Vegan Birria Tacos
Add Preferred SourceVegan Birria Tacos hit completely different from any taco I’ve ever tried, and I’ve made them more times than I can count. Crispy golden tortillas stuffed with gooey vegan cheese and deeply savory mushrooms meet a smoky ancho chile consommé that’s bold, tangy, and packed with flavor. These tacos are pure showstoppers.
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I make these for Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, and dinner parties because they always wow the table, and the consommé travels beautifully in a separate container. They’re usually the first thing to disappear at potlucks, and leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The consommé actually tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have deepened overnight.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Vegan Birria Tacos with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Making this vegan birria recipe from scratch is a full sensory experience and completely worth every step. Birria is a traditional Mexican dish usually made with slow-braised meat, and this vegan version recreates all that smoky, chile-rich depth with mushrooms.
Toast the Dried Chiles
Get a dry skillet over medium heat and add your ancho chiles and guajillo chiles. I always use a nonstick large skillet, which gives me even heat distribution here, so nothing scorches before it has a chance to toast properly.
Toast them for 20 to 30 seconds per side until they’re fragrant but not burned. You’ll smell that deep, earthy chile aroma almost immediately, and that’s exactly what you want.
Char the Vegetables
In the same skillet, add the quartered white onion, garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes. Let them char for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly blackened. Don’t rush this step. That char is where a lot of the depth in the consommé comes from.
Soak the Chiles
Transfer the toasted chiles and charred vegetables to a bowl, then cover them with boiling water and soak for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chiles are soft and pliable.
Brown the Mushrooms
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. A Dutch oven works beautifully here because it holds heat evenly and gives the mushrooms room to brown rather than steam. A wide sauté pan also works well if you don’t have a Dutch oven.
Add the oyster and shiitake mushrooms and let them cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned; then continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Regular oyster mushrooms work beautifully here, but if you want an even meatier texture, king oyster mushrooms are a great swap since they can be pulled into thick strips before cooking. Jackfruit is another great swap if you want a completely different texture.
Oyster and shiitake mushrooms are some of the best natural meat substitutes for dishes like this because they brown deeply and soak up all that chile flavor. If you’re out of fresh garlic, garlic powder works as a quick substitute, though fresh will always give you a deeper flavor.
Blend the Chile Birria Sauce
Drain the soaked chiles and add them to a blender along with the charred vegetables and about 1½ cups of the soaking liquid. I use this high-powered blender, which is also a high-speed blender, to make this effortless and to give you a silky, lump-free sauce that integrates beautifully into the consommé.
Blend until you have a completely smooth puree.
Build the Consommé
Pour the blended chile mixture into the pot with the mushrooms and stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and 1 cup of vegetable stock. If you have whole cumin seeds on hand, toast and grind them fresh instead of using ground cumin for a more intense, aromatic flavor.
Add more vegetable broth as needed to reach a rich, hearty sauce consistency that’s thick enough to coat the mushrooms but still loose enough for dipping. If you want a deeper, smokier flavor, stir in a spoonful of adobo sauce at this stage for an extra layer of heat and complexity.
You can also swap ground cinnamon for a whole cinnamon stick and remove it before serving if you prefer a more subtle warmth. Simmer uncovered on low for 45 to 60 minutes to develop flavor, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Prep for Assembly
Skim some of the Chile oil that rises to the top of the consommé into a small bowl. That oil is what you’ll brush onto the tacos for extra flavor and color.
Make sure your cooked mushrooms are warm and ready before you start dipping tortillas, so everything comes together quickly. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and set up your taco station with the consommé, shredded mushrooms, vegan cheese, and toppings ready to go.
A cast-iron griddle is great if you’re making a big batch at once.
Cook the Tacos
Dip a fresh corn tortilla into the consommé, then place it directly in the hot skillet. If your tortillas feel stiff, warm them slightly before dipping, so you’re working with warm corn tortillas that stay pliable and don’t tear.
Sprinkle shredded Violife vegan mozzarella or your favorite vegan cheese over half the tortilla and top with the shredded oyster mushroom filling. Fold the tortilla in half, brush lightly with the reserved chile oil, and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown with melted cheese pulling at the edges.
This style of pan-fried, cheese-filled birria taco is also known as vegan quesabirria tacos, and it’s just as good as it sounds. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Serve
Serve the fragrant vegan birria tacos hot with a bowl of warm birria broth on the side for dipping and garnish with chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime wedges. Squeeze extra lime juice right over the top before eating for a bright finish. Enjoy!
Taking these to a potluck or gathering? I pack the birria broth in a thermos jug to keep it hot, and wrap the tacos in foil tucked inside an insulated casserole tote. Keep toppings in small separate containers and assemble on-site for the best texture.
Equipment
Ingredients
Birria Consommé & Mushroom Filling:
- 5 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
- 3 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 1 pound oyster mushrooms chopped
- ½ pound shiitake mushrooms chopped
- 1 cup white onion quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 Roma tomatoes halved
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 6 cups high-quality vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For Assembling the Tacos:
- 12–16 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded vegan cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped white onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned.5 dried ancho chiles, 3 dried guajillo chiles
- In the same skillet, char onion, garlic, and tomatoes for 5–7 minutes until lightly blackened.1 cup white onion, 6 cloves garlic, 2 Roma tomatoes
- Transfer chiles and vegetables to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 25–30 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, then continue cooking 8–10 minutes until deeply browned; season with salt and pepper.1 pound oyster mushrooms, ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, Salt and black pepper
- Drain the soaked chiles and blend them with the charred vegetables and about 1½ cups soaking liquid until smooth.
- Pour the blended mixture into the pot with mushrooms and stir in tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and 1 cup vegetable broth.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 6 cups high-quality vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 bay leaves
- Add remaining vegetable broth as needed for a rich, soup-like consistency.
- Simmer uncovered on low for 45–60 minutes to develop flavor, then adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Tacos:
- Skim some chile oil from the top of the consommé into a small bowl for brushing.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and dip a tortilla into the consommé before placing it in the pan.12–16 corn tortillas
- Sprinkle vegan cheese over half of the tortilla and top with shredded mushroom filling.2 cups shredded vegan cheese
- Fold the tortilla in half, brush lightly with chile oil, and cook 2–3 minutes per side until crispy and melty.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Serve hot with consommé for dipping and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.½ cup finely chopped white onion, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, Lime wedges
Notes
- Don’t skip the charring step: Blackening the onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a dry skillet adds a smoky depth to the consommé that you genuinely can’t replicate any other way.
- Toast the chiles carefully: Keep them moving in the pan and pull them as soon as they’re fragrant. Burned chiles turn bitter and will affect the entire consommé.
- Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed: Resist the urge to stir during that first 3 to 4 minutes of cooking. Leaving them alone lets them develop a deep brown crust that gives the filling a satisfying, meaty texture.
- Dip the tortilla before it hits the pan: This is the step that makes birria tacos birria tacos. The consommé soaks into the tortilla, creating that signature color and flavor before it crisps in the skillet.
- Brush with chile oil: Don’t skip skimming that oil from the top of the consommé. Brushing it onto the folded taco before flipping gives you extra crispiness and a deeper chile flavor on the outside.
- Flash-freeze the filling for easy meal prep: Spread the cooled mushroom filling into a single layer on a baking sheet, then freeze for 1 hour before transferring to a freezer bag so the pieces don’t clump together.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Store the mushroom filling and consommé separately from the assembled tacos in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The consommé actually deepens in flavor overnight, so leftover birria broth is genuinely worth saving.
To reheat, warm the cooked mushrooms and consommé separately on the stovetop over medium heat, then assemble fresh tacos. If you want to freeze the consommé and filling, let them cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe glass containers and freezing for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop. Assembled tacos don’t freeze well, so freeze the components separately and build fresh when you’re ready.
What to Serve With Vegan Birria Tacos
The rich, smoky consommé already does a lot of the heavy lifting, but a few simple sides from Mexican cuisine make the whole meal feel complete. Mexican rice (or cilantro-lime rice) soaks up any extra broth beautifully, and a simple black bean side adds heartiness without competing with the flavors. Fresh guacamole and tortilla chips are also a great way to start the meal while they’re still coming off the skillet.
For something lighter, a crisp cabbage slaw with lime juice dressing brings a cool, crunchy contrast to the warm, savory tacos. Pickled red onions are another easy addition that brightens every bite. If you’re serving these for a group, a big pitcher of agua fresca or a classic margarita rounds everything out perfectly.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
If you love these vegan birria tacos, here are more vegan Mexican recipes I think you’ll enjoy.
