If you’ve been scrolling through food blogs or TikTok lately, you’ve likely seen the mouthwatering trend of birria queso tacos. These cheesy, crispy tacos filled with tender, flavorful birria meat have become a favorite for foodies everywhere. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just want to treat yourself, this recipe will guide you through creating birria tacos with that iconic cheesy twist. Pair it with our favorite homemade ceviche for the ultimate spread!
What Are Queso birria Tacos?
Birria is a traditional Mexican stew, typically made with goat or beef, marinated in a rich blend of spices and slow-cooked until tender. When paired with gooey melted cheese and served in a crispy tortilla, it transforms into birria queso tacos. Don’t forget the consomé, which is the broth that the meat was coking in—a flavorful broth for dipping that elevates these tacos to the next level.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with Flavor: Thanks to a mix of chili peppers, garlic, and spices.
- Restaurant Quality at Home: Impress your friends with this trendy dish.
- Perfect for Sharing: Great for parties, game days, or cozy dinners.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Birria beef:
- 3-4 lbs beef chuck roast or short ribs- you can also use lamb meat
- 2 dried pasilla peppers (seeded)
- 2 dried ancho peppers (seeded)
- 1 dried chili de Arbol (seeded)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tbl whole peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 springs of fresh thyme
To seed a pepper:
Cut the pepper in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds with a knife or a spoon. This will prevent the peppers from being too spicy.
For the Tacos:
- small corn tortillas
- shredded Chihuahua cheese (Mexican cheese)
- in a small bowl, combine chopped cilantro and one diced onion
- lime wedges for garnish
Step-by-Step Recipe for Birria Queso Tacos
Prepare the Birria Meat
Sear the meat: Cut the beef into large chunks, then season it with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Place a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil until it covers the bottom, then sear the meat on all sides until golden brown. Remove the meat to a separate bowl.
Make the sauce: To the same large pot that you cooked the meat in, add roughly chopped onions and saute until the bottom of the pan begins to deglaze. Toss in whole garlic cloves, chopped Roma tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, vinegar, and dried peppers (remove the seeds). Let everything saute together for 5 minutes. Then add 1 1/2 cups of water and simmer for another 10 minutes. This will help the peppers rehydrate, and all the flavors come together.
Let it cool a bit, then add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the sauce (you can add water if it’s too thick) and put it back into the same pot you cooked the sauce in.
Cook the birria: Add the meat to the large pot with the sauce and cover with beef stock. Toss in the thyme, cinnamon stick (remove the cinnamon stick after 30 minutes of cooking), bay leaf, and whole peppercorns. Salt to taste. Simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours (or 8 hours in a slow cooker) until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove the meat and shred it with forks. Keep the meat in any big container, then pour a few cups of the sauce over it to keep it moist. Reserve the consomé (cooking liquid). You will use it as a dipping sauce for the queso birria!
Assemble the Tacos
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil.
- Dip a tortilla into the reserved consomé to coat it, then place it on the skillet.
- Add a handful of shredded cheese, about a tablespoon of fresh onion with cilantro, and a generous portion of shredded beef on one side of the tortilla. Fold it over to form a taco.
- Cook until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melted, flipping once for even cooking.
Serve and Enjoy
- Arrange the tacos on a plate and serve with a small bowl of consomé for dipping.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, diced onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
I hope you loved these cheesy birria tacos! It is one of our favorite meals to make in our household!
Do not throw away any leftover Birria broth; you can make a whole meal out of it the next day. I cook my Ramen noodles in the sauce, but I don’t add the dry chicken broth packet it comes with because it can get too salty. Then, garnish it with fresh cilantro, onion, and leftover meat if you have some.
Pro Tips for Perfect Birria Queso Tacos
- Choose the right cut of meat: Beef chuck or short ribs are ideal for their rich flavor and tender texture.
- Don’t skip the consomé: It’s essential for that authentic birria taco experience.
- Get creative: Add a splash of hot sauce or pickled jalapeños for extra heat.
Using an Instant Pot makes it faster and easier to achieve tender, flavorful meat. Here’s a simplified recipe:
Instructions
- Prep the Meat:
- Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the oil. Sear the meat in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Make the Sauce:
- In the same pot, add the garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of water to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Then add the dried pepper (take the seeds out), cumin, and chili powder.
- Turn off the Instant Pot. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust salt as needed.
- Combine and Cook:
- Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve back into the Instant Pot (optional for a smoother sauce).
- Return the meat to the pot. Add 4 cups of beef broth to mostly submerge the meat. Then add the bay leaves, small cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and thyme.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes. Let it naturally release pressure for 15-20 minutes before opening the valve.
- Shred the Meat:
- Remove the meat from the pot and shred it with two forks. Return it to the sauce.
- Serve:
- Serve as a stew with garnishes, or use the meat to make birria tacos. For tacos, dip tortillas in the broth, fry on a skillet with a little bit of oil, add cheese, meat, chopped onion, and cilantro, fold the tortilla in half, and fry on both sides until the cheese melts and the taco is crispy. Serve it with the birria sauce on the side.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make birria queso tacos ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! You can prepare the birria meat up to 3 days in advance. Just reheat it with the consomé when you’re ready to assemble the tacos.
Q: What cheese works best for birria tacos?
A: Oaxaca cheese is traditional, but I like to use Chihuahua cheese. You can also use mozzarella or Monterey Jack are great substitutes.
Q: Can I freeze leftover birria meat?
A: Yes! Store it in an airtight container with some consomé to keep it moist. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Now that you know how to make birria queso tacos, you’ll never need to visit a food truck to satisfy your craving. With tender birria meat, melty cheese, and crispy tortillas, this recipe is guaranteed to become a household favorite. Serve them up for your next gathering, and watch everyone return for seconds!
For more delicious recipes like this, follow my blog and don’t forget to share your birria taco creations on social media. Hashtag and tag your photos @lizasfarmhouse so I can see your creations and get a chance to be featured! Happy cooking! 🌮
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Birria Queso Tacos
Equipment
- 3-4 lbs
Ingredients
For the Birria beef:
- 3-4 lbs beef chuck roast or short ribs- you can also use lamb meat
- 2 dried pasilla peppers (seeded)
- 2 dried ancho peppers (seeded)
- 1 dried chili de Arbol (seeded)
- 6 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tbl apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 springs of fresh thyme
For the Tacos:
- small corn tortillas
- shredded Chihuahua cheese (Mexican cheese)
- in a small bowl, combine chopped cilantro and one diced onion
- lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Birria Meat
- Sear the meat: Cut the beef into large chunks, then season it with salt and pepper to taste. Place a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil until it covers the bottom, then sear the meat on all sides until golden brown. Remove the meat to a separate bowl.
- Make the sauce: To the same large pot that you cooked the meat in, add roughly chopped onions and saute until the bottom of the pan begins to deglaze. Toss in whole garlic cloves, chopped Roma tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, vinegar, and dried peppers (remove the seeds). Let everything saute together for 5 minutes. Then add 1 1/2 cups of water and simmer for another 10 minutes. This will help the peppers rehydrate, and all the flavors come together. Let it cool off a bit, add everything into a blender, and blend until smooth. Put the sauce through a strainer (you can add water if it’s too thick) and put it back into the same pot you cooked the sauce in.
- Cook the birria: Add the meat to the large pot with the sauce and cover with beef stock. Toss in the thyme, cinnamon stick (remove the cinnamon stick after 30 minutes of cooking), bay leaf, and whole peppercorns. Salt to taste. Simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours (or 8 hours in a slow cooker) until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove the meat and shred it with forks. Keep the meat in any big container, then pour a few cups of the sauce over it to keep it moist. Reserve the consomé (cooking liquid). You will use it as a dipping sauce for the queso birria!
Assemble the Tacos
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil.
- Dip a tortilla into the reserved consomé to coat it, then place it on the skillet.
- Add a handful of shredded cheese, about a tablespoon of fresh onion with cilantro, and a generous portion of shredded beef on one side of the tortilla. Fold it over to form a taco.
- Cook until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melted, flipping once for even cooking.
- Arrange the tacos on a plate and serve with a small bowl of consomé for dipping. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, diced onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
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