Mouth-Watering Vegan Birria Tacos

These Vegan Birria Tacos are so delicious and mouth-watering. The perfect recipe to make for your next celebration or just for a fun weekend dinner. You won't want to miss these!

If you haven't met me, you will be surprised to know that next to sandwiches, my favorite food has to be tacos. I grew up in California so we always had access to the BEST Mexican food. I grew up eating all different types of tacos but these Birria Tacos have to be one of my favorites. This Vegan version is made with Portobello mushrooms that we roast and then fry to get really crispy to mimic the flavor and texture of meat. You seriously won't want to miss out on these!

For some other great taco recipes, check out these Homemade Vegan Crunchwrap Supremes, these Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos or these Taco Bell Spicy Potato Soft Tacos!

What Are Birria Tacos?

Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. It is a traditional ancestral stew made from a combination of chili pepper-based goat meat adobo, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme, and cooked at low heat. Someone had the genius idea of stuffing the filling into a sauce-dipped taco shell and frying it. This vegan version has all of the same flavors as the original but is full of plant-based goodness.

Why This is The Best Vegan Birria Taco Recipe

• Easy to make- While this recipe does have quite a few steps, it is easy enough to make. It is the perfect recipe to make with friends or family for a fun weekend cookout or for your next event!
• Amazing flavor profile- There are so many delicious spices and flavors in this dish. From the chilies to the cinnamon, to the Mexican oregano. There is a reason this is called mouth-watering!
• Easy to find ingredients- You should have no issue finding any of the ingredients listed. I found them all at my local supermarket. The chilies were in the spice section of my grocery store. However if you can't find them, you can check your local Mexican market.

Ingredient Notes

• Mexican Chilies- This recipe uses three different types of Mexican chilies. Chile de árbol is a small but powerful chili. The Scoville units range between 15,000 and 30,000. The second chili is the guajillo chili, its heat is mild to medium and it is the second most common chili used in Mexican cuisine. the third chili used is the pasilla chile or chili negro. It is a mild to hot, rich-flavored chile. You should be able to find all three of these in the spice section of your grocery store or at your local Mexican market.
• Portobello Mushrooms- Portobello mushrooms sub in for the meat in this dish. They are excellent in dishes that traditionally used either beef or goat meat. They have a rich and meaty texture that makes them perfect for this dish. If you don't like portobellos though, you can easily swap them for oyster mushrooms or jackfruit.
• Tomato Sauce- The tomato sauce brings depth to the sauce. The tomato flavor pairs well with the chilis to round out the dish. If you don't have tomato sauce, you can use a can of whole peeled tomatoes as well.
• Spices- The spices in this recipe are Mexican oregano, cumin, bay leaf, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. They bring a sweet, smoky flavor to the dish.

See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

• Cover the chilies with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes to rehydrate
• After 10 minutes, set the oven to Broil and add the rehydrated chilies and half of a white onion and broil until slightly charred. About 3 minutes.
• Remove the chilis from the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Scoop out the gills from the portobello mushrooms and place them underside up on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.

• While the mushrooms are in the oven, add the chilis, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, allspice, and pepper to a food processor and process until a thick sauce forms.
• Pour the sauce into a non-stick skillet and stir in the vegetable broth, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove the mushrooms from the oven and using two forks, carefully shred the mushrooms to resemble a pulled meat consistency.

• Add the shredded mushrooms to a hot skillet with oil and saute until nice and crispy, about 15 minutes.
• Ladle the sauce into bowls, leaving 1 cup of sauce in the skillet, and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Heat a separate cast-iron skillet until hot
• Grab the corn tortillas and dip them in one of the bowls of sauce until completely coated. Spoon some of the mushroom filling inside the tortilla and fold it in half.
• Add the taco to the hot cast iron skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side until crispy. Remove and complete with the remaining tortillas.
• Serve immediately using the extra bowls of sauce to dip the tacos.

Hint: Your hands can get pretty messy when dipping the tortillas, I like to use a pastry brush to make it a little less messy!

Substitutions

• Mushrooms - If you don't like mushrooms, you can sub them out for jackfruit or soy curls. Both give a great meaty texture to vegan dishes!
• Tomato Sauce - Swap the tomato sauce for some canned whole tomatoes. Just add them to the food processor along with the other ingredients.
• Less heat - If you can't do heat, feel free to leave out the chile de árbol

Variations

• Extra Spicy - add a few extra chile de árbol if you want to make this dish extra spicy!
• Soup - Turn these Birria Tacos in to a soup (en caldo) by swapping out the tortillas serving the soup broth and mushrooms in a bowl topped with crushed tortilla chips.
• Quesabirria- Serve these tacos filled with some vegan Mexican cheese to make a quesabirria.

Check out this other great taco recipe, Vegan Portobello Mushroom Tacos!

FAQ's

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.

• Food Processor
• Cookie Sheet
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Non Stick Skillet
• Bowls for dipping sauce

Storage

Store the sauce separately from the tortillas. The mushrooms and sauce will store for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. To freeze, add the cooked mushrooms and sauce to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to three months. Do not freeze the corn tortillas.

Top tips

• Make sure to keep the sauce warm in a pot on the stove, set it to low. There are a lot of steps in this recipe and we want to make sure we still have that warm dipping sauce to serve with!
• Microwave the tortillas for about 10 seconds to make sure they are warm and pliable. You don't want them to tear when you are folding them.
• You can cut the time in half by preparing the mushroom filling ahead of time. It will store in the fridge for 4 days. Sometimes I will make the taco filling on the weekend and then it makes for a really easy and quick dinner during the week.
• Topping Ideas Include: chopped onion, cilantro, vegan cheese, limes, salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream
• Serve these tacos alongside some of this Pineapple Habanero Salsa, 4 Ingredient Guacamole or this Cilantro Lime Rice to make it a full meal!

More Vegan Taco Recipes

• Taco Bell Spicy Potato Soft Tacos
• Vegan Portobello Mushroom Tacos
• Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
• Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Tacos
• Baked Walking Taco Casserole
• Vegan Fish Taco Bowl

Mouth-Watering Vegan Birria Tacos

kaydimaggio

These Vegan Birria Tacos are so delicious and mouth-watering. The perfect recipe to make for your next celebration or just for a fun weekend dinner. You won't want to miss these! 

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 servings

Calories 353 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 chiles de árbol
• 4 guajillo chiles
• 2 pasilla chilies
• 6 large portobello mushrooms
• ½ white onion
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• tortillas for serving

Instructions

 

• Cover the chilies with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes to rehydrate
• After 10 minutes, set the oven to Broil and add the rehydrated chilies and half of a white onion and broil until slightly charred. About 3 minutes.
• Remove the chilis from the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Scoop out the gills from the portobello mushrooms and place them underside up on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. 
• While the mushrooms are in the oven, add the chilis, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, allspice, and pepper to a food processor and process until a thick sauce forms.
• Pour the sauce into a non-stick skillet and stir in the vegetable broth, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove the mushrooms from the oven and using two forks, carefully shred the mushrooms to resemble a pulled meat consistency.
• Add the shredded mushrooms to a hot skillet with oil and saute until nice and crispy, about 15 minutes.
• Ladle the sauce into bowls, leaving 1 cup of sauce in the skillet, and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Heat a separate cast-iron skillet until hot
• Grab the corn tortillas and dip them in one of the bowls of sauce until completely coated. Spoon some of the mushroom filling inside the tortilla and fold it in half.
• Add the taco to the hot cast iron skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side until crispy. Remove and complete with the remaining tortillas.
• Serve immediately using the extra bowls of sauce to dip the tacos.

Notes

• Make sure to keep the sauce warm in a pot on the stove, set it to low. There are a lot of steps in this recipe and we want to make sure we still have that warm dipping sauce to serve with!
• Microwave the tortillas for about 10 seconds to make sure they are warm and pliable. You don't want them to tear when you are folding them.
• You can cut the time in half by preparing the mushroom filling ahead of time. It will store in the fridge for 4 days. Sometimes I will make the taco filling on the weekend and then it makes for a really easy and quick dinner during the week.
• Topping Ideas Include: chopped onion, cilantro, vegan cheese, limes, salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream

Nutrition

Serving: 3tacosCalories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 62.2gProtein: 17.6gFat: 5.7gSaturated Fat: 1.1gSodium: 1792mgFiber: 11.8gSugar: 9.3g

Keyword mexican, tacos, Vegan

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Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.