Birria Quesadillas
Birria Quesadillas are filled with tender shredded beef, melty Oaxaca cheese, onion, and jalapeño, then cooked until golden and crispy and served with warm consommé for dipping.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups cooked birria beef shredded
- 8 medium flour tortillas
- 2 ½ cups shredded Oaxaca cheese Monterey Jack or mozzarella
- 1 cup birria consommé (the juice from the birria), divided
- ½ cup finely diced white onion
- 1 finely diced jalapeño (optional)
- 1 tablespoon oil or butter to brown the quesadillas
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Warm the birria: Add the shredded birria beef to a skillet with a few spoonfuls of consommé. Warm over medium-low heat until juicy and heated through.
- Prep the tortillas: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. For that classic birria-style crispy exterior, lightly dip or brush one side of each tortilla with the flavorful fat from the top of the consommé or use butter or oil.
- Build the quesadillas: Place the tortillas, coated side down, in a hot skillet on medium-low heat. Sprinkle the cheese over the tortilla followed by a generous layer of shredded birria. Sprinkle onions and jalapenos and then add another tortilla on top.
- Get them crispy and melty: Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden and crisp and the cheese is completely melted.
- Serve: Slice the quesadillas into half or 4ths and top with cilantro. Serve immediately with warm birria consommé on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Brush, don’t soak: Lightly brush the tortillas with a little consommé fat for extra flavor and crispness. Too much liquid can make flour tortillas soggy.
- Keep the filling juicy, not wet: Warm the birria with just enough consommé to keep it tender without adding excess liquid to the quesadilla.
- Use moderate heat: Medium to medium-low heat gives the cheese time to melt while the tortillas become golden and crisp.
- Cheese options: Oaxaca is my favorite, but Monterey Jack or mozzarella both melt well too.
- Don’t overfill: Too much beef or cheese can make the quesadillas harder to flip and more likely to fall apart.
- Nutrition information: Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be considered an estimate. Exact values will vary depending on the amount of birria and cheese used, tortilla size and brand, and how much consommé or cooking fat is added.
Nutrition
Calories: 809kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg