Vegan Birria Tacos
Be still my heart! A fan requested these Vegan Birria Tacos and they may be my new favorite thing. Juicy, "meaty" tacos with an out-of-this-world consommé to dip them in. Oh man, are they ever good.
Ok so let's be real.
This is NOT a quick and easy recipe AND I did the forbidden thing by making them.... with a little bit of oil 😮.
You heard me right... BUT I explain in detail a little further down and I give you options to make them oil-free.
Having said that - I would definitely keep this recipe around for those dinner parties where you really want to impress your family and friends. Because these taste better than any restaurant, PLUS they taste like you slaved over a hot stove all day...
That's because you WILL slave over a stove all day if you make these! 🤣
Scared? Interested? Let's see what makes these so good.
Why Your Friends Are Gonna LOVE This Recipe!
❤️ Vegan & Gluten-Free: There's no goat in THESE tacos (that's what was traditionally used in Mexico) AND I kept them gluten-free too.
❤️ Wife Approved: If you know my wife, you know she cannot stand anything with a little spice to it. That includes black pepper - can you believe it? But she LOVES this recipe!
❤️ Restaurant Quality: And we're not talking about Taco Bell here either. I've spent a lot of money at fancy Mexican Restaurants and they don't even come close to this one.
❤️ Easy to Find Ingredients: With the exception of the soy curls I found everything I needed to make this recipe at my local Fred Meyers. Walmart, Safeway, and Albertsons carry all of them too.
Ingredients for Vegan Birria
The "Meat"
Butler Soy Curls come in an 8oz bag and can be found at many Food CoOps as well as Whole Foods, Amazon, and the Butler Foods website. A good sub would be canned jackfruit.
The Chiles
Guajillo Chiles can be found in many grocery stores in the Mexican/ethnic foods aisle. They are similar to New Mexican chiles and are a little milder in heat.
Ancho Chiles can also be found in the same aisle or at any Latino Supermarket. They are simply the dried version of a Poblano pepper.
Chile de Arbols are small but don't be fooled as they pack the heat. If spicy is not your game you can easily leave this out.
The Spices
Most Birria recipes use a variety of spices including, black peppercorns, whole allspice berries, cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole cloves, Mexican oregano, and whole Mexican cinnamon sticks (Canela).
Look for little cellophane bags of all of these spices in that same section of your store that contains the dried chiles.
We are going to toast these and then grind them. An old coffee grinder works well but if you want to use pre-ground spices - use 3/4 of the amount listed.
The Consommé
The traditional broth/dipping sauce used to make Birria is mainly from the meat that is used (beef, pork, or goat). Since this is a vegan version we'll have to add a few other ingredients to get that beefy flavor such as:
Better Than Bouillon vegetable base (you can use veggie broth but the BTB has much more flavor)
Tamari or soy sauce
Vegan Worcestershire
Mushroom powder (see Recipe FAQs below)
Marmite (yeast extract)
Fire roasted tomatoes
Chipotle peppers in adobo
Apple cider & balsamic vinegar
Onion & garlic
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities and detailed cooking directions.
How To Make the BEST Vegan Birria Tacos
Step 1
Prep Those Chiles:
Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the chiles. Toast in a 250° F oven for 10 minutes then add to a pot and cover with hot water to steep.
Step 2
Prepping the Spices:
To a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Then grind them along with the oregano into a fine powder and set aside.
Note: A mortar & pestle (molcajete) or an old coffee grinder makes this simple or you can just use 3/4 of the amount in preground spices instead.
Step 3
Cooking the Veggies:
Saute the rough chopped onion and garlic in a little veg broth until softened. Then add the tomatoes, chipotles, and the spices and mix well.
Step 4
Blending Time:
Add the tomato/onion mixture to a high-speed blender along with the rehydrated chiles and 1 cup of the chile water and process until smooth.
Step 5
Building the Consommé
Transfer the chile sauce to a large Dutch Oven and add the mushroom powder, water, bouillon, vinegar, tamari, Worcestershire, and marmite. Simmer until bubbly.
Meanwhile, rehydrate your soy curls with enough hot water to cover. When they are soft, squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
Step 6
Simmer Time:
Add your soy curls to the sauce and mix well. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes for all of those wonderful flavors to meld.
When the stew is finished, transfer the "meat" to another dish using a slotted spoon while leaving the console - and now we're ready to begin assembling our Vegan Birria Tacos
Step 7
Tacos... Assemble!
Mix 1/4 cup of the broth with 1 tsp of oil and paint both sides of the tortilla with a pastry brush.
Place the tortilla onto a hot cast iron skillet or griddle and flip after a few seconds to ensure the pan is well coated with the oil.
Lay down as much 'meat' as you want on one half of your tortilla with a few white onions and cilantro. Then carefully fold it into a taco shape using a spatula.
Step 8
Fold, Dip, and Enjoy!
Fry until the taco is lightly crisp, then flip.
Birria tacos are typically dipped into that consommé before taking each bite. But enjoy them however you wish!
Variations
If you want to remain as oil-free as possible as I typically do, you can always hang your tortillas downward from your oven rack and bake them at 375° F for about 5-7 minutes or until they get crispy.
They are a little dry this way, and they are hard to dip as everything usually falls out - but they will be oil-free.
Top tip
I tried every cooking variation I could think of to keep these oil free. I tried different skillets and have to recommend a cast iron skillet if you have one. A good non-stick will do but the tortillas will still stick if you do not oil your pan.
The brand of tortillas also matter. I tried a popular mass-produced brand of yellow corn tortillas (rhymes with fishin') and they break when you fold them and did not crisp up at all. I recommend the Mexican brand or making your own beforehand. I have a recipe for homemade corn tortillas here.
I also do not recommend adding oil to the pan as it will just splatter and make a mess. Rather mix a teaspoon of your favorite oil with 1/4 cup or so of the consommé and use a pastry brush to paint it onto your tortillas before you add them to your pan.
T
Recipe FAQs
I Thought You Were Oil-Free?!?
I know this one is coming so let me address it here. I am oil-free and have been for many years. But as I mentioned earlier, to get that authentic Birria Taco experience and really impress your non-vegan family and friends - there's just no other way and believe me - I tried many.
Your tortillas WILL stick to the pan after you dip them into the sauce if you don't have some oil- and you will cuss me I'm sure. Of course, you don't HAVE to dip them before you fry them - but again that is the way a traditional Birria Taco is made.
Do You HAVE to Make Tacos Then?
Absolutely not! Avoid the oil issue and just make enchiladas instead. Heat up some tortillas in the microwave (so they don't break when you roll them), fill them with the meat, onion, and cilantro, roll them up into a casserole dish then pour over the consommé and bake.
How Much Does This Make?
This recipe will make about 4 cups of "meat" and a little over a quart of sauce. So it would be perfect for family taco night.
What the Heck is Marmite?
Marmite is an acquired taste and I happen to be one of the weird ones that love it. It's a British yeast paste and very salty, but it does add that "beefy" flavor I was looking for in making my consommé. It is available on Amazon (and my local Fred Meyer happens to carry it).
How Spicy Is This?
My wife hates all things spicy and she can eat this (and loves it).
What's This Mushroom Powder?
I bought a few packages of dried mushrooms and ground them into a powder. They add a nice beefy umami flavor. Choose Porcini, Portobellos, or Shiitakes. Store any remainder in a jar.
BLOG RECIPE
https://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/mexican-food/vegan-birria-tacos
DOWNLOAD
Looks deluxe and delicious!
I have made birria tacos with jackfruit instead of the soy curls. The jackfruit better mimics the shredded meat (I’ve always seen it with beef). Restaurant style birria tacos also contain a string cheese style cheese, so I add a vegan mozzarella to the tacos before pan frying them. Definitely a family favorite! Curtidio (Salvadoran coleslaw) is a tasty side dish with these tacos.