If you’re craving a comforting, cheesy, and flavorful dish with a touch of spice, my Quesabirria Tacos are calling your name! This popular Mexican street food combines the juicy, slow-cooked beef of traditional birria with the melty goodness of cheese, all packed inside a crispy, golden tortilla. My Quesabirria Tacos are a big hit in my house and are probably my favorite when I’m out and about, too.
In Mexico, Tacos are typically served with a rich consommé for dipping, which adds an extra depth of flavor to each bite and can be good if the taco filling is slightly dry. Tacos are thought to have originated long before the Spanish arrived, with Indigenous people using tortillas as a way to wrap food. Corn, the staple grain of Mexican cuisine, has always been central to the diet of Indigenous civilizations, and the practice of nixtamalization, which is the process of soaking corn in lime to soften it, helped produce pliable tortillas that could hold ingredients.
Early forms of tacos likely involved simple fillings like fish, small game, or insects (I don’t think I’ll be replicating that recipe), depending on the region. The taco as we know it began to take shape in the colonial period, as new ingredients, such as beef, chicken, and pork, were introduced by Spanish settlers. In the silver mines of 18th-century Mexico, miners would pack tortillas with food, calling them tacos de minero or “miner’s tacos.” Who knew that the taco had such an interesting history?
In California, tacos have evolved into a cultural phenomenon, blending traditional Mexican techniques with California’s culinary diversity, fresh produce, and inventive spirit. My favorite tacos outside of Mexico are Baja fish tacos, which are a Californian staple popularized in San Diego and are typically served with fried or grilled fish, cabbage slaw, and a creamy sauce on a corn tortilla; they are simply delicious. Today, you can find tacos with fillings like jackfruit carnitas, cauliflower “meat,” and plant-based chorizo, all appealing to the diversity of the state.
I have had a long, deep-rooted love for Mexican food ever since I traveled around the country in my early 20s. Every region had its unique flavors and dishes, from the spicy street tacos of Mexico City to the rich mole sauces of Oaxaca and fresh ceviche along the coast. Beyond the food, the warmth and hospitality of the people made me feel at home, sharing stories and traditions that deepened my love for the country. While I have yet to return to Mexico, I hope to one day, and in the meantime, I am dedicated to perfecting different tacos at home.
Quesabirria tacos originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco and were traditionally a celebratory dish, served at weddings or large gatherings, most likely as they are slow-cooked and deserve a party after taking so long to cook. In Tijuana and other parts of Northern Mexico, Quesabirria evolved with added melted cheese and was served in tacos, which were then dipped into the rich birria broth, or consommé. become a major hit in cities with strong Mexican food scenes, like Los Angeles.
Whether you’re new to Quesabirria Tacos or want to try making them at home for the first time, this recipe will bring a taste of Mexico’s street food culture right into your kitchen.
Prep Time: Approximately 30 minutes.
Cook Time: About 3.5 hours.
Servings: 12 tacos, or for 4-6 people.
Ingredients:
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
- 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 Tacos:
- 12 Corn tortillas
- 12 oz Grated Oaxaca cheese
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- ½ white onion, finely chopped.
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Preparing the Ingredients:
- Remove the seeds from 8 guajillo chilies.
- Peel and chop one of the onions.
- Cut the top off a whole garlic bulb and remove some of the outer skin.
- Cut your beef into large pieces.
- Grind together cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cloves, and oregano until it’s a fine powder.
Cooking the Birria:
- In a large pot, put the beef, guajillo chilies, chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves, the ground spice mix, some salt, beef broth, and water. Cook this on high heat for about 30 minutes.
- In a blender, put the quartered Roma tomatoes.
- Remove the guajillo chilies, onion, garlic (after peeling), and about half a cup of the broth. Blend these with the tomatoes until it’s smooth.
- Strain this blended sauce and add it back to the broth in the pot. Continue cooking for 3 hours on low-medium heat, with the lid slightly covering the pot and stirring every 30 minutes.
Preparing the Tacos:
- When the meat is very tender, take it out of the pot and let it cool a bit.
- Finely chop the remaining onion.
- Cut the limes into eight pieces.
- Chop half of the cilantro finely and remove the stems from the other half. Set this cilantro aside.
- Shred your cheese.
- Shred the beef using two forks.
- Remove the oil that’s floating on top of the broth with a spoon and put it on a plate.
- Dip your tortillas in this oil and then add cheese and beef to each tortilla.
- In a pan with a bit of oil, cook the tacos on medium heat. After about a minute, fold them in half.
- Cook the folded tacos for another minute on each side until they’re golden brown. Repeat for all the tacos.
Making 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.
Serving the Tacos:
- Add cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and the remaining diced onions as garnishes to your tacos.
- Serve your delicious Birria tacos with the consommé for dipping. Enjoy!
