Birria Ramen Recipe

Birria Ramen combines tender beef, rich birria consommé, and ramen noodles for a flavorful meal. Use leftover birria for an easy twist.

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A fork lifts a serving of spicy instant ramen noodles from a cup, surrounded by fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, and bowls of chopped herbs—perfect inspiration for your next birria ramen recipe on a rustic wooden table.

What is Birria Ramen?

Birria ramen is a delicious fusion dish combining traditional Mexican slow-cooked beef birria with Japanese-style ramen noodles.

It combines rich, chile-infused birria consommé with tender shredded beef and chewy ramen noodles for a bowl of pure comfort. It’s bold, savory, a little spicy, and incredibly satisfying.

The best part? You can use leftover birria to make this easy fusion recipe. Add your favorite ramen toppings, a squeeze of fresh lime, and you’ve got a delicious meal in minutes.

If you love birria, also try my popular slow cooker birria recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️

It’s the ultimate comfort food. Rich birria broth, tender shredded beef, and chewy ramen noodles make one seriously satisfying bowl.
It’s an easy way to use leftover birria. If you have leftover birria and consommé in the fridge, you’re already halfway there.
The flavors are incredible. The chile-based birria broth gives ordinary ramen a deep, savory flavor that you just can’t get from a seasoning packet alone.
You can make it as spicy as you like. Start with a little of the ramen seasoning packet and add more to taste. You can also add chipotle peppers or jalapeños for extra heat.
It’s a delicious mashup. This is one of those recipes that feels a little unexpected, but once you take that first bite, the combination makes perfect sense.

My Story With Birria Ramen

Living so close to the Mexico border means I get to go to Tijuana quite often, and I’ve had a front-row seat to how birria has evolved over the years.

About 12 years ago, I started seeing birria pop up everywhere in Tijuana. There were even people on street corners with big stockpots, serving bowls of steaming birria.

On one of our trips, my husband and I went to a restaurant and saw something I had never seen before: birria ramen.

Birria. Ramen. Together.

Mind. Blown. 🤯

I had to try it, and it was every bit as delicious as it sounded. The rich, chile-infused birria broth with tender beef and noodles was such a fun combination. It’s next-level delicious.

If you already have leftover birria in the fridge, this is one of my favorite ways to turn it into something completely different. You get all those rich, savory birria flavors with the comfort of a bowl of hot ramen.

A collage showing how to make the sauce for birria.

🌶️ How to make Birria Ramen from scratch

Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat and add the dried chiles. Let them soak until softened.
Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with the aromatics – garlic, spices, and additional water.
Blend until smooth, then strain the adobo sauce to remove any solids. Set aside.

Another great idea is make the sauce ahead of time. It freezes extremely well and up to 6 months. Or, keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Don’t forget to taste it. If it’s too spicy, add tomatoes.

A collage showing how to make birria in an stock pot.

🥩 How to Cook the Beef

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Season the meat with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides until browned. Yes, we’re basically making a beef stew here.
Transfer the beef and sauce to a slow cooker and cook until tender and easy to shred.
Once cooked, shred the beef and return it to the broth to stay warm.

No slow cooker? No problemo. Here are other cooking instructions.

Instant Pot Instructions

Press saute.
Add oil and sear meat on all sides.
Add sauce.
Add lid and close vent.
Press High Pressure. 45 minutes.
Quick release the vent.

Stove Top Instructions

Sear the meat in a stock pot.
Pour sauce and broth over the meat.
Cook for 2 hours, or until fork tender.

A pot of birria with a ladle next to Tapatio Ramen Noodle Soup containers.

How To Prepare Birria Ramen

You can use whatever ramen you prefer. However, Tapatio Ramen comes with a spicy package that has similar spices to the ones used to make the birria stew.

FYI: The spice package will make your soup spicy.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

Make the soup without the spice package. Add some of the seasoning packets little by little until you reach the desired heat level.
Personally, I only use half of the package because the soup turns out REALLY spicy. If you want it spicier, add some diced chipotle peppers or sliced jalapeños.
Consider adding soft-boiled eggs. It’s a delicious addition!

A collage showing how to assemble the birria ramen.

Open the ramen containers and place the dry noodles in a bowl.
Ladle the hot birria broth over the noodles until fully covered.
Add shredded beef on top.
Cover and let sit until the noodles soften.
Add seasoning from the packet gradually to taste.
Top with a squeeze of lime juice, white onion (or red onion), cilantro, and radishes if desired.

Some people will use lamb or goat to make the birria meat. That’s totally up to you and what you have access to.

The trick here is to use really hot broth. If not, the noodles will not soften. After 5 minutes, if your noodles are not soft, add a splash of boiling water.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use leftover birria for birria ramen?

Absolutely! That’s one of the best reasons to make this recipe. Use leftover birria beef and consommé to make a completely different meal. Just reheat the beef and broth until piping hot before adding it to the ramen noodles.

What kind of ramen should I use?

You can use your favorite instant ramen. I like Tapatío Ramen because the seasoning has a spicy flavor that works well with the birria broth. You can also use plain ramen noodles and season the broth yourself.

Do I have to use the ramen seasoning packet?

No. In fact, I recommend starting with half of the seasoning packet or less because the birria broth is already packed with flavor. Add more gradually until you reach your preferred level of salt and spice.

How do I make birria ramen less spicy?

Use less of the ramen seasoning packet and leave out additional chipotle peppers or jalapeños. If your birria broth is very spicy, adding a little beef broth can also help mellow the heat.

Why aren’t my ramen noodles getting soft?

The broth needs to be very hot to cook the noodles properly. If the noodles are still firm after about 5 minutes, add a splash of boiling water and let them sit a little longer.

🫙 Storing Instructions

Store the birria beef and broth separately from the noodles in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the beef and broth for up to 3 months. Always prepare the noodles fresh before serving for the best texture.

A bowl of spicy birria ramen soup topped with chopped onions and cilantro, with a spoon inside. Surrounding the bowl are small dishes of onions, cilantro, and radishes on a wooden table—a flavorful birria ramen recipe to savor.

More Birria Recipes

This Birria Ramen is one of those recipes that sounds a little unexpected until you take that first bite. The rich birria consommé, tender beef, chewy noodles, and fresh toppings come together beautifully.

If you have leftover birria in the fridge, this is such a fun way to turn it into a completely different meal. And if you’ve never tried birria ramen before, now you know what all the fuss is about. Give it a try and let me know what you think!