The Best Instant Pot Birria Tacos

Introduction

Birria tacos have taken the culinary world by storm with their intoxicating mix of tender, richly spiced meat and crispy, cheese-laden tortillas dipped in a savory consommé. Using an Instant Pot slashes cooking time without sacrificing depth of flavor, making this iconic Mexican street food accessible for any home cook.

Whether you’re hosting a taco night or craving a flavor-packed dinner, these Instant Pot Birria Tacos are irresistible—crisp, juicy, and perfect for dipping!

What Makes These Birria Tacos the Best?

Classic birria is time-intensive, but the Instant Pot transforms tough cuts of beef into fall-apart perfection in under two hours. The secret lies in the combination of guajillo, ancho, and chipotle peppers blended into a smoky, aromatic broth. Paired with gooey melted cheese in corn tortillas and a side of consommé for dipping, every bite bursts with robust, authentic flavor.

Key Steps for Perfect Birria Meat

Start with generously marbled beef chuck or short ribs—the marbling keeps the meat succulent. Use a Fullstar Vegetable Chopper and Spiralizer, 4 in 1, White for quick and consistent prep of onions, garlic, and carrots. Toast and soak the dried chiles, then blend them using a Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender, Black until velvety-smooth before pressurizing with the beef and aromatics for an ultra-flavorful base.

How to Assemble and Crisp the Tacos

Once the beef is meltingly tender, shred it effortlessly with a Chicken Shredder Tool Twist for Kitchen, Elegant Black. Dip warm corn tortillas in the luscious fat atop the birria broth, then fill with juicy meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Crisp the tacos on a nonstick skillet such as the SENSARTE Nonstick Frying Pan Skillet, 9.5 Inch until golden and irresistible.

Serving Suggestions for Showstopper Birria Tacos

Serve your tacos with a bowl of hot, fragrant consommé for dipping. Add diced onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for brightness. For parties, keep extra toppings handy in the Bentgo Salad Container – 54 oz Bowl, Khaki Green so everyone can build their perfect taco. Don’t forget plenty of napkins—these are joyously messy!

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 12 hearty birria tacos. Each taco is around 300–350 calories, depending on the amount of cheese and oil used for crisping. The recipe is moderate in carbs with a satisfying amount of protein, making it a satisfying treat any day of the week.

The Best Instant Pot Birria Tacos (Recap)

What sets these Birria Tacos apart is their perfect balance of melt-in-your-mouth meat, punchy, layered flavors, and that addictive crispy shell. The Instant Pot takes all the complicated steps and streamlines them for an easy, stunning dish that’ll turn any meal into a fiesta.

Instructions

1. Set your Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart to sauté mode. Lightly toast guajillo and ancho chiles for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then remove and soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Add beef chunks to the pot and sear on all sides (work in batches if needed). Remove meat and set aside.
3. Using a vegetable chopper, prep onions, garlic, and carrots. Add them to the pot and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, soaked chiles, chipotle, broth, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and salt. Use a Ninja Blender to puree everything into a smooth sauce. Return beef to the Instant Pot and pour sauce over.
5. Lock the lid, set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (High) for 45 minutes. Let naturally release for 15 minutes, then vent any remaining steam.
6. Remove beef, shred with a shredder tool or two forks, discarding bones and gristle. Skim fat from the broth and reserve fat for crisping tortillas; keep broth warm as consommé for dipping.
7. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium. Dip tortillas in reserved fat, fill with shredded meat and cheese, then fold and crisp in the skillet until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each.
8. Serve immediately with dipping bowls of consommé, diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (including Instant Pot and skillet time)

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes