Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos

Birria tacos are one of those recipes we kept seeing everywhere and just had to crack a plant-based version of, and honestly, we're so glad we did. The combination of slow-roasted aubergine and pulled mushrooms soaked in a deep, smoky, spiced ragu is genuinely next level. You get these rich, sticky, intensely flavoured tacos that you dip into the broth and it's just... proper messy, proper delicious. We've made these for friends who eat meat and they couldn't believe there wasn't any in there. Make these on a Friday night and you will not regret it.

Cook: 60 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large baking tray
  • Separate baking tray
  • Large heavy-bottomed saucepan
  • Powerful blender
  • Large pan (or 2)
  • Bowl for dipping sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 tbsp harissa paste
  • 2 tsp Marmite
  • 2 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 500ml boiling water
  • 500g king oyster mushrooms
  • olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 vegetable stock pot
  • 2 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves - peeled and sliced
  • 2 onions - peeled and finely sliced
  • 2 aubergines
  • 70g plant-based cheddar grated
  • 70g plant-based mozzarella
  • 8 mini tortilla wraps
  • chopped coriander

Method

1

Make the ragu base

  • Slice the aubergines in half lengthways and place onto a large baking tray
  • Drizzle with olive oil and salt before roasting for 30 minutes until soft
  • Pull the mushrooms apart with your hands and place onto a separate baking tray, sprinkle with the paprika and drizzle with olive oil and salt
  • Mix well and cook for 30 minutes until soft
2

While the mushrooms and aubergines are cooking, make the ragu sauce

  • Peel and dice the onions and garlic
  • Place a large heavy bottom saucepan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Once warm, add the diced onion, garlic and a pinch of salt
  • Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions turn soft
  • At this point, add the chopped tomatoes, chipotle paste, marmite, harissa paste, stock pot and boiling water
  • Bring to the boil before reducing the temperature and leaving to simmer for 15-20 minutes
3

Make the dipping sauce

  • Before adding the aubergines and mushrooms, spoon half of the mixture into a powerful blender and blend until smooth - you may need to leave it to cool a little first then leave to one side for dipping later
4

Finish the ragu

  • Once the aubergines are cooked, remove them from the oven and pull the flesh apart using a fork
  • Add the pulled flesh into the remaining ragu mixture, along with the cooked mushrooms
  • Mix well so everything is combined
5

Finish the tacos

  • Pour the blended sauce into a bowl and dip each wrap in, coating both sides before laying them on a chopping board or plate - you can do these one by one or a bunch at a time
  • Place a large pan (or 2) over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Once warm, add a whole wrap at a time into the pan and cook for few seconds
  • Scatter some grated cheese over the wrap before topping with some aubergine & mushroom ragu
  • Flip half of the wrap over on itself and cook on each side for a couple of minutes until golden
  • Repeat the process until all of the tacos are cooked
  • Transfer all of the tacos to a plate and serve with the dipping sauce on the side

Tips & Variations

  • Get a good char on the tortillas: We love pressing the filled tacos into a dry hot pan until they're crispy and a little blackened at the edges. That's when they go from good to absolutely incredible.
  • Make the ragu ahead: The sauce genuinely gets better overnight as the spices mellow and deepen. Make it the day before and you're already winning.
  • Load up the dipping broth: Whatever liquid is left in the pan, thin it out a little and serve it on the side for dipping. That's the birria experience right there, don't skip it.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the aubergine and mushrooms separately so they each get that gorgeous caramelised texture before they even hit the sauce. That step is what gives the filling real body and depth rather than turning into a mush. The ragu does the heavy lifting on flavour, so don't rush it, let it reduce and get properly dark and glossy.