Description
These Birria Enchiladas fuse the deep, slow-simmered flavors of traditional Mexican birria with cheesy, saucy enchiladas for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner. Juicy beef is tucked into corn tortillas, drenched in a bold chili sauce, and baked until bubbling and golden.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks (or lamb or goat)
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste (about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper)
- 3 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 1–2 dried arbol chilies, stemmed and seeded (optional for heat)
- 2 cups beef broth (or water)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (or 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 12 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Oaxaca)
- 1/2 cup reserved birria sauce/consomé (for drizzling on top)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
- Diced white onion (for serving)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
- Radishes, thinly sliced (optional, for serving)
- Mexican crema or sour cream (for serving)
Instructions
- Toast guajillo, ancho, and arbol chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, flipping until fragrant. Place in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
- Drain the softened chilies. Add to a blender with chopped tomato, garlic cloves, cinnamon, ground cloves, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until super smooth (about 2 minutes). Strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat a splash of oil over medium-high. Season beef chuck with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides until browned (2-3 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat. Add quartered onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Return beef to the pot, pour in the chili sauce, add remaining 1 cup beef broth, bay leaves, oregano, and cumin. Stir together.
- Cover and simmer on low for 2.5–3 hours, until beef is fall-apart tender. (For Instant Pot: cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then natural release for 20 minutes.)
- Discard bay leaves. Transfer beef to a bowl and shred with two forks. Add a couple ladles of cooking liquid back to the meat to keep it juicy. Adjust seasoning with salt or vinegar as needed.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly warm tortillas so they’re pliable (wrap in damp paper towels and microwave 30 seconds, or heat on a skillet). Dip each tortilla quickly in the birria consomé to coat.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup shredded birria onto each tortilla, sprinkle with 2 tbsp cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas.
- Pour 1/2 cup birria consomé over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 8–10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let cool a few minutes. Top with chopped cilantro, diced onion, radishes, and a drizzle of crema. Serve hot with lime wedges.
Notes
Toast dried chilies before soaking for richer flavor. Use freshly shredded cheese for best melt. Warm tortillas thoroughly to prevent cracking. For a crispier finish, broil enchiladas for 2 minutes after baking. Can be made ahead and baked before serving. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based cheese or omit cheese. For gluten-free, use corn tortillas and check broth ingredients.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 enchiladas
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 28
Keywords: birria enchiladas, Mexican fusion, beef enchiladas, birria recipe, easy enchiladas, cheesy enchiladas, comfort food, weeknight dinner, make-ahead, gluten-free option