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If you have never had Birria Tacos before, get ready to be obsessed. These crispy, cheesy Birria Tacos, sometimes called quesabirria, are stuffed with tender chile braised beef, pan fried until golden, then dunked in a rich, flavorful dipping sauce. One bite and you will understand why Birria Tacos are all the rage right now.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Easy to make and so delicious – my family really loved your recipe.” – Melissa
“This was absolutely incredible!! Super easy to follow and the flavors were outstanding! Thank you!” – Jessica
“We made ours extra spicy, and topped with extra cotija and cilantro. Crispy and flavorful tacos!” – Diana
Why I Love These Tacos
I first fell in love with Birria Tacos at Disneyland, at the Cocina Cucamonga restaurant in Disney’s California Adventure. The tender birria meat, the rich dipping sauce, the crispy tortillas and melty cheese completely blew me away. It felt like a cozy birria stew and a crunchy cheesy taco all in one bite.
At home, I make my birria as a flavorful beef stew with fall apart tender meat simmered in a chile and spice infused broth. Then I turn that tender beef, the melty cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice into Birria Tacos that are just as easy to throw together as regular tacos but so much more fun. They are a little messy, very cheesy, and always a huge hit. Once the birria meat is ready, the tacos come together fast, which makes them perfect for parties, game days or a cozy weekend dinner.
To round out the meal, I love serving these tacos with Mexican Rice, Refried Beans or Black Beans, a simple Corn Salad, and plenty of chips and Homemade Salsa.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef Birria Meat: tender shredded beef birria with its rich chile spiced sauce.
- Corn tortillas: 12 small corn tortillas that will hold up well when dipped and fried.
- Oaxaca cheese: a mild, stretchy melting cheese that gives you that perfect cheese pull in every taco.
- White onions: chopped onion for inside and on top of the tacos.
- Limes: fresh lime wedges for squeezing over the tacos and into the dipping sauce.
- Cilantro: a generous handful of chopped cilantro for a bright, fresh garnish.
- Birria consomme: the flavorful cooking liquid from the Birria that you use to dip tortillas and serve as the sauce.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Meat options: I usually use beef chuck roast for my birria meat because it becomes very tender and shreds easily. You can also use short ribs or other beef stew meat. Traditionally, birria is made with lamb or goat, so feel free to use those cuts if you love a more traditional flavor.
- Cheese options: Oaxaca cheese melts beautifully and is my first choice, but Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Colby Jack or a Mexican blend all work well too, especially if you shred a block of cheese yourself.
- Tortilla options: Corn tortillas are classic for Birria Tacos and get the best crisp, but you can use small flour tortillas if you prefer, just handle them gently after dipping.
- Birria sauce and spice level: Guajillo and ancho chiles make a rich, slightly sweet base, while chile de arbol or chipotle add more heat, so adjust the mix and the amount of seeds to make your Birria Tacos mild, medium or spicy.
- Garnish ideas: Cilantro, onion and lime are a must, but you can also add crumbled cotija cheese, sliced radishes or pickled red onions for extra color and crunch.
How To Make Birria Tacos
- Cook the Birria Meat. Make your beef birria in a Dutch oven or slow cooker until the meat is very tender and you have plenty of rich consomme.
- Shred the meat and moisten it. Remove the beef from the pot, shred it with two forks, then stir in about 1 cup of the consomme so the meat stays juicy and set it aside.
- Prepare the tortillas by softening them on a griddle for a few minutes, then dipping them in the sauce.
- Add the meat and cheese to the tortillas, fold in half.
- Fry the tacos on the griddle, flipping over once the side is golden brown.
- Garnish with onions, cilantro and lime juice and serve with the extra dipping sauce in a small bowl for your guests to enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Make the birria meat ahead so taco night is mostly assembly.
- Shred the meat while warm and mix in a little consomme to keep it from drying out.
- Always soften the tortillas first so they bend easily without cracking.
- Dip tortillas in the top layer of consomme to pick up that flavorful red oil that helps them crisp.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the best melt and cheese pull.
- Fry over medium high heat so the tortillas get crisp without burning before the cheese melts.
- Blend the dipping sauce if you prefer a smooth, silky consomme for dipping.
- Adjust the spice level by changing the mix of chiles and how many seeds you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Birria is a traditional Mexican stew made with meat simmered in a broth of dried chiles, tomatoes, onions and warm spices until it is fall apart tender. Birria Tacos are made by filling tortillas with shredded birria meat, melty cheese, onions and cilantro, frying them until crisp, and serving them with the birria consomme as a dipping sauce.
Regular tacos are usually made with seasoned meat that is cooked quickly and served in softened tortillas. Birria Tacos are made with slow cooked, shredded meat that has been braised in a rich chile sauce, and the tortillas are dipped in the consomme and pan fried until crispy before serving with a dipping sauce.
Oaxaca cheese is my favorite for Birria Tacos because it melts beautifully and has a mild flavor that lets the birria shine. Monterey Jack or mozzarella are great backup options, especially if you buy a block and shred it yourself so it melts smoothly.
The spice level is totally up to you. Using mostly guajillo and ancho chiles gives you a rich, mild heat, while adding more chile de arbol or chipotle makes the Birria Tacos spicier. You can remove seeds for a milder version or keep more seeds in for extra kick.
Yes. You can braise the beef and sauce together in a slow cooker on low until the meat is very tender and shreddable, then shred the meat, save the consomme and use both to make Birria Tacos just like on the stove.
You can use flour tortillas if that is what your family prefers. They will be softer and a bit less sturdy after dipping in the consomme, so handle them gently when folding and flipping in the pan.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: You can cook the birria meat and consomme a day or two in advance. Store the shredded meat and the sauce separately in the refrigerator and reheat them before assembling the tacos.
- Store leftovers: Keep leftover Birria Tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store any extra birria meat and consomme in separate containers. The meat is also perfect for nachos, quesadillas, rice bowls or Birria Ramen.
- Reheat: Reheat leftover Birria Tacos in the air fryer at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes until crisp and hot, or in a non stick skillet over medium heat. I do not recommend microwaving because it makes the shells soft and you lose the crisp texture.
More Mexican Recipes
These Birria Tacos are everything I love in one bite. Tender slow cooked meat, melty cheese, crisp tortillas and that deep red dipping sauce make this recipe feel extra special but still easy enough for a fun family dinner. If you make this recipe, I would love to hear how it went. Please leave a star rating and a comment with your tweaks or serving ideas so others can try them too. 💛
Birria Tacos Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Beef Birria Meat, prepared with sauce
- 12 corn tortillas
- 24 ounces Oaxaca cheese, shredded
- 1 cup chopped white onions, (optional)
- 4-5 limes
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare beef birria according to the recipe in the link above.
- Separate the beef from the consommé when the birria is finished cooking. Shred the beef and place in a separate bowl. Gently stir in about 1 cup of the consommé into the beef to keep it from drying out. Cover the shredded birria and set aside. Keep the remaining sauce in the Dutch oven.
- Soften the corn tortillas on a hot griddle or in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (about 15-20 seconds on each side or until softened). Dip each tortilla in the remaining consommé, coating each side of the tortilla. Reserve remaining sauce for dipping. You will notice that there is a layer of shimmery oil over the top of the consommé/broth. Try to lay the tortillas on top of that layer so you get a little of that oil on each tortilla. This will help you achieve that crispy outer layer.
- Prepare a space near the griddle or stove top to prepare the birria tacos. Place about ⅓ cup of cheese, ¼ cup of beef, and a pinch or chopped onion (optional) on each dipped tortilla.Fold the tortilla over the beef and press flat with the back of a spatula. Place each birria taco on a griddle or in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until each side becomes slightly crispy and cheese is melted.
- Place tacos on a platter and garnish with limes, cilantro and green onion. Serve remaining birria sauce in small bowls, squeeze lime juice over the top of the sauce and garnish with cilantro. Serve the sauce alongside the quesabirria tacos for dipping.
Equipment
- 1 non-stick skillet (or griddle)
Notes
- Use beef chuck roast, short ribs or stew meat for tender, shreddable birria.
- Shred the meat while it is warm and stir in a little consomme so it stays juicy.
- Always soften the tortillas first, then dip them in the consomme, to help prevent cracking.
- Try to dip the tortillas in the top layer of the consomme so they pick up the flavorful red oil that helps them crisp.
- For the best cheese pull, use Oaxaca, Monterey Jack or mozzarella and shred it yourself.
- Reheat leftover Birria Tacos in the air fryer at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes or in a skillet over medium heat so the shells stay crisp.
- Garnish with cilantro, onion and fresh lime, and serve plenty of warm consomme on the side for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Easy to make and so delicious – my family really loved your recipe.
This was absolutely incredible!! Super easy to follow and the flavors were outstanding! Thank you!
We made ours extra spicy, and topped with extra cotija and cilantro. Crispy and flavorful tacos!
Hello! Could I use chicken instead? I’m guessing that’s not traditional, but could I?