Birria Ramen

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Birria Ramen is a tangy and smoky ramen with marinated, slow cooked beef in a spicy broth and served with noodles. It’s the perfect fusion of Mexican birria and Japanese ramen!

If you love birria tacos, you’re going to love this birria ramen! It’s filled with tender and juicy beef that’s marinated and slow cooked with a mix of chili peppers, herbs and spices.

Close up overhead view of birria ramen in a bowl with a ramen egg on top.

The resulting broth and beef are served with chewy ramen noodles and topped with cilantro, jalapeños, radishes and lime juice for the most amazing and flavorful ramen!

For a true ramen experience, you can also serve it with soft boiled ramen eggs!

While this birria ramen isn’t a quick ramen recipe, the fall apart beef is definitely worth the wait! Follow it up with this easy instant pot flan and you're golden.

If you’re looking for quick ramen recipes, be sure to check out this Instant Pot ramen, shio ramen, shoyu ramen, spicy chicken ramen, vegetarian ramen or Korean ramen. All are super flavorful and quick and easy to make!

Check out the birria ramen story!

Side view of noodles in a bowl of birria ramen with chopsticks.

What is birria ramen?

Birria is a Mexican dish most commonly made with lamb, but also made with beef, where the meat is marinated and slow cooked with spices and chilies for hours until tender. The meat is shredded and can be served in the cooking liquid as a soup or stew or stuffed into tacos.

Birria ramen (or birriamen) is birria in stew form served with ramen noodles and other toppings.

Why this recipe works

Marinating and slow cooking the beef results in the most tender, juicy and flavorful birria.
The chili infused broth is packed with flavor. It coats the ramen noodles and the birria makes the most delicious slurpy ramen broth!
The birria is even more flavorful the next day, so this ramen is perfect for meal prep. Just cook up your noodles and dinner is served!

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.

You’ll need 2 pounds of beef shank for this recipe. Beef shank is a cut of beef taken from the cow’s leg. It’s a lean cut but can be tough, so it’s best prepared using braising or slow cooking methods.

The base of the ramen broth includes 8 cups of chicken stock. You can use store-bought or homemade like this Instant Pot chicken bone broth. You can also use beef broth.

For the ramen noodles, I used 12 ounces of dried ramen noodles (cooked to package instructions) but you can also use fresh ramen noodles.

The marinade includes peppers, spices and herbs including chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and dried guajillo peppers.

The chipotle peppers in adobo add a spicy and smoky flavor to the birria. Since this is a key ingredient, I don’t recommend substituting. However, in a pinch, you can use chipotle powder or smoked paprika to achieve a similar flavor.

Guajillo chili pepper is a dried chili commonly used in Mexican cuisine to add a tangy and smoky flavor to dishes. For a substitute, try using ancho chili peppers.

Step by step instructions

Soak the guajillo peppers in 1 cup of boiling water for about 30 minutes, until softened. Open and remove most of the seeds.

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender and pulse until a paste forms.

Overhead view of birria marinade blended together in a blender.

Add 1-4 tablespoons of the guajillo pepper soaking liquid until the mixture is pourable.

Pour the marinade over the beef shanks and let sit in the fridge overnight. (I use a ziplock bag to marinate the shanks as it makes it easier to coat all sides of the beef).

Beef shank with marinade in a ziplock bag.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.

Add the beef shanks (marinade included) and brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side).

Beef shank in a Dutch oven browning on the stovetop.

Pour in broth, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for 4-6 hours, until beef shanks are tender.

Strain the broth through a mesh sieve (you can also serve as is, but it won't be as clear).

Serve with cooked ramen noodles and toppings.

Expert tips

When marinating the beef, I recommend using a large ziplock bag as it makes it easier to coat all sides of the beef shanks.
Browning the beef shanks adds flavor and seals in the juices so be sure not to skip this step.
You’ll need to use a large pot in order to fit the beef shanks and all of the broth.
To control the saltiness of the ramen broth, I recommend using a homemade or low sodium chicken broth.
You can also use homemade beef broth like this slow cooker beef bone broth.
For a clear broth, be sure to strain it through a mesh strainer before serving.
If you’re adding marinated ramen eggs as a topping, you should make them in advance as they need to marinate overnight.
If you’re planning for leftovers, store the birria and noodles separately. If the noodles are stored in the broth, they will get mushy.

Birria ramen in a brown bowl with lime wedges and a ramen egg..

Common questions

Do you need to marinate the beef shanks?

Yes! Marinating helps tenderize and flavor the beef, which is important since beef shanks are a lean and tough cut of meat.

Can you use another cut of beef?

You can definitely use another cut of beef for birria. Instead of beef shanks, use chuck roast or short ribs. Whatever cut of beef you use, make sure it’s suitable for slow cooking. Also, I suggest using a bone-in cut as it’s more flavorful than boneless.

Can you make birria ramen in advance?

Yes, you can make the birria in advance and store the beef in the broth in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also cook the noodles in advance and store them in a separate container, or cook them just before serving. When ready to serve, reheat the birria on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve over the noodles with desired toppings.

Can you freeze birria ramen?

Yes, you can freeze the birria for up to 3 months. Just let the beef and broth cool completely in the fridge and then store them together in an airtight container and place in the freezer. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.

What toppings go with birria ramen?

We normally serve this ramen with lime wedges, thinly sliced onion, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños and sliced radishes. Shredded red cabbage or pickled red onions would also be amazing.

For a more traditional bowl of ramen, you can also add marinated ramen eggs. These sous vide soft boiled eggs would also be great.