These birria tacos are made with corn tortillas dipped in a flavorful broth, filled with tender beef and cheese and then pan fried until crispy quesabirria perfection!
If you love Mexican food, add these, carne asada tacos and fish tacos to your homemade taco night rotation!
Table of Contents
The Best Beef Birria Tacos
Birria tacos are not your everyday shredded beef tacos or ground beef tacos, but they are the best tacos that ever taco’d. Taco trucks may have made them popular, and if you have wanted to try them, this recipe is juicy, crispy and loaded with flavor.
They’re made with beef birria cooked low and slow in a spicy, smoky, and savory broth, also known as consomme until the meat is fall apart tender. Corn tortillas are then dipped into the broth, filled with shredded beef and cheese and fried until crispy.
Birria Tacos Recipe Ingredients
Homemade birria tacos may look like a lot of work, but I assure you the end result is more than worth it!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Two kinds of meat: I’m using a combination of chuck roast cut into 4 large chunks and bone-in short ribs. You can also use bone-in back ribs.
- Aromatics: Onion, garlic, and bay leaves give the broth beautiful aromatic flavors.
- Dried guajillo chiles: Dried chili peppers are one of the signature ingredients in any birria recipe. It’s what delivers the smoky, spicy element and what gives the consomme a deep red color.
- Hot water: Adding hot water to the pot rather than cold will help the bouillon dissolve faster.
- Chicken bouillon: I like to use chicken rather than beef broth so that it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the actual beef in this birria tacos recipe.
- Herbs & spices: Salt, ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano. Use Mexican oregano if you can find it!
- Olive oil: Used for the pan when crisping up the tortillas.
- Corn tortillas: White or yellow, whichever you prefer.
- Cheese: Monterey Jack cheese is my go-to but mozzarella or Mexian Oaxaca cheese is great, too.
- Toppings: Onions, fresh cilantro, lime juice (and additional lime wedges for serving), and salt.
Tacos Birria Variations
There are a few versions of beef birria tacos circulating which means the ingredients are quite flexible, and you’ll still get the best results!
- Type of meat: Use beef shank, sirloin, short ribs, or oxtail instead of chuck roast or in addition to it.
- Peppers: If you have trouble finding guajillo peppers, you can use ancho chiles or chipotle peppers in adobo.
- Flavor add-ins: Add tomatoes for a bit of acidity or try apple cider vinegar. A cinnamon stick and coriander also pairs well with the other spices.
- Serving: Serve taco style as pictured or use the meat to make this easy tostada recipe!
How to Make Birria Tacos
- Combine ingredients for the first simmer. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add beef, aromatics, bay leaves, and dried chiles. Cover with water, then add bouillon and spices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Puree peppers and add chili powder to the broth. Transfer softened peppers to a blender and pulse until smooth. If you need liquid, add 1/4 cup of broth. Add puree back into the stew along with chili powder.
- Second simmer until the beef falls apart. Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The beef should be tender and shredded easily when it’s done. Skim grease from the top of the broth, place in a bowl and set it aside.
- Shred the beef. Transfer all the beef pieces to a cutting board to shred. Discard any bones from the meat and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves from the consomme. Save a cup of broth for dipping.
- Assemble tortillas. Dip 1 tortilla at a time into the reserved grease then place it into a prepared non-stick skillet. Keep it there for 15-20 seconds, then flip it. Add beef and cheese to one-half of the tortilla, topped with onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Fry birria tacos until crispy and serve! Fold the tortilla in half and press down with a spatula. Fry until both sides are crisp and then transfer to a plate while you repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve with the cup of warm broth for dipping. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Birria tacos are filled with birria de res a classic Mexican beef stew. Once the meat is tender, corn tortilla shells are dipped in the flavorful grease from the broth, filled with the stewed meat and cheese then pan-fried until crispy.
Often called, quesabirria, it’s similar to a quesadilla in that they’re folded closed and crispy, held together by melted cheese. The taco birria is then served with the stew broth for dipping.
Yes, but you will need to make the chile sauce first before adding everything to the slow cooker. Add the chiles, onions, aromatics, bouillon and spices to a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer until softened. Puree sauce in the blender. Add beef and chile sauce to the slow cooker with the chili powder and additional water to cover the beef. Cover and cook on low until tender about 6-8 hours. Assemble tacos as directed.
Make your chile sauce first, then add it to the Instant Pot with spices and water to cover the beef. Cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Natural Release pressure for 10 minutes before using Quick Release to release remaining pressure. Shred beef and assemble quesabirria tacos.
Serving Suggestions
I must admit, I don’t serve many sides when I make these birria tacos. We’re all about the tacos, and not much else!
However, if you’re planning a menu for your Cinco de Mayo festivities, or you’re serving a dinner crowd, having slices of this Spanish omelette recipe on hand or a basket of homemade tortilla chips along with some avocado salsa or Rotel dip as an appetizer is always a good idea!
Storing
- Store: Keep any leftover meat and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months and then thaw it in the fridge the night before you want to reheat it.
- Reheating: To reheat it, you want to make sure you’re not drying out the meat. I’d say the microwave is your last resort as it can overcook the meat quickly. Simmer it on the stove over medium heat in the liquids until warmed through.
- Make ahead: The meat and broth can be made up to 5 days in advance. Keep everything in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble the birria tacos.
For more Mexican-inspired recipes check out Mexican rice, Mexican corn on the cob and Mexican street corn salad.
More Flavorful Taco Recipes
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Birria Tacos Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Birria Meat and Sauce
- 2 pounds chuck roast , cut into 4 pieces
- 1 pounds bone-in short ribs or bone-in back ribs
- ½ large white onion , peeled and halved
- 1 whole garlic bulb , unpeeled and top cut off
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 dried guajillo chiles , stems and seeds removed
- 5 cups hot water
- 1 ½ Tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-2 teaspoons chili powder , or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Tacos
- Olive oil , for the pan
- 12-16 white or yellow corn tortillas
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella , Monterey Jack, or Oaxaca cheese
Topping
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 1 bunch cilantro , chopped
- 1-2 limes , some cut into wedges
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Birria Meat and Sauce
- In large Dutch oven or large stockpot, add chuck roast, ribs, onion, garlic, bay leaves and dried peppers. Cover with water. Stir in bouillon, oregano, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 30 minutes. Skim any impurities from the bone from the top of the broth.
- When the peppers are softened, transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup broth if needed. Strain the pepper mixture if any peel remains.
- Stir the pepper puree and chili powder into the stew. Cover and simmer, stirring every 40 minutes or so, 3 hours, or until the beef is tender and shreds easily. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Skim any grease from the top of the broth and reserve in a shallow bowl for dipping the tortillas. Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Transfer the beef to a cutting a board and shred into small pieces, discarding any bones. Save a cup of broth for dipping.
Tacos
- Mix together the onion, cilantro, juice from 1 lime and salt in a small bowl.
- Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil. Dip 1 tortilla into the skimmed broth and place in the skillet. Flip after about 15-20 seconds before it crisps and then quickly top one half of the tortilla with a spoonful of shredded beef and about 2 Tablespoons of cheese. You can add the topping now if preferred.
- Fold tortilla in half and press down with a spatula. Fry until both sides are crisp, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate for serving. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef, cheese, onion, and cilantro.
- Serve with topping, lime wedge and a cup of warm broth for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Beef, Cinco De Mayo, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Mexican, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
I’m a decent cook. I get a lot of compliments and requests all the time. Just made this for dinner tonight. All of my family and I agree that this is the BEST food I’ve ever made!!! It is so amazing. And that’s after I had great asada street tacos at a little authentic place today for lunch.
This is wonderful Adena! I’m so happy the tacos were a hit with you and your family!!