Prepare to have your taste buds utterly amazed with these incredible vegan birria tacos. It’s a culinary masterpiece that truly feels like magic, especially considering its roots in a hearty beef and cheese tradition. Our recipe transforms this beloved Mexican classic into a sensational plant-based experience, featuring tender, flavorful jackfruit, a rich blend of aromatic spices, perfectly crisped corn tortillas, and an optional, vibrant jalapeño salsa that adds a refreshing kick. This isn’t just a vegan alternative; it’s a standalone sensation that will leave you questioning if it’s truly meatless.
Birria de chivo (goat birria) or birria de res (beef birria) has long been a staple of Mexican cuisine, renowned for its slow-cooked, intensely flavored meat and savory consomé. Adapting such a meat-centric dish to be entirely plant-based while retaining its authentic essence is no small feat. Yet, this jackfruit birria recipe achieves just that, delivering all the smoky, tangy, and spicy depth you’d expect, without any animal products. It’s a testament to the power of plants and the artistry of flavor combinations. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or simply exploring new culinary horizons, these Magic Vegan Birria Tacos are destined to become a new favorite in your kitchen.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Vegan Birria Recipe
There are countless reasons why this vegan birria taco recipe has quickly become a cherished favorite for us and so many others. It’s more than just a meal; it’s an experience that captivates with its complexity and satisfies with its comforting familiarity. Here’s a closer look at what makes this recipe truly special:
- The flavors in this vegan birria are truly incredible and deeply satisfying! Each bite offers a harmonious blend of tangy notes from vinegar and tomatoes, a warm spice profile from a medley of dried chiles and fragrant seasonings, and a subtle smokiness that mimics slow-cooked meat. The star of the show, tender jackfruit, undergoes a magical transformation, absorbing these rich flavors to create an unbelievably convincing texture and taste that perfectly stands in for traditional beef. Coupled with crispy fried tortillas and melted vegan cheese, it’s a symphony of tastes and textures.
- While the ingredient list for these birria tacos may appear a little extensive at first glance, the actual process of making them is honestly pretty straightforward and manageable! Don’t let the recipe card intimidate you. Most of the steps involve simple simmering, blending, and assembling, with minimal active cooking time. We’ve broken down each stage to make it accessible for home cooks of all skill levels, proving that gourmet plant-based meals can be achieved with ease in your own kitchen.
- This recipe introduces the versatility of young green jackfruit as a remarkable plant-based meat alternative. When properly seasoned and cooked, its fibrous texture beautifully shreds, mimicking slow-cooked pulled beef or pork. It’s an excellent source of dietary fiber and takes on flavors like a dream, making it an ideal canvas for the bold and rich birria sauce.
- The optional spicy jalapeño salsa is a game-changer, adding an extra layer of freshness and a vibrant kick that perfectly complements the rich birria. It’s a bright counterpoint to the deep, savory notes of the tacos, elevating the entire dish to another level of deliciousness.
- This recipe is not just for vegans! It’s perfect for anyone looking to reduce their meat consumption, explore healthy and flavorful plant-based options, or simply try something new and exciting. It’s an excellent dish for entertaining, as it impresses both vegans and omnivores alike with its depth of flavor and satisfying nature.
Chef’s Tips for Perfect Vegan Birria Tacos
Crafting the perfect vegan birria taco involves a few key considerations to ensure you achieve that authentic taste and texture. Our chef’s tips are designed to guide you through these crucial steps, helping you elevate your cooking and ensure a truly memorable meal.
- Make sure to pick up a vegan cheese that melts really, really well. This is a huge component of authentic birria tacos, contributing to that desirable gooey, cheesy pull and crispy fried texture. You’re not required to use only vegan mozzarella, either. Feel free to experiment with a high-quality vegan Mexican cheese blend, a vegan cheddar, or even vegan pepper jack if you’d prefer a little extra spice. Brands like Miyoko’s Kitchen, Daiya (specific varieties like their cutting board shreds), or Violife are often recommended for their superior melting properties. Don’t be afraid to try a few different options to find your favorite!
- When preparing the dried chiles (guajillo and ancho), proper rehydration is key to unlocking their full flavor potential. Ensure they are fully submerged in hot water and simmered until soft and pliable. This step makes them easier to blend into a smooth, vibrant sauce, and allows their complex, earthy, and slightly fruity notes to shine.
- Don’t skip straining the birria sauce through a fine-mesh sieve after blending. This extra step, while seemingly tedious, removes any lingering bits of chile skin or seeds, resulting in an incredibly smooth, luxurious, and refined consomé that’s essential for dipping and coating the tortillas.
- Jackfruit preparation is crucial. After draining and rinsing canned jackfruit, thoroughly shred it with your hands or two forks. It should resemble pulled meat. Don’t worry if some pieces are tougher; they will soften significantly during the simmering process, becoming wonderfully tender and absorbent.
- The consomé is not just for dipping; it’s also used to coat the tortillas before frying. This infuses the tortillas with deep birria flavor and helps them achieve that characteristic reddish hue and irresistible crispiness. Don’t be shy about giving your tortillas a good dip!
- For the crispiest tacos, ensure your skillet is adequately hot and has enough oil. Frying them until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown and slightly crisp will yield the best results. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook them in batches if necessary.
Meatless Meals to Make Mondays Better
Looking for more delicious and inspiring plant-based dishes to brighten your week, especially on Mondays? Exploring meatless options can be a fantastic way to enjoy diverse flavors, boost your intake of vegetables, and reduce your environmental footprint. Here are some of our top recommendations for fantastic meatless meals that prove healthy eating can be incredibly exciting:
- Vegan Latkes
- Pickled Beet Tacos
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Tofu
- Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms
- Tofu Pasta
- Mushroom Stroganoff
- Vegan Ground Beef
- Crispy Vegan Chicken Sandwich
- Salt and Pepper Tofu
- Lemon Pepper Pasta
- Vegan Empanadas
- Crispy Cheesy Refried Bean Tacos
- Creamy Chickpea Soup
Magic Vegan Birria Tacos
You’d never know these birria tacos were vegan if we hadn’t told you – that’s how delicious they are!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 12 tacos
Author: Cheryl Malik
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Ingredients
Spicy Jalapeño Salsa (Optional)
- 8 cups water (more or less as needed)
- 4 large whole jalapeño peppers (approximately 75 grams or 1 ½ ounces each)
- 2 large cloves garlic (approximately 6-8 grams each)
- ½ cup neutral-flavored oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
- ¼ of one medium white onion (optional, approximately 2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (optional)
For the Vegan Birria
- 3 (14-ounce) cans young jackfruit in brine
- ½ of one medium yellow onion (approximately 3 ounces)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tablespoon salt (more or less to taste)
- ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
- 12 guajillo chile peppers (rinsed, stems and seeds removed)
- 6 ancho chile peppers (rinsed, stems and seeds removed)
- 2 large Roma tomatoes (approximately 3 ounces each)
- 1 (4-inch) stick Mexican cinnamon (a.k.a. canela, or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 whole bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 4 cups no-beef broth (or 4 cups water with no-beef bouillon added, or 4 cups vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 5 large cloves garlic (approximately 6-8 grams each)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
To Serve
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 12 corn tortillas (divided)
- Vegan shredded mozzarella (or pourable vegan mozzarella)
- Chopped white onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Equipment
- Medium pot with lid
- Large wooden spoon
- Cutting board (optional)
- Sharp chef’s knife (optional)
- Blender
- Serving bowl
- Colander
- Large bowl
- Slotted spoon
- Fine mesh sieve
- Medium skillet
- Spatula
Instructions
For the Jalapeño Salsa (Optional)
- Fill a medium pot with approximately 8 cups of water, adjusting the amount as needed based on the size of your pot and jalapeños.
- Place the pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully add the 4 large whole jalapeño peppers to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the jalapeños for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers are very tender.
- Once tender, carefully drain the water from the pot. Transfer the jalapeños to a cutting board and carefully remove the stems. Use caution as the peppers will be very hot. Discard the stems and place the jalapeños in a blender.
- Add the 2 large cloves of garlic, ½ cup neutral-flavored oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ of one medium white onion, and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro to the blender with the jalapeños.
- Secure the lid on the blender and blend the ingredients until fully combined into a smooth, creamy sauce. If needed, blend in additional oil to achieve your desired consistency.
- When satisfied with the thickness of the salsa, transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Set aside until ready to serve. If preparing the salsa more than 1 hour in advance, transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Vegan Birria
- Drain the 3 (14-ounce) cans of young jackfruit in brine, then rinse the jackfruit well under running water to remove any excess brine. This helps remove the briny flavor and prepares the jackfruit to absorb the rich birria sauce.
- Cut away any tough or hard core at the tips of the triangular jackfruit pieces and discard them. Use your hands or two forks to easily tear and shred the remaining chunks of jackfruit. Aim for a pulled-meat consistency, which will be perfect for mimicking shredded beef.
- Place the shredded jackfruit in a medium pot. Add water to the pot until the jackfruit is completely covered, with the waterline sitting approximately 1 inch above the top of the jackfruit.
- Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add ½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ of one medium yellow onion, and 1 bay leaf. Stir gently to incorporate, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to infuse preliminary flavors into the jackfruit.
- After 10 minutes, carefully drain the water from the pot. Transfer the jackfruit to a separate bowl and set aside. Remove the onion pieces and bay leaf from the drained water and discard them, as their essence has already been extracted.
- Quarter the remaining ½ of one medium yellow onion and place it in the pot. Add the 12 guajillo chile peppers, 6 ancho chile peppers, 2 large Roma tomatoes, 1 (4-inch) stick Mexican cinnamon (canela), 2 whole bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns to the pot. These ingredients form the aromatic base of your rich birria sauce.
- Fill the pot with water until the waterline sits approximately 2 inches above the tops of the ingredients. Increase the heat under the pot to high and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Once the water begins to boil rapidly, immediately reduce the heat under the pot to low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the ingredients for 10 minutes. This process softens the chiles and other aromatics, making them ready for blending.
- After 10 minutes, carefully remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the pot and discard them. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the softened chiles and tomatoes to a blender.
- Add 1 cup of the reserved liquid from the pot to the blender. Transfer any remaining liquid from the pot to a large bowl; this will be your consomé for dipping later.
- To the blender, add the 4 cups no-beef broth, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 5 large cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. These spices are crucial for developing the complex, authentic birria flavor.
- Blend the mixture on high speed until it is completely smooth and uniform. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size and power of your blender, to achieve the desired consistency.
- Once the mixture is smooth, pour the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve and directly into the pot. Use a spatula or spoon to press the sauce through, ensuring all liquid passes through and only solids are left behind. Discard any solids strained out by the sieve; this step is essential for a silky-smooth birria consomé.
- Return the prepared jackfruit to the pot with the strained sauce. Stir well to incorporate the jackfruit fully into the rich birria sauce. Then, increase the heat under the pot to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once the mixture begins to boil rapidly, reduce the heat under the pot to low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the mixture gently for another 15 minutes. This final simmer allows the jackfruit to thoroughly absorb all the magnificent flavors of the birria sauce, resulting in tender, succulent plant-based birria.
To Serve
Get ready to assemble and enjoy your delicious vegan birria tacos! This is where all your hard work comes together in a symphony of flavors and textures.
- Place a medium skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet and continue heating the pan until the oil is hot and shimmery. The oil helps crisp the tortillas and melt the cheese beautifully.
- When the oil is hot, carefully dip one corn tortilla into the reserved chile liquid (consomé), ensuring it is fully coated but not oversaturated. Immediately place the dipped tortilla in the hot skillet.
- Generously top one half of the corn tortilla with vegan shredded mozzarella and your desired amount of the prepared jackfruit birria.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped white onion and chopped fresh cilantro over the jackfruit and cheese as desired. These fresh toppings provide a welcome crunch and herbaceous counterpoint to the rich birria.
- Use a spatula to carefully fold the other side of the tortilla over to cover the mozzarella and jackfruit, forming a crescent-shaped taco. Sauté the taco for approximately 2 minutes on one side, then flip it over and sauté on the other side until the vegan cheese is fully melted, the tortilla is golden brown, and delightfully crisp.
- Transfer the finished taco to a large plate. Repeat this process until all 12 corn tortillas have been used, adding the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in small increments to the skillet after each taco or as needed to maintain adequate oil for frying.
- Serve your hot, crispy, and flavorful vegan birria tacos immediately. Don’t forget to offer the optional jalapeño salsa for an extra kick and plenty of the rich chile sauce (consomé) for dipping. A squeeze of fresh lime juice also adds a wonderful brightness. Enjoy the magic!
Nutrition Information
- Serving: 1 taco (without salsa)
- Calories: 381 kcal
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Total Carbs: 59g
- Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 11g
- Net Carbs: 49g
- Vitamin C: 16mg
- Sodium: 984mg
- Potassium: 628mg
- Calcium: 106mg
- Iron: 3mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. The result will be the weight of one serving.
© Author: Cheryl Malik
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