Description
These Vegan Birria Tacos offer a flavorful plant-based twist on the traditional Mexican birria, using young jackfruit simmered in a rich, smoky broth made from dried guajillo chiles, spices, and vegan chicken broth. Crispy fried tortillas filled with the tender jackfruit and melted vegan cheese make these tacos irresistibly delicious and perfect for a comforting meal with fresh garnishes of cilantro, onions, and lime.
Ingredients
Scale
Birria Broth and Filling
- ¼ cup olive oil (optional, see note 1)
- 1 medium white onion, halved and sliced
- ½ head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
- 6–7 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 5–6 bay leaves
- 8 cups vegan chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or Italian oregano as a substitute)
- 1–3 teaspoons chili powder, to taste
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cans (20 ounces each) young jackfruit in brine, drained
Tacos
- 12 taco-sized tortillas (corn or flour, 5–8 inches)
- 2 ½ cups reserved broth from cooking
- ¾ cup avocado oil or another high heat oil for frying (see note 5 for oil-free method)
- 8 ounces shredded vegan cheese (Mexican blend or preferred vegan cheese)
- Cilantro, finely diced white onion, and limes for serving
Instructions
- Prep the dried chilies: Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo chiles to reduce bitterness and control spice level. If you prefer more heat and have a high-powered blender, you may skip seeding. Cut the chiles lengthwise, open them, and shake or scrape out all seeds.
- Start the birria broth: In a large, preferably non-stick pot, add olive oil (if using), sliced onion, peeled garlic cloves, sliced carrot, dried guajillo chiles, and bay leaves. Cover with 8 cups of vegan chicken or vegetable broth. Stir in smoked paprika, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, and chili powder but do not add salt yet. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Boil the broth: Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and cover the pot. Allow the broth to boil gently for 20 minutes to develop flavors and soften the ingredients without losing too much liquid.
- Prepare jackfruit: Drain the young jackfruit cans and rinse if desired. After the broth has boiled and softened the ingredients, add the jackfruit to the pot. Allow it to simmer so the jackfruit absorbs the rich flavors of the broth.
- Season and simmer: Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Let the jackfruit simmer in the broth until tender and flavorful, roughly 20-25 minutes more if preparing the filling ahead, or until the desired texture is achieved.
- Assemble the tacos: Heat the reserved broth separately to use for dipping. Lay a tortilla on a flat surface, sprinkle shredded vegan cheese evenly, then add a generous amount of jackfruit from the simmered birria mixture.
- Fry the tacos: Heat avocado or high heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry each filled tortilla until the edges crisp and cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes per side. For an oil-free option, warm tortillas on a skillet to melt cheese without frying.
- Serve: Serve the tacos hot, garnished with finely diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Use the warm birria broth as a dip (consomme) to enhance the flavor with each bite.
Notes
- Olive oil is optional but adds extra depth to the broth. You can omit it to reduce fat content.
- If guajillo chiles are unavailable, substitute with ancho or pasilla chiles, adjusting spiciness as desired.
- Vegan chicken broth enhances the meaty flavor, but vegetable broth works well too.
- Young jackfruit is preferred for its texture similar to shredded meat. Canned green jackfruit in water or brine without added flavors should be used.
- Avocado oil is recommended for frying due to its high smoke point, but other high heat oils like canola or sunflower oil are acceptable.
- Use vegan cheeses that melt well, like Mexican-style shreds based on cashews or soy; avoid cheeses that don’t melt for best texture.
- Birria filling can be prepared 2-3 days in advance and refrigerated, improving flavor development.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: vegan birria, jackfruit birria tacos, vegan tacos, plant-based birria, Mexican vegan recipe
