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Trader Joe’s popularity stems from its affordable prices and store-brand products that are as creative as they are delicious. The countless frozen, fresh, and packaged products under the Trader Joe’s brand do a wonderful job at imitating many global cuisines. And we’ve found a way to combine three delicious and culturally diverse products into the most flavorful fusion cuisine. You can make birria ramen with Trader Joe’s frozen birria, a few cups of broth, and Trader Joe’s squiggly noodles.
The beef birria made our ranking of Trader Joe’s frozen Mexican foods, where we applauded its zesty, savory flavor and convenience, but bemoaned its small portion size and saltiness. A birria ramen will correct these weaknesses by adding a hearty serving of noodles and a flavorful, umami-rich broth to balance the saltiness. Trader Joe’s took its time to make the knife cut squiggly noodles, for a satisfying shape and texture that provides a heartier noodle than a standard cup of instant ramen noodles. They’ll still cook up nearly as quickly as it takes to nuke the beef birria.
Lastly, the cup of broth transforms birria ramen from stew to soup and gives you the opportunity to take the dish in either a more Asian or more Mexican direction. For example, Trader Joe’s miso-ginger broth will make for an umami-rich Asian-style ramen base. A more neutral and savory option would be Trader Joe’s free-range chicken broth.
Tips on how to make the most flavorful birria ramen
Birria ramen is a prime example of viral fusion cuisine, and many influencers on TikTok and Instagram have made Trader Joe’s birria ramen for you to follow in real time. It takes minutes to throw together and delivers an individual-sized meal that’ll fill you up and delight your taste buds.You’ll cook the birria in the microwave according to the package directions as you bring water to a boil for the squiggly noodles. You can either warm a cup of broth on the stove alongside the noodles, or in the microwave once you’ve removed the birria. Then, you’ll simply drain the noodles into a serving bowl, add the hot birria and cup of broth, and enjoy with any number of garnishes. You could alternatively add the birria and broth to a pot, bring it to a boil and add the squiggly noodles to simmer.
Traditional Mexican tacos, including birria tacos, are garnished with diced white onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, so you could apply the same aromatic and tangy accompaniments to bring freshness and crunch. Bring even more flavors and textures to the table by adding freshly sliced jalapeños, canned or frozen corn kernels, and a drizzle of this Momofuku chili crisp or this Mexican salsa macha by Chingona with peanuts and sesame seeds.
