Birria Ramen
Birria ramen combines tender shredded birria beef and its rich, chile-spiced consomé with chewy ramen noodles for an easy way to turn birria into a completely different meal. If you already have leftover birria, the whole bowl comes together in about 15 minutes with a soft-boiled egg, fresh onion, cilantro, and lime on top.
I usually make a big batch of birria because there are so many ways to use the leftovers. After making birria tacos, this is one of my favorite ways to use the extra beef and broth the next day.
The consomé becomes the ramen broth, so most of the flavor is already there. All you really need to do is reheat it, cook the noodles, and add the shredded beef and toppings.
If you’re starting from scratch, make the Birria Tacos recipe first. That recipe includes the beef and consomé you’ll need here, along with stovetop, Instant Pot, and slow cooker instructions.
What Is Birria Ramen?
Birria ramen is a fusion dish that combines Mexican birria with Japanese-style ramen noodles.
Instead of serving the slow-cooked beef and consomé with tortillas, the broth is poured over ramen noodles and topped with shredded birria beef. The chile-based broth is savory and rich, while fresh onion, cilantro, and lime help balance it out.
It’s especially useful when you have leftover birria because you can turn the same batch of beef into tacos one night and ramen the next.
If you’re in the mood for another noodle dinner, Wonton Noodle Soup is a comforting brothy option, while Yaki Udon is a quick stir-fried noodle dish with a completely different flavor.
Please scroll ⬇️ to the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
What You’ll Need
Birria consomé: This is the broth left from cooking the birria. It already has plenty of flavor from the dried chiles, beef, aromatics, and spices, so there’s no need to make a separate ramen broth.
Shredded birria beef: Reheat the beef in the broth or add it directly to each bowl before serving.
Ramen noodles: Fresh or frozen ramen noodles have a nice chewy texture, but instant ramen noodles also work. Discard the seasoning packet since you’ll be using the birria broth instead.
Soft-boiled eggs: These are optional, but I like adding a 7-minute egg to each bowl.
Toppings: Diced red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime add freshness to the rich broth.
How to Make Birria Ramen
If you haven’t already made the birria, prepare Birria Tacos first and separate the shredded beef from the consomé.
Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer them to an ice bath, then peel and cut them in half.
While the eggs cook, reheat the birria consomé in a saucepan. If the broth has become too concentrated or thickened in the refrigerator, add a little water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Drain well and divide them between serving bowls.
Add the shredded birria beef, then ladle the hot consomé over the noodles.
Top each bowl with a soft-boiled egg, diced red onion, cilantro, sliced jalapeño, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve right away.
A Few Tips Before You Start
✔️ Use the ramen seasoning packet another time. The birria consomé replaces the seasoning that normally comes with instant ramen.
✔️ Adjust the broth as needed. Birria broth can become more concentrated after refrigerating. Add a splash of water if needed when reheating.
✔️ Cook the noodles separately. This keeps them from absorbing too much of the consomé or becoming too soft.
✔️ Assemble the bowls right before serving. Ramen noodles continue to soften once they sit in the hot broth.
✔️ Taste the consomé before adding salt. The broth may already be well seasoned from the original birria.
My Favorite Toppings
I like keeping the toppings fresh and simple because the birria broth and beef already have plenty of flavor.
Diced red onion and cilantro add freshness, while lime helps cut through the richness of the broth. Sliced jalapeño is good if you want a little more heat.
A soft-boiled egg makes the bowl more filling and adds a creamy texture when the yolk mixes into the broth.
You can use all of the toppings or just add whatever you have on hand.
Using Leftover Birria
This is one of the easiest recipes to make after a batch of birria because both the beef and broth are already finished.
Keep the shredded beef and consomé in separate containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to make ramen, reheat only what you need and cook a fresh batch of noodles.
If you still have birria left after making ramen, Birria Tacos are another easy way to use the same beef and broth.
Storing Leftovers
Store the birria beef and consomé separately from the cooked ramen noodles whenever possible.
The beef and broth can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Cook fresh ramen noodles when you’re ready to serve the leftovers. Noodles stored in the broth will continue absorbing liquid and can become too soft.
The birria beef and consomé can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you make this Birria Ramen, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below.
RECIPE
Birria Ramen
Ingredients
- 8 cups prepared birria consomé
- 3 cups shredded birria beef
- 4 portions fresh, frozen or instant ramen noodles
Optional Toppings
- 4 soft boiled eggs
- ½ cup diced red onions
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Reheat the birria. Warm the birria consomé in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a little water if needed to reach your preferred broth consistency. Warm the shredded beef with the broth or separately.
- Cook the eggs. Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully add the eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath, then peel and slice in half.
- Cook the noodles. Prepare the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. If using instant ramen, discard the seasoning packet. Drain and divide the noodles between four bowls.
- Assemble the ramen. Divide the shredded birria beef between the bowls, then ladle the hot consomé over the noodles and beef.
- Add the toppings. Top with soft-boiled eggs, diced red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe assumes the birria beef and consomé are already prepared.
- Fresh or frozen ramen noodles give you a chewier texture, but instant ramen works well too.
- Cook the noodles separately so they don’t absorb too much of the broth.
- Add a little water when reheating the consomé if it has become too concentrated.
- Assemble the bowls right before serving so the noodles don’t become too soft.
