The Ultimate Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos Recipe for Taco Tuesday

Craving a mouthwatering twist on traditional birria, these cheesy quesabirria tacos promise an explosion of flavor that’ll have you swooning.

Tender, slow-cooked beef melts into rich, spicy consommé, creating a culinary experience that dances across your taste buds.

Street food magic meets home cooking charm with this irresistible recipe.

Authentic Mexican techniques blend seamlessly with comforting cheese-pulls that stretch dramatically from each crispy tortilla.

Warm corn tortillas become golden vessels of meaty, savory goodness, inviting you to dive into a world of intense, layered tastes.

Juicy, tender meat simmered in a complex blend of chilies and spices guarantees a memorable meal.

Grab some napkins and get ready to indulge in a taco adventure that’ll transport you straight to the vibrant streets of jalisco.

You won’t be able to resist making these again and again.

Why Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos Are Packed With Flavor

• Slow-Simmered Flavor Explosion: This recipe transforms tough beef into melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness through a patient 3-hour simmering process that develops deep, complex flavors from toasted chiles and aromatic spices.
• Master Weekend Cooking Project: Perfect for food enthusiasts who love spending time in the kitchen, this recipe offers a rewarding culinary adventure that impresses family and friends with restaurant-quality Mexican street food right at home.
• Dip-Worthy Comfort Meal: The crispy, cheesy tacos served with rich consomme create an interactive dining experience where every bite can be dunked into the flavorful sauce, making mealtime fun and deliciously engaging.
• Crowd-Pleasing Versatility: Whether you're hosting a casual game day gathering or preparing a special weekend dinner, these quesabirria tacos adapt perfectly to different social settings while satisfying diverse taste preferences.

Ingredients Needed For Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos

• Beef Chuck Roast: A flavorful cut perfect for slow-cooking and creating tender, shreddable meat.
• Bay Leaves: Adds depth and aromatic background to the meat during simmering.

• Dried Chiles (Guajillo, Ancho): Provide rich, complex flavor and traditional Mexican taste profile.
• Chipotle Peppers: Offer smoky heat and deep color to the birria sauce.
• Cumin: Warm, earthy spice that enhances the meat's richness.
• Oregano: Classic herb that brings traditional Mexican seasoning.
• Cinnamon: Subtle warmth that complements the savory meat.

• Tomatoes: Create a smooth base for the birria sauce.
• Garlic: Adds robust, pungent flavor to the sauce.
• Onion: Provides sweet and savory undertones.
• Beef Broth: Moisture and additional depth for braising the meat.
• Tortillas: Corn tortillas work best for authentic texture and flavor.
• Cheese: Melty Mexican cheese like Oaxaca or Chihuahua recommended.
• Cilantro: Fresh herb for bright garnish.
• Onion (Chopped): Fresh topping for added crunch.
• Lime: Adds fresh, zesty finish to the dish.

How To Make Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos At Home

Step 1: Toasting Dried Chiles

Place a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the dried chiles for about 1–2 minutes until they release a deep, fragrant aroma. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let them soak for 10 minutes until softened.

Step 2: Creating Flavor-Packed Sauce

In a blender, combine the softened dried chiles with a chipotle pepper, tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and beef broth. Blend until the mixture is smooth and velvety.

Step 3: Preparing Succulent Beef

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear it on all sides until beautifully browned and caramelized.

Step 4: Slow Simmering Magic

Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef. Add the remaining beef broth and bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.

Step 5: Shredding Tender Meat

Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the sauce and stir well to fully soak it in all the bold flavors.

Step 6: Transforming into Crispy Tacos

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip each tortilla into the rich consommé, then place it in the hot skillet. Sprinkle with cheese, add a layer of shredded beef, and fold into a taco shape. Cook until both sides are golden and crispy.

Step 7: Serving With Flair

Garnish the tacos with chopped onions and a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Add lime wedges on the side and serve with a warm bowl of consommé for dipping. Enjoy while the tacos are hot, cheesy, and irresistibly crisp.

Tips To Make Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos Perfect

• Master the Chile Toasting: Carefully toast dried chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant, avoiding burning, which can make the sauce bitter and unpleasant.
• Perfect Meat Tenderness: Cook birria at a low, steady simmer to ensure the beef becomes incredibly tender and easily shreddable without drying out.
• Crispy Taco Technique: Dip tortillas in consomme before grilling to enhance flavor and create a perfectly crispy, golden exterior that adds irresistible texture.
• Customize Spice Levels: Adjust the heat by selecting milder or spicier dried chiles, allowing you to control the overall spiciness of your birria tacos.
• Meal Prep Magic: Prepare birria in advance and store in the refrigerator, as the flavors intensify overnight, making it an excellent make-ahead dish for busy weeknights.

How To Store Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos The Right Way

• Preserve your delicious birria tacos with these smart storage techniques.
• Refrigerate leftover shredded beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days, ensuring the meat stays moist and flavorful.
• Keep the consomme separately in a sealed container to maintain its rich taste and prevent soggy meat.
• Freeze the beef mixture for extended storage, lasting up to 3 months – simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• When rewarming, add a splash of beef broth to restore moisture and prevent drying out, helping maintain the original tender texture of your birria.

Top Sides For Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos

• Spice Up with Mexican Lager: Pair these quesabirria tacos with a crisp, light Mexican beer like Modelo Especial or Pacifico. The beer's refreshing qualities perfectly cut through the rich, spicy beef and help balance the intense flavors.
• Cool Down with Tart Margarita: Mix a classic margarita with fresh lime juice and silver tequila. The citrusy, slightly acidic drink complements the deep, complex birria sauce and cleanses the palate between bites.
• Refresh with Agua Fresca: Choose a watermelon or pineapple agua fresca for a non-alcoholic option. The sweet, light beverage provides a cooling contrast to the spicy, robust taco filling and helps soothe the palate.
• Enhance with Red Sangria: A fruity red sangria loaded with citrus slices adds a vibrant, slightly sweet dimension that matches the taco's bold seasoning. Its light alcohol content and fruity notes create a delightful dining experience.

Ways To Remix Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos

• Chicken Birria Swap: Replace beef with tender, shredded chicken thighs for a lighter protein option that absorbs the rich, spicy sauce perfectly.
• Vegetarian Jackfruit Version: Use young jackfruit as a meat substitute, mimicking the texture while soaking up the complex birria sauce flavors.
• Seafood Coastal Remix: Swap beef for white fish like cod or tilapia, adjusting cooking time to prevent overcooking and maintaining the signature spicy sauce profile.
• Lamb Gourmet Transformation: Use lamb shoulder for a more robust, gamey flavor that complements the deep chile-based sauce, creating a Mediterranean-Mexican fusion.

FAQs About Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos

• What makes birria tacos different from regular tacos?

Birria tacos are unique because they’re made with slow-cooked, tender beef in a rich, spicy chile sauce, then dipped in the cooking liquid and grilled until crispy, giving them a rich, deep flavor that’s totally different from standard tacos.

• How spicy are these quesabirria tacos?

The spice level depends on the chiles used, but typically these tacos have a medium heat from dried chiles and chipotle. If you’re sensitive to spice, you can reduce the number of chiles or remove the seeds to lower the heat.

• Can I use a different type of meat for birria?

While traditional birria is made with beef, you can definitely substitute with goat, lamb, or even chicken. Each meat will bring a slightly different flavor profile to the dish, but the cooking method remains similar.

• Why do I need to toast the dried chiles before using them?

Toasting dried chiles helps release their essential oils and deepens their flavor, creating a more complex and rich sauce. It’s a key step that brings out the chiles’ natural smokiness and intensity.

Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

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4.7 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Irresistible Cheesy Quesabirria Tacos blend Mexican culinary tradition with modern street food magic. Juicy braised beef, melted cheese, and crispy tortillas create a flavor explosion that promises to satisfy even the most discerning palate.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat and Protein:

• 3 lbs (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

Spices and Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ tablespoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Liquid and Aromatics:

• 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1 (14 ounces / 396 grams) can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 bay leaves

Taco Components:

• 10–12 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
• Chopped onion (for topping)
• Chopped cilantro (for topping)
• Lime wedges (for serving)

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Instructions

1. Craft the aromatic birria sauce by gently toasting dried chiles in a dry skillet until they release their rich, smoky fragrance. Allow them to steep in hot water, softening their robust texture.
2. Transform the softened chiles into a velvety sauce by blending them with chipotle, ripe tomatoes, pungent garlic, sharp onion, warm cumin, earthy oregano, and subtle cinnamon, incorporating beef broth to create a smooth, complex mixture.
3. Prepare the beef by seasoning it generously with salt and pepper, then searing in a heated pot to develop a deep, caramelized exterior that locks in incredible flavor.
4. Saturate the seared meat with the prepared sauce, introducing additional beef broth and aromatic bay leaves. Allow the mixture to reach a gentle boil before reducing to a slow, transformative simmer that will tenderize the protein.
5. After the prolonged cooking process, carefully extract the beef and delicately shred it using two forks. Reintroduce the tender meat into the rich, deeply flavored sauce, ensuring complete integration.
6. Create the signature crispy tacos by dipping corn tortillas into the luxurious consomme, then placing them on a heated skillet. Layer with melting cheese and succulent shredded beef, folding the tortilla to form a crisp, golden pocket of flavor.
7. Elevate the dish by garnishing with freshly chopped onion and vibrant cilantro. Accompany the tacos with a small bowl of consomme for dipping and bright lime wedges to add a citrusy freshness.

Notes

• Carefully toast chiles until fragrant, avoiding burning, which can create bitter flavors and ruin the entire sauce.
• Select dried chiles like guajillo or ancho for authentic depth, ensuring they are fresh and not stale or brittle for maximum flavor intensity.
• Use chuck roast or short ribs for optimal meat tenderness, as these cuts break down beautifully during slow cooking and absorb sauce perfectly.
• Consider preparing birria a day ahead, allowing flavors to meld and develop more complex taste profiles while making next-day assembly quicker and easier.
• For gluten-free adaptation, confirm corn tortillas are 100% corn and check broth ingredients to eliminate potential wheat-based additives.
• When shredding beef, discard any tough connective tissues or excessive fat to maintain a pleasant meat texture in tacos.
• Control skillet temperature when crisping tortillas to prevent burning, aiming for golden-brown edges that provide satisfying crunch without charring.
• Experiment with cheese varieties like Oaxaca or Chihuahua for authentic Mexican melting characteristics and richer flavor dimensions.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 480
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 680 mg
• Fat: 26 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 28 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg