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Quesabirria tacos filled with meat are arranged on a wooden board, garnished with chopped onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
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Easy Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

Enjoy the ultimate flavor bomb that is quesabirria tacos! This homemade version is crispy, cheesy, and packed with delicious Mexican flavors - just like the ones from your favorite taco truck, but made right in your kitchen. Plus, it’s easy to adapt for gluten-free, low-carb, or dairy-free diets if needed.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: quesabirria tacos
Servings: 12 tacos
Calories: 125kcal
Author: Jessica Haggard

Ingredients

For the Birria:

  • 8 individual dried guajillo chilies
  • 4 medium Roma tomatoes quartered
  • 1 whole garlic bulb
  • 1 medium white onion quartered
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaf
  • 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
  • 4-5 individual whole cloves
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 individual bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Consommé (Birria broth)

  • reserved cooking liquid from the Birria
  • ½ small white onion finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

For the Tacos:

  • 12 individual corn tortillas
  • 12 ounces oaxaca cheese grated
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro
  • ½ small white onion finely chopped
  • 8 individual lime wedges
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients

  • Remove the seeds from 8 guajillo chilies.
  • Cut the top off the head of garlic and remove some of the outer skin.
  • Cut the chuck roast into large pieces.
  • Grind the cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cloves, and oregano with a mortar and pestle into a fine powder.

Cook the Birria

  • Put the beef, guajillo chilies, onion, garlic, bay leaves, the ground spice mix, salt, beef broth, and water in a large pot. Cook this on high heat for about 30 minutes.
  • In a blender, put the Roma tomatoes.
  • Remove the guajillo chilies, onion, garlic, and about half a cup of the broth from the pot and add to the blender also. Blend with the tomatoes into a smooth puree.
  • Strain this blended sauce and add it back into the pot. Continue cooking at a simmer for 3 hours on low-medium heat, with the lid slightly covering the pot and stirring every 30 minutes.

Prepare the Tacos

  • Once the meat is tender enough to shred with two forks, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and let it cool in a bowl.
  • Finely chop half of the cilantro and remove the stems from the other half. Set this aside.
  • Use two forks to shred the beef.
  • Use a spoon or ladle to remove the fat floating on top of the broth and put it on a rimmed plate. Dip your tortillas in this oil, and then add cheese and beef to each tortilla.
  • Add a bit of oil to a pan, and cook the tortillas on medium heat. After about a minute, fold them in half into a taco.
  • Cook the folded tacos for another minute on each side until they're golden brown. Repeat for all the tacos.

Make the Consommé

  • Take about a cup of the broth and mix it with the finely chopped cilantro and diced onions in a bowl to create a flavorful consommé.

Serve the Tacos

  • Add cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and the remaining diced onions as garnishes to your tacos. Serve hot tacos with the consommé for dipping.

Notes

  • Sear the meat before cooking for extra flavor - browning the chuck roast before cooking slow adds a rich, caramelized depth to the final dish.
  • Always dip your tortillas in the consommé before adding to the pan—it’s the secret to that crispy, golden, flavor-packed shell.
  • Place finished tacos on a baking sheet in a low oven (around 200 F) while you cook the rest.
Serve: Serve with rice or cauliflower rice, elote, refried beans or a simple guacamole.
Store: Place leftover birria meat in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Keep the meat separate from the braising liquid until ready to assemble. To reheat, warm it up in a pot over medium-low heat until it’s nice and hot. Thaw frozen birria in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 753mg | Fiber: 1g | Net Carbohydrates: 4g
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