ArticleSources

Quesabirria

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Quesatacos de birria, Tacos de birria con queso, Birria tacos

Quesabirria is a Tijuana-born taco in which a corn tortilla is dipped in the red fat or broth of birria, griddled with melted cheese and stewed meat, folded, and served with a cup of consomé for dipping. Made mostly with beef, it became one of the most widely copied taco styles in the United States in the late 2010s.

Contents
  1. History
  2. Preparation
  3. Serving
  4. Recipe
  5. Where to try it
  6. Reviews
  7. See also
  8. References

History

Quesabirria grew out of the beef birria sold in Tijuana, itself an adaptation of the goat birria of Jalisco. Who first added cheese is disputed. The Austin Chronicle credits Juan José Romero of the Tijuana stand Tacos Aarón with selling quesabirria from the 1980s, while Tasting Table describes taqueros in the city topping birria tacos with cheese in the early 2010s. The name blends queso, quesadilla and birria.

The dish crossed into Los Angeles in the mid-2010s. The Austin Chronicle reports that Ruben Ramirez and Oscar Gonzalez, who had discovered it on a visit to Tijuana, opened Birrieria Gonzalez in a barbershop parking lot in 2015. Instagram posts aimed at young Latino diners spread the bright red tacos through California and then across the United States, and by the early 2020s restaurants in Texas, Missouri, Florida and South Carolina were selling their own versions.

Preparation

Beef, often brisket or chuck, is marinated in a paste of dried chiles such as guajillo and spices and stewed for hours. The broth left from cooking becomes the consomé, and the red, chile-tinted fat that floats on top is used to coat the tortillas. Each corn tortilla is dipped in the fat or broth and laid on a hot griddle, then layered with cheese and shredded meat, folded and cooked until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese melted, which helps hold the taco together when it is dunked.

Cheese choices vary. The Austin Chronicle notes mozzarella in the Tijuana original, while Mexican cooks commonly use Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese and American kitchens often use Monterey Jack.

Serving

Quesabirria tacos are usually sold in orders of three, topped with chopped onion and cilantro, with lime, a salsa of chile de árbol and a cup of hot consomé for dipping. The format has been extended to large quesadillas, and vegetarian versions using jackfruit have appeared in the United States.

Recipe

Makes 12 tacos · Time: About 30 minutes, using prepared birria

Ingredients

  • 750 g shredded birria de res or birria de chivo, warm, plus its consomé
  • 1/2 cup red fat skimmed from the top of the birria, or neutral oil mixed with a ladle of consomé
  • 300 g Oaxaca cheese, shredded, or a mix of Chihuahua and Monterey Jack
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Limes and chile de árbol salsa

Steps

  1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Keep the consomé hot in a small pot.
  2. Dip a tortilla in the red fat so both sides are lightly coated and lay it on the griddle.
  3. Scatter cheese over the whole tortilla, then add meat to one half.
  4. When the cheese melts and the underside crisps, fold the tortilla and press. Turn once and crisp the other side.
  5. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  6. Open each taco to add onion and cilantro, or serve the toppings on the side. Serve with lime, salsa and cups of consomé for dipping.

See the birria de res article for a recipe for the stew and consomé.

Where to try it

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "Austin's Latest Taco Craze Comes From Tijuana via Instagram". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Birria Tacos Only Get Better With The Addition Of Cheese". Tasting Table. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "Quesabirria tacos are having their moment at El Milagro Azteca". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  4. "Columbia slow to embrace trendy tacos de birria, but they're not impossible to find". The Post and Courier (Free Times). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  5. "Taco Tuesday in Tucson: Quesabirria Jackfruit Tacos at Charro Vida". Tucson Foodie. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  6. "Tampa Bay's latest food craze: quesabirria tacos". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Beef tacos Cheese tacos Social media food trends Taco types Tijuana cuisine