Quesabirria is packed with flavor from tender beef, melty cheese, and crispy tortillas with broth for dipping. You are going to be obsessed!
Author’s Notes
The Quesabirria Tacos I’ll Be Making Every Week Now
I’ve been working on this recipe for a while now, and my husband says it’s the best beef he’s ever had. Tuck that flavorful meat into a tortilla with melty cheese and pan-fry it until crisp? Safe to say these have officially earned a spot in the monthly dinner rotation.
There are tons of Birria and Quesabirria Taco recipes out there, but I wanted to make this one as accessible as possible without sacrificing flavor. You might need to order the chiles online, but everything else should be easy to find.
And instead of tracking down a bunch of specialty chiles, this version packs plenty of flavor with just one.
Quick Tip
What Are Quesabirria Tacos? They’re crispy tacos filled with tender beef and melted cheese, served with a tasty broth for dipping. The tortillas are dipped in the beef juices, then cooked in a pan until golden and crunchy.
Ingredients Needed
The full Quesabirria recipe is below, but here are a few ingredient notes:
- Beef chuck roast: Choose a cut with good marbling for juicy, tender meat.
- Onion, garlic, and carrot: These build a sweet, rich base for the broth.
- Guajillo chiles: Mild, dried peppers that add deep flavor. I usually order them online.
- Oregano, cumin, coriander, chili powder: A warm spice mix—adjust to your taste.
- Oaxaca cheese: Melts smoothly and is stretchy, similar to mozzarella.
Toppings for Quesabirria Tacos
- Chopped white onion: Adds crunch and sharp flavor
- Fresh cilantro and lime: Brightens and balances the richness
- Sliced radishes or shredded cabbage: Adds some nice crunch
- Hot sauce or salsa: For extra heat
- Sour cream or crema: For a smooth, creamy finish
How To Make Quesabirria Tacos (Tips)
- Don’t crowd the pot when searing—work in batches so the beef browns, not steams.
- Blend the sauce well until it’s super smooth, not gritty.
- Press the tacos with a spatula as they cook to melt the cheese and crisp the tortilla.
- Keep the heat at medium—too hot and the tortillas burn before the cheese melts.
- Add a little broth inside the taco for an extra saucy filling.
What to Serve with Quesabirria Tacos
- Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice for a filling side
- Refried beans or black beans are a se, hearty side that pairs perfectly.
- Chips and guacamole for the perfect appetizer.
Storage
How to Store Leftovers & Make Ahead
- Make ahead: Cook and shred the meat, then store it separately from the broth. I like using mason jars for the broth—the fat will rise to the top. Scoop it off and save it for frying the tacos later.
- Fridge: Store meat and broth in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let both cool, then freeze separately for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm the meat and broth, then build and fry the quesabirria tacos fresh.
More Delicious Mexican Recipes To Try
Quesabirria
Quesabirria Tacos are cheesy, beefy, crispy, and made to dunk in the most flavorful broth—trust me, you’ll crave these nonstop. Recipe is adapted from House Of Yumm.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or any 7-8 quart pot with a lid
- Electric griddle or skillet, for crisping tacos
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast cut to 4 large chunks
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion peeled & cut in half
- 1 whole garlic bulb slice off top; don't peel
- 1 large carrot cut in half & then half again
- 5 dried bay leaves
- 8 dried guajillo chiles stems cut off and seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican preferred
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons chili powder plus more as needed
- 8 cups water
- 14 white corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper (I use 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper). Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef pieces spaced apart. Sear on all sides, 2–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. The beef should release easily when it’s ready to flip.
- Add onion, garlic bulb, carrot, bay leaves, guajillo chiles, chicken bouillon, oregano, cumin, coriander, and chili powder to the pot. Pour in 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the softened chiles, onion, garlic (squeeze out the cloves and discard papery coating), and carrots. Blend with ½ cup of broth until smooth (about 2 minutes). Pour the blended sauce back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Cover and simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes, until the beef is fall-apart tender. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or chili powder as needed. If you want to make stew instead of tacos, see note 2.
- Skim the red grease off the top of the broth and transfer to a small bowl. This is used to fry the tortillas.
- Remove the beef from the broth, shred with two forks, and finely chop.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the reserved grease and place it on the hot surface. Once it starts to bubble, flip it. Add chopped beef and shredded cheese on top. Fold the tortilla in half and press down with a spatula. Cook until golden and crisp on one side, about 2–3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. Add more grease if needed while frying. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Top tacos with cilantro, lime, and onion if desired. Serve with a small bowl of broth for dipping.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Toppings such as chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, lime, sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, hot sauce, or Mexican crema/sour cream.
Note 2: Birria Stew Option – Add chunks of beef to a bowl, ladle broth over top, and finish with diced onion, cilantro, and lime juice.
Storage: To make ahead, cook and shred the meat, then store it separately from the broth. I like using mason jars—the fat rises to the top and can be saved for frying tacos later. Store meat and broth in separate containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat both, then assemble and fry the quesabirria tacos fresh.
