🌮🍜 Easy Birria Ramen With Rich Beef Broth

Servings: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2½–3 hours
Difficulty: Easy–medium

🛒 Ingredients

For the birria beef

• 2–2½ lb (900 g–1.1 kg) beef chuck roast
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 1–2 dried árbol chilies, optional for extra heat
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper

For the ramen

• 4 packs ramen noodles
• 4 cups birria broth
• 2–3 cups shredded birria beef
• 1–2 tbsp birria fat from the top of the broth

Toppings

• Diced white onion
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Sliced jalapeños
• Crumbled queso fresco or shredded mozzarella, optional
• Avocado, optional
• Extra chili oil, optional

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👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the dried chilies

Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chilies.

Place them in a bowl and cover with very hot water.

Let them soak for about 15 minutes, until softened.

If you’re using árbol chilies, add them as well.

Tip: Remove some or all of the árbol chilies if you don’t want the birria to be very spicy.

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2. Sear the beef

Cut the beef chuck into large chunks.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Season the beef with salt and black pepper.

Add the beef in batches and sear for about 2–3 minutes per side, until nicely browned.

Don’t overcrowd the pot.

Remove the beef and set it aside.

This browning step is important because it gives your broth a deeper, richer flavor.

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3. Cook the onion and garlic

Using the same pot, add the chopped onion.

Cook for about 3–4 minutes until it starts to soften.

Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

Don’t worry if there are browned bits stuck to the bottom—that’s flavor!

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4. Make the birria chili sauce

Drain the softened chilies.

Add them to a blender along with:

• Cooked onion
• Garlic
• Tomato paste
• Apple cider vinegar
• Cumin
• Oregano
• Cinnamon
• 1 cup beef broth

Blend until completely smooth.

The sauce should be thick, dark red, and fragrant.

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5. Build the birria broth

Pour the blended chili sauce into the pot.

Add:

• Seared beef
• Remaining beef broth
• 1 cup water
• Bay leaves

Stir everything together.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Then reduce the heat to low.

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6. Slowly cook the beef

Cover the pot and let the beef simmer gently for approximately 2–2½ hours.

Stir occasionally.

The beef is ready when you can easily pull it apart with a fork.

If the broth becomes too thick during cooking, add a little more water or beef broth.

⭐ Even easier option

You can also cook the birria in a slow cooker:

• Sear the beef first.
• Add everything to the slow cooker.
• Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.

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7. Shred the beef

Remove the cooked beef from the broth.

Use two forks to shred it into small pieces.

Discard large pieces of fat, bones, or tough connective tissue if present.

Return some of the shredded beef to the broth.

Keep some aside specifically for your ramen bowls.

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8. Separate some of the birria fat

You’ll notice a layer of reddish-orange fat floating on top of the broth.

Spoon some of it into a small bowl.

This flavorful birria consommé fat is perfect for frying the ramen and beef.

You only need about 1–2 tablespoons per bowl.

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🍜 9. Cook the ramen

Bring a separate pot of water to a boil.

Add your ramen noodles.

Cook according to the package directions, usually around 2–3 minutes.

Don’t overcook them.

Drain the noodles.

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10. Fry the ramen in birria fat

This is the step that makes the ramen extra delicious.

Heat 1–2 tablespoons of birria fat in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the cooked ramen noodles.

Toss them for about 1 minute so they absorb the rich chili-infused fat.

You can also add a spoonful of birria broth while tossing.

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11. Add the birria beef

Add about ½–¾ cup shredded beef per bowl.

Toss it with the ramen for another minute.

You want the beef to become hot and coated with that delicious red birria flavor.

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🥣 12. Assemble the ramen

Divide the ramen and beef between four bowls.

Pour hot birria broth around and over the noodles.

Add a little extra shredded beef on top.

Then garnish with:

• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Diced white onion
• Jalapeño slices
• Fresh lime juice

For an extra cheesy version, add queso fresco or shredded mozzarella.

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🌶️ 13. Finish with lime

Squeeze ½ lime over each bowl right before eating.

The acidity from the lime cuts through the richness of the beef broth and makes all the flavors pop.

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🔥 Tips for the Best Birria Ramen

Use beef chuck.
It has enough fat and connective tissue to become incredibly tender during slow cooking.

Don’t skip searing the beef.
That browned crust adds tremendous flavor to the final broth.

Toast the chilies carefully.
If you want even more flavor, lightly toast the dried chilies in a dry pan for about 15–20 seconds per side before soaking them. Don’t burn them, or the broth can taste bitter.

Make it spicy.
Add extra árbol chilies, jalapeños, or chili oil.

Make it cheesy.
Add cheese directly to the hot ramen and let it melt into the broth.

Make it richer.
Add a spoonful of birria fat to each bowl before serving.

Best part: The birria can be made a day ahead. Refrigerating it overnight also makes it easy to remove excess solidified fat from the top while keeping some of the flavorful fat for serving.

🍜 Quick serving formula

For 1 bowl, use approximately:

1 ramen packet + ½–¾ cup shredded beef + 1 cup birria broth + 1–2 tbsp birria fat + onion + cilantro + lime.

That gives you a bowl that’s spicy, savory, rich, beefy, and packed with Mexican birria flavor.