Deliciously meaty vegan birria tacos. Packed with tender jackfruit and dunked in a spicy broth, they're ideal for a vegan cinco de mayo treat or any exciting taco tuesday!
Ah, vegan birria tacos, is there a more majestic taco out there?? Imagine biting into a warm, crispy tortilla, steam rising, packed with juicy, meaty jackfruit and smothered in a rich, chili-infused sauce. That's what's in store for you when you make my vegan birria tacos!
My first encounter with vegan birria tacos (and actually, birria tacos in general) was at Club Mexicana in London. Everything they make there is beyond delicious, but I was utterly gobsmacked by the textures and flavours. It wasn't just a meal; it was a full-on flavour fiesta that I swore to recreate at home.
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🌶 What Are Birria Tacos?
So, why am I so obsessed with vegan birria tacos, you ask? If you haven't tried them before, let me introduce you to the king of tacos! Birria tacos are a zesty, spicy dish that originally hails from Jalisco, Mexico. They're traditionally packed with shredded meat that's been cooked in an adobo sauce, then fried in a corn tortilla with cheese and salsa. They're also served with a portion of the cooking broth (or consommé) for dunking.
But we vegans like to shake things up a bit! By substituting jackfruit for the usual suspects, we keep the texture and spicy tangy flavour. It’s hot, it’s hearty, and trust me, it’s everything your flavour-seeking heart desires in a taco.
🌮 Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what you'll need for the assembly of vegan birria tacos. The full recipe is at the bottom of the page in the recipe card, so head there for the method and full ingredients list!
- Dried ancho chiles and guajillo chile
- Cumin seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds
- Half a cinnamon stick
- Bay leaves
- Vegetable oil, vegan butter
- An onion, some garlic
- Tomatoes
- Paprika, dried oregano
- Light brown sugar, flaky sea salt
- White wine vinegar, vegetable stock
- A large can of young green jackfruit
- Corn tortillas
- Vegan cheese, the melty kind
🔀 Ingredient Substitutions
Got no jackfruit? No problemo! Try using shredded king oyster mushrooms instead. Alternatively you can make a batch of my vegan chicken, shred it with two forks and use instead of the jackfruit. And if those dried chiles play hard to get, a bit of chipotle paste can save the day. Vegan cheese can be any type you can melt, including my vegan mozzarella.
🍳 How to Make Vegan Birria Tacos
Alrighty, let’s get cookin! First up, make sure you’ve got all your ingredients on the counter. Next, follow these four main steps!
Step 1: Start with the sauce. Hydrate those chiles and spices with boiling water, then blend them.
Step 2. Fry up your onions and garlic, then add your blitzed spice mix and remaining sauce ingredients, including the jackfruit. Let it simmer until it’s thick and luscious.
Step 3: While the sauce does its thing, toss together your salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside for the flavours to mingle.
Step 4: Assemble by dipping a tortilla in sauce, frying it, loading half with cheese and jackfruit, topping with salsa, and folding it over. Fry until crispy and cheese is all melty.
🤷♀️ Vegan Birria Tacos FAQs
A: Birria tacos are a popular Mexican dish originally from the state of Jalisco. Traditionally, they are made with slow-cooked goat or beef marinated in a rich, spicy sauce, then stuffed into corn tortillas. The tortillas are dipped in the fat from the top of the cooking broth, grilled until crispy, and often served with consommé (a seasoned broth) on the side for dipping.
A: Birria tacos are typically served with a side of consommé, a broth that is seasoned with the same spices and chile peppers used in the meat marinade. Diners can dip their tacos into the consommé to soak up extra flavour. The tacos are often garnished with fresh onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to enhance their flavours.
A: The spice blend for birria typically includes a combination of dried chiles (like ancho, pasilla, or guajillo), cumin, black peppercorns, cloves, and sometimes cinnamon or thyme. These spices are blended into a marinade with garlic, vinegar, and achiote paste, which gives the dish its deep, complex flavour profile and distinctive red colour.
And there you have it, folks—vegan birria tacos that’ll knock your socks off! Whip these up for cinco de mayo or just for taco tuesday! If you’ve got a taste for more Mexican inspired recipes, why not try my vegan fajitas next? Or dive into a bowl of red rice that’s perfect as a side for my vegan fish tacos.
Vegan Birria Tacos
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 Blender
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Medium Frying Pan
Ingredients
For the Jackfruit and Sauce
- 1 dried ancho chiles de-seeded and de-stemmed
- 1 dried guajillo chile de-seeded and de-stemmed
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 60 g vegan butter
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tomatoes cubed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 50 ml white wine vinegar
- 300 ml vegetable stock aka vegetable broth
- 280 g young green jackfruit from a 565g (20 oz) can (280g is the drained weight)
For the Salsa
- ½ onion peeled and finely diced
- 2 tomatoes finely diced
- Juice of one lime
- Small bunch of coriander finely chopped
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For Serving
- 12 corn tortillas
- 150 g vegan cheese use a melting variety or my vegan mozzarella
Instructions
To Make the Sauce
- Place the dried chiles, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaves in a medium bowl and add 120ml boiling water. Cover with a plate and leave to hydrate for 10 minutes.1 dried ancho chiles, 1 dried guajillo chile, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, ½ cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil and vegan butter. Once hot add the onion and fry until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 60 g vegan butter, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Once the chiles are softened and the soaking water has cooled slightly, add the mixture (including the soaking water) to a blender and blend until very smooth. Add to the onions along with all the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer.3 tomatoes, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1.5 teaspoon flaky sea salt, 50 ml white wine vinegar, 300 ml vegetable stock, 280 g young green jackfruit
- Reduce the heat slightly and cover with a lid. Leave to simmer without stirring for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and a layer of red oil sits on the surface.
- While the sauce cooks, prepare the salsa.
To Make the Salsa
- In a medium bowl, combine all the salsa ingredients and mix together. Set aside.½ onion, 2 tomatoes, Juice of one lime, Small bunch of coriander, Pinch of fine sea salt
To Serve
- Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the cooked jackfruit from the sauce to a separate baking tray. Use two forks to shred the jackfruit.
- Place a medium frying pan over medium heat. Take a corn tortilla and dip one side into the top of the sauce, coating it with a thin layer of the oil. Place dipped-side-down in the hot frying pan.12 corn tortillas
- Sprinkle half of the tortilla with vegan cheese. Top with some shredded jackfruit and a few teaspoons of the salsa. Fold over the tortilla and flip to fry the other side until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly crispy.150 g vegan cheese
- Remove from the frying pan and serve with a side of the sauce for dipping. Repeat with all the remaining tortillas and sauce.
Jen
Wow these are a dream!
Kelly
Oh my gosh
Mandy Millburn
ohhhhh my giddy aunt I can't WAIT to make thesssse