Chaos Cooking Birria Ramen (Printable)

Tender spiced beef in rich broth with noodles and fresh toppings for a vibrant fusion meal.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Beef & Marinade

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 3 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
03 - 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
04 - 1 chipotle chili in adobo
05 - 1 medium white onion, quartered
06 - 5 garlic cloves
07 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 2 cups beef broth

→ Ramen & Broth

17 - 4 cups chicken broth
18 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
19 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 - 4 packs ramen noodles (fresh or instant, discard seasoning packets if instant)

→ Toppings

21 - 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved
22 - 1 cup sliced scallions
23 - 1 cup bean sprouts
24 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
25 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
26 - Sliced jalapeños (optional)
27 - Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
28 - Chili oil (optional)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Toast guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Place chilies in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes until softened.
02 - Combine soaked chilies, chipotle chili, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.
03 - Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides, working in batches if needed.
04 - Add blended marinade and 2 cups beef broth to the pot with browned beef. Add bay leaves. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 2.5 to 3 hours until beef is very tender and easily shredded.
05 - Remove beef from the pot and shred using two forks. Discard bay leaves and skim excess fat from broth surface.
06 - In a separate large pot, combine strained birria broth, chicken broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
07 - Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide noodles evenly among four bowls.
08 - Ladle hot birria ramen broth over noodles and top each bowl with shredded beef.
09 - Garnish with halved soft-boiled eggs, scallions, bean sprouts, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeños, toasted sesame seeds, and chili oil as desired.
10 - Serve immediately, allowing guests to customize with toppings.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking for hours, but the hands-on work is surprisingly short.
  • The broth is so good you'll want to drink it straight from the bowl like nobody's watching.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step on the beef—that caramelization is where half the flavor comes from, and simmering alone won't give you that depth.
  • The bay leaves need to come out before you serve; I learned this the hard way when someone bit into one and made a face that still haunts me.
03 -
  • Make the birria broth the day before you plan to serve—the flavors only get deeper overnight, and the fat solidifies on top so you can skim it cleanly.
  • If you're feeding more than four people, the cooking time stays the same but you'll have more broth to work with, which is never a bad thing.
Go Back