Black bean quesabirria tacos with a consume dipping sauce are an absolute cult favorite. We took the viral takeout style dish and turned it plant based featuring smoky black beans, melty vegan cheese, diced onions, and fresh cilantro. Add a savory flavorful consume sauce for an out-of-this-world protein-packed meal sure to impress. These can be enjoyed as a more traditional birria-style taco by just leaving out the cheese. But let’s be honest, that seems far less fun.
If you’re craving comfort food or Mexican takeout, this recipe hits the spot. I usually make a larger batch and keep a few extras in the fridge for the next day, if they make it that long. They crisp up perfectly in the air fryer making them almost even better once the consume sauce has had time to really meld together adding depth to the complex spicy flavors.
The History of Birria Tacos
Birria traces its origins back to the state of Jalisco in western Mexico. Originally prepared with goat meat and complex chili spices, this hearty dish was traditionally served during celebratory occasions such as weddings and festivals. Over time, birria spread across the country, each region adding its own unique twist to the recipe. Now widely available in the States, it is a beloved symbol of Mexican culinary heritage. Often cherished for its complex flavors and comforting warmth.
The Evolution of Quesabirria Taco
While birria has long been enjoyed as a stew, the emergence of the birria taco and its cheesier cousin, quesabirria, has led this popular street food into fandom. Quesabirria tacos, with their crispy exterior, and cheese-crusted interior, first gained popularity in the street food scene of Tijuana, Mexico. The innovation of adding melted cheese to birria-filled tacos brought these delicious hand-held morsels to the next level. Captivating food enthusiasts with their irresistible combination of textures and flavors.
Plant-Based Birria and Quesabirria Tacos
So why not make them plant based? You could make these out of several different fillings like mushrooms, tofu, or jackfruit. However, I decided on the humble black bean for its ability to impart a smoky meaty texture and the right amount of balance to the cheese. The consume is the real star here, and the rich flavors of the traditional sauce complement these tacos perfectly. Some of the traditional ingredients were a challenge to find locally. So I adapted the usual sauce into one with ingredients all commonly found on a supermarket shelf and produce aisle.
Ingredients
The hallmark of birria and quesabirria tacos lies in their bold and complex flavors in the consume broth. The combination of meaty black beans infused with aromatic spices and chilis creates the authentic taste you look for in a birria taco. From the earthy notes of cumin and oregano to the smoky undertones of dried chilies, every ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
So what do you put in the sauce?
No discussion of birria and quesabirria tacos would be complete without mention of the consume sauce. For this plant-based version, we will be using a combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and an array of dried chilies and bold spices. This results in a delicious broth that we not only simmer the beans in, but also fry the tacos with, and use as a final dipping sauce. Top with onions and cilantro and you have the perfect meal.
Broth Ingredients
Cinnamon: This fragrant aromatic imparts such a wonderful spice and hint of sweetness to the broth. Use whole cinnamon sticks to cook the sauce, and remove them before serving.
Pasilla Peppers: These were the most common I could find in my local store that most closely resembles the authentic version. If you can’t find these, use guajillo peppers. Soak them in boiling water for a few minutes and then remove the seed and stems. They are such a wonderful spicy pepper to use for this sauce.
Chipotle in Adobo: You can’t make a fantastic smoky spicy sauce without these in my opinion. Commonly in most stores, these come canned for easy use. Increase the number used for an extra kick.
Cloves: Another wonderfully complex and warm spice to bring more depth and flavor to this already awesome broth. Use whole or ground, whatever you can find. Just remove the whole ones before dipping your tortillas.
Spices: Cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and smoky paprika round out the other spices used here. They all impart their own flavor and twist to bring everything together. Use dried or fresh. I used dried here, so if you use fresh, you will want to use larger quantities to get the full flavor.
Add to all this some tomatoes, garlic, broth, and a little time, and you have the most delicious consume! Let’s get cooking.
Storage
These tacos can be kept wrapped in foil in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven. For an even crispier taco, throw them in the air fryer for a couple of minutes. Reheat the consume in a small pot over the stove or in the microwave.
I have never frozen these and wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but in theory, it should be possible. If you end up trying it out, let us know how it goes!
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Black Bean Quesabirria Tacos with Consume
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 1/2 yellow onion-diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 dried pasilla peppers or guajillo peppers
- 2 cans black beans-rinsed
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus a little of the sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 5 cloves
- 5 cups vegetable broth
For the Tacos
- 10 tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca-style vegan cheese if desired
- fresh cilantro for topping
- diced white onion for topping
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Boil a cup of water and toss in the dried peppers to soak for 10-15 minutes until completely softened. Cut off the stem and shake the seeds out. Discard the stems and seeds.
- Add the olive oil to a large pot and saute the diced onion for 5-7 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Meanwhile, add the peppers, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, vinegar, cumin, oregano, paprika, tomatoes, and veggie broth to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add the drained and rinsed black beans to the pot with the onions and garlic. Pour in the blender puree, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves from the pot.
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the bean and sauce mixture. Place it in the hot pan. Sprinkle a tbsp of cheese if using over the entire top of the tortilla. Place a heaping tbsp of black beans on one half of the tortilla.
- Cook for about two minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is starting to crisp. Fold the non-bean side over the black beans. Flip and cook another couple of minutes until crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Serve with a dipping bowl of the consume cooking liquid, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and diced onion. Add other toppings as desired like avocado or crema.
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