Birria quesadillas are crispy, cheesy, and packed with tender shredded beef, served with rich consome for dipping. This Instant Pot method cuts hours off traditional cooking while still giving you that deep, chile-based flavor.
It's a practical way to bring that classic birria experience to the table faster.
Why You'll Love This Birria Quesadilla Recipe
Crispy tortillas, melty cheese, and tender shredded beef make these birria quesadillas a strong dinner option when you want big flavor without babysitting a pot for hours. The Instant Pot helps build a rich consome faster, so you still get the dipping broth that makes birria so good.
This birria quesadilla recipe gives you the same dipping experience you expect from quesabirria, without the longer cooking time.
- Faster birria method: The Instant Pot reduces the cooking time by several hours while still making the beef tender enough to shred.
- Crispy and cheesy: Flour tortillas hold the beef and melted cheese, then crisp up nicely for dipping.
- Rich consome for dipping: The seasoned cooking liquid becomes the dipping broth that ties the quesadilla together.
Ingredients Overview
Chuck roast is the best cut for this recipe because it becomes tender and easy to shred after pressure cooking. Dried chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaves, and broth build the base of the consome.
The flavor base is built from chiles and spices, with a few streamlined steps to reduce cooking time while keeping that classic consome.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Birria Quesadilla With Your Instant Pot
The Instant Pot cooks the beef, chiles, spices, and broth together until the meat is tender enough to shred. After cooking, the beef is separated from the consome, the chile mixture is strained back into the broth, and the quesadillas are filled with beef and cheese before crisping.
Use the step-by-step photos below as a visual guide for cooking the beef, preparing the consome, and assembling the quesadillas.
Pro Tip - Handling Chiles
Wear gloves when handling dried chiles. Remove the stems, open each chile, and shake or scrape out the seeds before adding them to the pot.
Step 1: In the Instant Pot bowl, combine the cubed beef, cumin, garlic, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Add the sauce along with the chiles and broth.
Step 2: Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal, and cook on the Chili or Stew setting, or Manual High pressure, for 40 minutes.
Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Step 3: Separate the cooked beef, consome, and aromatics into separate bowls. Shred the beef and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
Step 4: Press the softened chile mixture through a fine sieve to make a smooth chile paste. Discard any skins or solids left in the sieve.
Add as much of the chile paste as you like back into the consome. Use less for a milder dipping broth.
Step 5: Stir the chile paste into the consome. Dilute with additional beef broth as needed, then warm it to a simmer for serving.
Step 6: Fill each flour tortilla with shredded birria beef and cheese, then fold it in half. For deeper flavor, lightly dip the tortilla into the consome before transferring it to the skillet.
Step 7: Fry the filled quesadilla in a skillet until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. Serve with warm consome for dipping.
Garnish with additional cheese, avocado slices, and cilantro leaves.
Serving Suggestions
Serve birria quesadillas hot with small bowls of warm consome for dipping. Add chopped cilantro, diced onion, lime wedges, pico de gallo, guacamole, Mexican crema (or sour cream) on the side so everyone can finish their plate the way they like it.
For a full Mexican meal, serve these with Mexican Rice (Arroz Rojo), refried beans, or a avocado cucumber tomato salad. For a more traditional approach, use the stovetop Mexican Beef Birria (Birria de Res). That same beef and consome also works perfectly for Quesabirria Tacos.
Substitutions and Variations
Use these easy swaps to adjust the recipe to what you have on hand.
- Different beef cuts: Chuck roast is best, but shoulder roast, chuck pot roast, or brisket can also work.
- Cheese options: Oaxaca cheese melts beautifully, but Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Pepper Jack are good substitutes.
- Milder consome: Use fewer chiles, skip the chipotle, or dilute the finished consome with extra beef broth.
- Chicken variation: Boneless chicken thighs can be used for a chicken birria-style quesadilla.
- Quesabirria Taco style: Dip corn tortillas in consome before filling and frying for a deeper color and flavor.
Tips for Success
These small details make the quesadillas easier to fill, fold, and dip.
- Skim excess fat from consome: Too much fat can make dipping heavy instead of balanced.
- Shred the beef finely: Smaller shreds spread evenly through the quesadilla and make each bite easier to eat.
- Keep the consome warm: Warm consome tastes better and keeps the cheese from firming up too quickly when dipped.
- Do not overfill: Too much beef and cheese makes the quesadilla harder to flip and more likely to spill.
- Crisp before serving: Cook the tortilla until golden so it holds up better when dipped into the consome.
Storage Options
Store the birria beef and consome separately for the best leftovers.
- Refrigerate: Store shredded beef and consome in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze the shredded beef and consome separately for up to 3 months. Do not freeze assembled quesadillas.
- Reheat the beef: Warm it gently in a skillet or microwave with a spoonful of consome to keep it moist before assembling fresh quesadillas.
- Reheat quesadillas: Use a skillet, oven, or air fryer so the tortilla crisps back up.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Flour tortillas are used for birria quesadillas because they fold easily and hold the filling. Corn tortillas are typically used for quesabirria tacos.
The Instant Pot builds a rich consome much faster, while stovetop birria develops deeper flavor over time. This method balances speed and flavor while still producing tender beef and a well-seasoned broth.
The beef and consome can be made ahead, but assemble and cook the quesadillas just before serving so the tortillas stay crisp.
Reheat in a skillet, oven, or air fryer to crisp the tortilla again. Avoid microwaving, which softens the tortilla.
Mexican Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Birria Quesadilla with Consume (Instant Pot Method)
Equipment
- Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker,
Ingredients
- 1½ lb beef chuck cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried Mexican or Italian
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 cloves whole
- 1 3" cinnamon stick whole
- 2 bay leaves whole
- ½ onion diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce canned
- 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers minced in the jar
- 1 small chile pepper dried, Ancho or Negro
- 1 cup beef broth for instant pot processing
- 3 cup beef broth additional to dilute the consome
- 1½ cup Oaxaca cheese shredded, or Monterey Jack cheese
- 8 large flour tortillas get the oversize burrito ones
- toppings sour cream, cilantro, guacamole, salsa, etc.
Instructions
- In the Instant Pot bowl, combine the cubed beef, ground cumin, oregano, crushed garlic cloves, diced onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.1½ lb beef chuck, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 cloves garlic, 4 cloves, 1 3" cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, ½ onion, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon oregano
- Add the enchilada sauce (or diced tomatoes if you prefer), chipotle, dry chile pepper (seeds removed!),and 1 cup of the beef broth to the Instant Pot.10 oz red enchilada sauce, 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers, 1 small chile pepper, 1 cup beef broth
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal, and set on the Chili or Stew setting, or Manual High for 40 minutes. Let naturally release for 10 minutes after program ends, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Separate the meat, concentrated consome liquid, and aromatics into three separate bowls. Shred the beef using two forks, and set aside, and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Making and adding adobo paste is optional. If you like more spice, than make the adobo paste by running the mushy chile mixture though a fine sieve and discard any remaining skins left inside the sieve.
- Blend the adobo paste with the remaining consome concentrate. Dilute with additional beef stock to taste, and reheat to simmering.3 cup beef broth
- Fill each flour tortilla with shredded birria beef and cheese, then fold it in half. For deeper flavor, lightly dip the tortilla into the consome before transferring it to the skillet.1½ cup Oaxaca cheese, 8 large flour tortillas, toppings
- Fry the filled quesadilla in a skillet until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. Serve with warm consome for dipping. Garnish with additional cheese, avocado slices, and cilantro leaves.
Notes
- For a more flavorful dish, use bone-in beef chuck roast.
- If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can cook the beef in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat for 2-3 hours.
- You can use any type of cheese you like in these quesadillas. Some good options include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella.
- Birria quesadillas are delicious with rice and beans. Serve them with your favorite sides for a complete meal.
Nutrition
Pin It For Later ⤵
Leave a Reply