What Does Birria Ramen Have in It? Unpacking the Fusion Ingredients

November 13, 2025 •

3 min read

Created by celebrity chef Antonio de Livier in Mexico City around 2015, birria ramen is a culinary mash-up that brings together two distinct comfort food traditions. This viral sensation combines the rich, savory, and spicy elements of Mexican birria stew with the slurpable satisfaction of Japanese ramen noodles, creating a complex and deeply flavorful bowl.

Quick Summary

This article explores the essential components of birria ramen, detailing the rich consomé, slow-cooked meat, and traditional garnishes that define this popular and flavorful fusion meal.

Key Points

Birria Consomé: The deep red broth is slow-simmered with a complex mix of dried chiles, spices, and aromatics like cumin, oregano, and garlic.
Shredded Beef: Traditionally made with goat or lamb, birria ramen often features tender, slow-cooked beef cuts like chuck roast or short ribs.
Ramen Noodles: Standard wheat ramen noodles, either fresh or dried, are used for their satisfyingly chewy texture.
Fresh Garnishes: The dish is balanced with a sprinkle of fresh diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a vital squeeze of lime juice.
Optional Additions: Common additions include soft-boiled eggs, sliced radishes, jalapeños, and shredded cabbage for extra texture and flavor.
Flavor Profile: The final result is a savory, smoky, and tangy fusion that perfectly marries Mexican and Japanese influences.

The Core Components of Birria Ramen

Birria ramen, also known as 'birriamen,' is a popular fusion dish combining elements of Mexican birria stew and Japanese ramen. The dish is primarily composed of a birria base, ramen noodles, and various garnishes. The distinctive flavor comes from the slow-simmered birria consomé.

The Birria Base: Meat and Consomé

The Meat: The meat is a crucial part of birria. While traditionally made with goat or lamb, beef is commonly used in birria ramen, often from cuts like chuck roast, short ribs, or beef shank. These are cooked until very tender and then shredded.

The Consomé: The rich, reddish consomé is flavored with rehydrated dried chiles and a mix of spices. Key chiles include guajillo, ancho, and chiles de arbol, which contribute tangy, smoky, and spicy notes respectively. These are blended with aromatics such as onion, garlic, and tomatoes, along with spices like cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and sometimes ginger. Other additions can include apple cider vinegar or orange juice for tang and beef stock for the cooking liquid.

The Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles provide the Japanese element. They are cooked separately to maintain their texture and prevent sogginess. Both fresh and instant ramen noodles can be used, with the goal being a chewy noodle.

Fresh Toppings and Garnishes

Toppings add essential freshness and texture. Common garnishes include diced onion and cilantro for sharpness, lime wedges for acidity, and often a soft-boiled egg for richness. Sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, or jalapeños can also be added for crunch and heat.

Comparison: Birria Ramen vs. Traditional Japanese Ramen

Though both are noodle soups, their components and flavors differ significantly. See the table below for a comparison:


Feature	Birria Ramen	Traditional Japanese Ramen
Broth Base	Birria consomé (rich, spicy, complex Mexican flavors from beef, chiles, and spices)	Broth derived from chicken, pork (tonkotsu), soy sauce (shoyu), or miso; often has a savory, umami-forward flavor
Meat	Slow-cooked shredded beef, goat, or lamb marinated in chiles and spices	Braised pork belly (chashu) or other proteins
Noodles	Standard instant or fresh ramen noodles cooked separately	Specialized ramen noodles, crafted for specific broth types
Garnishes	Diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, radishes, jalapeños, soft-boiled egg	Nori (seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), chashu, scallions, soft-boiled egg
Flavor Profile	Tangy, smoky, spicy, and savory	Umami, salty, earthy, or rich depending on the broth

How to Assemble Your Own Bowl

Making birria ramen involves combining the prepared birria base with cooked noodles and toppings:

Prepare birria meat and consomé.
Simmer the consomé, adjusting thickness with beef stock if needed.
Cook and drain ramen noodles.
Place noodles in a bowl.
Add shredded birria meat over noodles.
Ladle hot consomé over the noodles and meat.
Add toppings like onion, cilantro, and egg.
Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

Conclusion: A Delicious Marriage of Flavors

Birria ramen is a successful fusion dish combining Mexican birria and Japanese ramen. It offers a unique experience with its rich broth, tender meat, and fresh garnishes. The blend of savory, smoky, and tangy flavors makes it a satisfying meal. For more on its origins, a Myojo USA article from 2022 provides details.

What does birria ramen have in it?

Birria Consomé: A flavorful broth made from slow-simmered beef, dried chiles, and spices. Tender Shredded Beef: Typically uses slow-cooked cuts like chuck roast or short ribs. Chewy Ramen Noodles: Wheat-based noodles, cooked separately for texture. Classic Toppings: Includes diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges for freshness. Optional Extras: May include soft-boiled eggs, radishes, jalapeños, or cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Birria ramen most commonly features shredded beef, using cuts like chuck roast, beef shank, or short ribs. Some traditional birria recipes use goat or lamb, which can also be used in the ramen version.

The red broth is known as consomé. It is a rich, savory broth made by slow-simmering the meat with a blend of dried chiles (like guajillo and ancho), herbs, and spices.

Yes, birria ramen typically has a spicy kick, which is balanced by its savory and tangy flavors. The level of heat depends on the specific chiles used, such as chiles de arbol for extra spice.

Common toppings include diced white onion, fresh cilantro, a soft-boiled egg, sliced radishes, and lime wedges. These fresh ingredients add a crucial textural and flavor contrast to the rich broth and meat.

Birria ramen was created by chef Antonio de Livier in Mexico City around 2015. He introduced the dish at his restaurant Ánimo Ay Caldos!, where it became known as 'Birriamen'.

Yes, birria ramen can be made vegetarian by substituting the meat with mushrooms (such as oyster or king oyster) and using vegetable broth instead of beef stock. The chili and spice blend can remain the same.

Absolutely. Birria ramen is an excellent way to use leftover birria. Simply reheat the consomé and shredded meat, and then add freshly cooked ramen noodles and your favorite toppings.

Birria ramen is a fusion dish, using a Mexican birria consomé broth instead of a Japanese broth. Its flavor profile is smoky, spicy, and tangy from Mexican chiles and spices, while traditional ramen is more umami-focused.