Birria Tacos Recipe

Name: Birria Tacos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 5 cups birria consomé; 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 16 (4- to 5-inch) corn tortillas; 4 cups birria meat; 12 ounces (350g) freshly grated cheddar cheese; 1 medium white onion, finely diced; 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 4 limes, cut in wedges

There is a good chance that if you’re on social media, you’ve followed the birria tacos sensation—they’ve been recreated so many times. These online birria tacos are typically prepared a bit differently than in Mexico, where they are served simply with just the birria meat and no other fillings, wrapped in corn tortillas and dipped in the consomé.

This recipe is a nice blend of traditional and new ways to make birria tacos with the addition of melty cheese and garnishes. Now I can see why people love them so much and I hope you do too!

It Starts with Good Birria

To make good birria tacos, first you need to make good birria. Birria is a meat stew from Jalisco, Mexico. The meat is slowly cooked in a delicious red chile broth called consomé. The consomé is prepared with a blend of Mexican dried chiles, aromatics, like garlic and onions, tomatoes, and spices—when cooked with the meat, it becomes a flavor-packed broth that’s perfect for dipping the birria tacos.

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There is Nothing Else Quite like Birria Tacos

What makes birria tacos unique is that the corn tortillas are coated with consomé, then they’re filled with birria meat (as if they were enchiladas) and grated cheese. The tacos are fried in a hot, lightly oiled pan until golden brown. As if this doesn't sound delicious enough, they are then served with a small bowl of warm consomé for dipping the tacos.

Do This for the Best Birria Tacos

When assembling the tacos: add a ladle or two of cooled consomé into a wide, shallow bowl. Dip the tortillas in the consomé, which softens them, prevents from breaking, and adds a layer of flavor.
When cooking the tacos: place the filled taco in the heated pan open—not folded in half—and once it warms up you can fold it in half with the help of a spatula. If you try to fold it when the tortilla is still cold, the tortilla will tear.
When serving the tacos: birria tacos must be served with a side of warm consomé for dipping. It’s simply a requirement! Reheat the consomé in a saucepan over medium heat before serving.

How to Serve Birria Tacos

In addition to warm consomé for dipping, garnish the tacos with finely diced white onions and fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Of course, a very cold beer is requisite.

We LOVE Tacos Too!

Birria Tacos

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Yield 16 small tacos

This recipe calls for birria (the meat and consomé), which takes about 3 hours to make.

5 cups birria consomé
4 tablespoons olive oil
16 (4 to 5-inch) corn tortillas
4 cups birria meat
2 ounces (350g) freshly grated cheddar cheese
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
4 limes, cut in wedges

Reheat the consomé:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, reheat 4 cups consomé. Once it comes up to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and keep the lid on.

Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes
Assemble and cook the tacos:

In a large frying pan set over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot and rippling, but not smoking, dip a tortilla into the consomé, covering both sides with it. Fill the tortilla with 2 tablespoons birria meat and 1 tablespoon cheese. Transfer it into the hot pan, don’t fold it in half yet.

Once the bottom of the tortilla turns lightly golden brown, fold it in half. Cook both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are a deeper golden brown. Cook 2 to 3 tacos at a time following this process and adding more oil to the pan, as needed.

Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes

Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes
Serve:

Transfer the tacos onto a plate and serve with the onions and cilantro scattered on top and lime wedges on the side. Provide each guest with a small bowl of warm consomé for dipping. Enjoy!

The best birria tacos are freshly made, but leftover tacos and consomé can be tightly covered and refrigerated, separately, for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply place the tacos on a pan over medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Warm them up for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Reheat the consomé separately in a small saucepan.

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Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
446	Calories
24g	Fat
32g	Carbs
29g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	446
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g	30%
Saturated Fat 7g	35%
Cholesterol 81mg	27%
Sodium 196mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 17mg	86%
Calcium 141mg	11%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 447mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.