Description
This birria ramen bowl combines the bold, spicy flavors of Mexican birria with the slurpable comfort of ramen noodles. Tender beef, a rich chile-infused broth, and customizable toppings make this noodle soup an unforgettable, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks (or beef short ribs)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chiles de árbol (use 1 for mild)
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups beef broth or water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 packs ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets, or use 10 oz fresh ramen)
- 1 cup shredded cabbage or baby spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1–2 limes, cut into wedges
- Optional: radish slices, jalapeño slices, soft-boiled eggs, pickled red onions, shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese
Instructions
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly puffed. Remove from heat.
- Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.
- Pat beef dry. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches on all sides (2-3 minutes per side). Remove beef and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Sauté until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer veggies to a blender. Add soaked chiles, cumin, oregano, coriander, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until completely smooth.
- Return browned beef to the pot. Pour chile sauce over the top, add remaining broth, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, until beef is fork-tender.
- Remove beef with tongs and shred with two forks. Discard large pieces of fat. Return shredded beef to the pot.
- For a smooth broth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids. (Optional step.)
- While beef simmers, boil ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cool water.
- Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle hot birria broth and beef over the top. Add cabbage or spinach, diced onion, cilantro, radishes, and other desired toppings.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges. For extra richness, add a spoonful of the red chile oil from the top of the pot.
Notes
Toast your chiles for best flavor. Blend the sauce until silky smooth for a rich broth. Simmer gently for tender beef. Cook noodles separately to avoid mushiness. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Birria and broth can be made ahead and taste even better the next day. For gluten-free, use rice noodles or gluten-free ramen. For vegetarian, use mushrooms and vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican, Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 42
Keywords: birria ramen, spicy beef noodle soup, Mexican ramen, birria noodle bowl, beef ramen, fusion noodle soup