Quesabirria Tacos

By Becky Hardin

Updated May 21, 2025

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Quesabirria Tacos features spicy, shredded beef cooked with melty cheese served inside a crispy tortilla for a dish that comes out like a cross between tacos and quesadillas. In other words, it’s the most delicious Mexican food! The birria beef is slow-cooked in a well-seasoned chili sauce, then served like crispy, cheesy tacos.

Quesabirria Tacos

I’m absolutely obsessed with this ridiculously mouthwatering flavor combination. Tender beef is simmered in a flavorful stew, shredded, and served with a side of consomé for the ultimate indulgent taco. My cheesy take on birria tacos is sure to leave you satisfied!

If you aren’t quite sure what the difference is between birria and quesabirria, it’s the addition of cheese! Quesabirria tacos have a lot more cheese and end up more of a cross between a taco and a quesadilla.

Believe it or not, quesabirrias are just as versatile as tacos, so you can make them with just about any meat. For chicken, swap the beef for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. For pork birria tacos, use pork shoulder. For a vegetarian version, try using jackfruit and vegetable broth.

Recipe Card

Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

4.73 from 18 votes

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total: 4 hours hrs

Servings: 8

Author: Becky Hardin

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Tender, spicy meat, melted cheese, and crispy tortillas make up these flavorful quesabirria tacos!

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Equipment

• Cast Iron Skillet
• High Powered Blender
• Dutch Oven

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Birria

• ▢ 4 dried guajillo chilis stems and seeds removed
• ▢ 3 dried ancho chilis stems and seeds removed
• ▢ 2-3 dried chiles de arbol stems and seeds removed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
• ▢ 1 white onion roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 pound tomatoes roughly chopped
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 pounds chuck roast cut into 3-inch pieces, or use bone-in short ribs or oxtail
• ▢ 3 cups low-sodium beef stock

For the Tacos

• ▢ vegetable oil
• ▢ 16 corn tortillas flour or cassava flour tortillas also work
• ▢ 1 pound Oaxaca cheese or Monterey jack
• ▢ 1 white onion finely chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ 2 limes cut into wedges

Instructions 

• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chilis and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. Place in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
  4 dried guajillo chilis, 3 dried ancho chilis, 2-3 dried chiles de arbol
• To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 white onion, 1 pound tomatoes, 5 cloves garlic
• Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
  1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown the beef in batches.
  2 pounds chuck roast
• Pour in the sauce and beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
  3 cups low-sodium beef stock
• Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Dip both sides of a corn tortilla in the consommé. And place it in the pan.
  16 corn tortillas, vegetable oil
• Add cheese and birria meat. Once the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla in half. Continue to cook until the tortilla is golden and crisp on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve with onion, cilantro, and the remaining consommé for dipping.
  1 pound Oaxaca cheese, 1 white onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2 limes

Becky’s Tips

• Use more or less arbol chilis for spice.
• Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!

Serving: 2tacosCalories: 675kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 41gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1691mgPotassium: 1144mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 4532IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Quesabirria Tacos Step by Step

Rehydrate the chilis: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 dried guajillo chilis, 3 dried ancho chilis, 2-3 dried chiles de arbol chilis and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. Place in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.

Make the sauce: To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the 1 white onion and 1 pound of tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in 5 minced garlic cloves, and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.

Puree the sauce: Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.

Brown the beef: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown 2 pounds of chuck roast in batches.

Add the sauce and simmer: Pour in the sauce and 3 cups low low-sodium beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.

Shred the meat: Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the consommé, or sauce, from the beef.

Brown the tortilla: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Dip both sides of a corn tortilla in the consommé. And place it in the pan.

Make the quesabirria: Add cheese and birria meat. Once the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla in half. Continue to cook until the tortilla is golden and crisp on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Serve and enjoy: Serve with 1 white onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and the remaining consommé for dipping.

Storage

I store leftover birria meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I always keep the meat separate from the braising liquid until ready to assemble. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pot set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Freeze quesa birria taco meat separately from the braising liquid in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Whether I am serving these tacos up for Cinco de Mayo or Taco Tuesday, I always serve them with yummy side dishes, like Mexican Corn on the Cob, along with Mexican Street Corn Dip, or Rotel Dip for the ultimate dipping experience.

Traditional Mexican Rice and Refried Beans would also be delish! And they taste even better when served with your favorite margaritas.

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Street Tacos

Turkey Tacos

Baked Ground Beef Taco Recipe

Barbacoa Tacos