If you’ve never tried Quesabirria tacos, let me tell you, you are missing out! These crispy, cheesy, beef-filled tacos dipped in a rich, flavorful sauce are pure magic. It’s one of those meals that makes you close your eyes with every bite and say, “Oh wow.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking this sounds like a lot of work. And yes, it takes some time, but it’s 100% worth it. Plus, most of the cooking time is just letting everything simmer, so you can kick back and pretend you’re a master chef while your house smells like absolute heaven.

What Are Quesabirria Tacos?

Quesabirria tacos are a delicious mash-up of birria (a traditional Mexican slow-cooked meat stew) and crispy, cheesy tacos.

The meat is cooked for hours until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender, then shredded and stuffed into tortillas with gooey Oaxaca cheese. The tortillas get dipped in the rich, red birria broth before being grilled to crispy perfection.

And the best part? You get to dip them in a flavorful consommé that takes every bite to another level.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

For the Birria:

• 3 pounds chuck roast

• 8 dried guajillo chilies

• 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered

• 1 whole garlic bulb

• 1 white onion, quartered

• 1 tsp whole cumin

• 1 tsp whole coriander

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

• 4-5 whole cloves

• 4 cups beef broth

• 4 cups water

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

For the Consommé (Birria broth):

• Reserved cooking liquid from the birria

• ½ white onion, finely chopped

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

For Assembling the Tacos:

• 12 corn tortillas

• 12 oz grated Oaxaca cheese

• 2 tbsp cilantro

• ½ white onion, finely chopped

• Lime wedges

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepping the Ingredients

• Remove the seeds from the guajillo chilies.

• Chop one onion.

• Cut the top off the garlic bulb and remove some of the outer skin.

• Cut your beef into large chunks.

• Grind together cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cloves, and oregano until you get a fine powder.

Step 2: Cooking the Birria

• In a large pot, add the beef, guajillo chilies, chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves, ground spices, salt, beef broth, and water.

• Bring to a boil and let it cook on high heat for 30 minutes.

• In a blender, add quartered Roma tomatoes.

• Remove the guajillo chilies, onion, and garlic from the pot (peel the garlic first). Blend them with the tomatoes and about half a cup of broth until smooth.

• Strain this blended sauce and add it back to the pot.

• Cover the pot partially and simmer on low-medium heat for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Step 3: Preparing the Tacos

• Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly.

• Finely chop the remaining onion and the cilantro.

• Cut limes into wedges.

• Shred the cheese.

• Shred the beef using two forks.

• Skim the oil from the top of the broth and place it on a plate.

• Dip tortillas in the skimmed oil, then fill them with cheese and shredded beef.

• Heat a pan over medium heat, add a little oil, and cook the tacos for about a minute before folding them in half.

• Cook the folded tacos for another minute on each side until golden and crispy.

Step 4: Making the Consommé

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

Step 5: Serving the Tacos

• Garnish tacos with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and lime wedges.

• Serve hot with the consommé for dipping.

• Enjoy watching everyone at the table fall in love with these tacos!

Variations to Try

• Chicken Birria – Swap out the beef for bone-in chicken thighs and reduce cooking time to about 1.5 hours.

• Spicy Birria – Add extra dried chilies like ancho or arbol for an extra kick.

• Cheesy Birria Quesadilla – Instead of tacos, load up a flour tortilla with cheese and beef, then fold it into a quesadilla.

• Birria Ramen – Use the consommé as a broth base for ramen noodles and top with shredded birria meat, green onions, and a soft-boiled egg.

• Vegan Birria – Use jackfruit or mushrooms instead of beef and swap the beef broth for vegetable broth.

If you’ve been looking for a recipe that wows your family, quesabirria tacos are IT. They’re crispy, cheesy, juicy, and packed with deep, smoky flavors.

Sure, it takes a little patience, but trust me, your taste buds will thank you. Plus, once you make them, you’ll forever be known as the person who makes the best tacos ever, and that’s a title worth having!