen with a luscious poached or steamed egg. Gently place a perfectly cooked egg with a jammy yolk on top of the noodles just before serving for an added boost of protein and yumminess.
• Lime: Squeeze some lime juice over your shredded beef ramen just before digging in. The tangy acidity will cut through the richness and enhance the overall flavors.
• Crispy Tortilla Strips: For a delightful tortilla soup-style crunch, add some crispy tortilla strips as a garnish. 

Expert Tips

Here are some expert tips to help you nail your Birria Ramen recipe and make the most out of your ingredients:

• After cooking the birria meat, you might find some excess fat on the surface of the broth. To reduce the richness, use a ladle or a spoon to skim off any visible fat. This step will help balance the flavors and make the broth more enjoyable.
• Instant ramen noodles are convenient, but you can make them even tastier by lightly toasting the noodles in a dry skillet over medium heat until they turn golden and fragrant. This simple step adds a delicious nuttiness and enhances the texture of the noodles.
• Don’t let that ramen seasoning packet go to waste! As they say, waste not, want not. You can sprinkle a small amount of this yummy flavor booster on roasted vegetables, popcorn, or even use it to season homemade potato chips. Or, if you’re feeling under the weather, it’s great to make a simple broth for sipping on!
• The garnishes you choose for your homemade ramen bowls can make a big difference. Opt for fresh and high-quality toppings like crisp scallions, fragrant cilantro, and spicy jalapeños. Other options include sliced radishes, pickled veggies, sautéed greens, melty cheese, or runny eggs. Have fun building the perfect bowl!
• Once you assemble your ramen with all the best toppings, allow it to rest for a minute or two before digging in. This resting period allows the flavors to meld together, and the noodles to soak up the birria broth, resulting in a more cohesive and flavorful bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Soup Recipes

• Albondigas con Caldo
• Mexican Lentil Soup
• Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.

Photography: Jenna Sparks