Are you looking for a twist on classic nachos? Spice up boring tortilla chips with our mouth-watering birria nachos recipe- loaded with tender shredded beef, gooey cheese, and all your favorite toppings!
What are Birria Nachos?
Birria nachos take the concept of traditional nachos but use beef birria as one of the main toppings instead of ground beef or shredded chicken. Use the birria with traditional nacho toppings like olive and tomatoes, or serve them more authentically with birria taco ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Birria: Great tasting birria nachos begin with tasty shredded birria; try our recipe for birria con consome! If you don’t feel like making your own, purchase store-bought birria, like the pre-made one at Trader Joe’s.
- Tortilla Chips: Use one bag of thick tortilla chips for the sheet pan nachos to hold up the ingredients, or you can make your own using corn tortillas.
- Shredded Cheese: Melty cheese is an essential ingredient. Use shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack. You can also garnish it with cotija cheese.
- Toppings: Get creative with your toppings; I used sour cream, pico de gallo, pickled onions, and lime wedges for the nachos in the pictures.
- Birria Sauce: Consome is the leftover juice from cooking the meat, and it’s great for dipping the nachos in.
How to Make Birria Nachos
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
For the Birria con Consome:
Step 1: Prepare the beef birria.
For the Birria Nachos:
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Then, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a single layer of tortilla chips and top it with 1 cup of beef birria and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Step 3: Add another layer of chips, followed by 1 cup of birria, and finish with an even layer of shredded cheese.
Step 4: Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Step 5: Finish the nachos with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Add a beef shank or bones to the beef chuck to enhance the flavor of the birria.
- Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and shred it using two forks.
- You will only use about 2 cups of the shredded beef for the nachos; store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reserve some of the consomé to dip the nachos in.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper for quick cleanup.
If you love this recipe, try one of these sheet pan favorites!
Toppings for Birria Nachos
Topping options are endless, so get creative and enjoy your very own birria nacho creation!
- Salsa – Pico De Gallo, Chunky Salsa, Mango Pico De Gallo, Chile de Arbol Salsa, Salsa Verde
- Guacamole – Guacamole without Tomato
- Crema Mexicana – Or you can use sour cream.
- Jalapeños: Top the nachos with fresh or pickled jalapeños, or use serrano chilies if you prefer something a bit more spicy.
- Cilantro
- Black Beans
- Scallions
- Olives
- Onions: I love pickled onions or try sumac onions for a zesty variation! You can also use chopped red onions.
- Shredded Lettuce
- Hot Sauce
- Cotija Cheese
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Birria nachos are best served hot and fresh. However, if you end up with leftovers, wrap them in plastic and keep them in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is birria made of?
Make birria from beef, lamb, or goat, and pressure cook or slow cook the meat until it becomes tender and easily shreddable.
The specific cut of meat varies, but some options include beef chuck, beef short ribs, lamb shoulder, or goat meat. Season the birria with black peppercorns, Mexican oregano, coriander seeds, and ground cumin.
What is the best way to make nachos?
Make tasty nachos by layering tortilla chips, cheese, and birria onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You can also add ingredients like black beans, raw onions at this time, and other toppings at this time.
I prefer baking the chips until the cheese melts, but you can also broil them to make nachos. Garnish the sheet pan meal with fresh toppings and serve immediately.
What can you serve with nachos for dinner?
• Vegan Mexican Rice
• Refried Beans
• Corn Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Agua Fresca
• Serrano Crema
More Mexican Recipes:
Birria Nachos
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 12 arbol chilies, stemmed and deseeded
- 8 guajillo chilies, stemmed and deseeded
- 3 ancho chilies, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, peeled
- 5 cups HOT water, divided
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 pounds chuck roast, cut into 3-inch pieces
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, coarse ground, to taste
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon Beef Better Than Bouillon
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
- lime wedges
For the Birria Con Comsome:
- Warm avocado oil in the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add the arbol, guajillo, and ancho chilies and saute until smoking, stirring them occasionally.
- Then, add the onion and garlic, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a blender and add 3-4 cups of HOT water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the chilies rehydrate.
- Add apple cider vinegar, black peppercorns, Mexican oregano, coriander seeds, and ground cumin to the chilies and process until smooth; set it aside.
- Generously season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add the chuck roast in a single layer and let it brown for 3-4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining beef, and set it aside.
- Return the beef to the pot and pour the reserved chili mixture over the top through a mesh strainer. Use the remaining 1 cup of HOT water to encourage the chili mixture to strain.
- Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and Beef Better than Bouillon to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and shred it using two forks.
For the Nachos:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Then, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add a single layer of tortilla chips and top it with 1 cup of beef birria and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Add another layer of chips, followed by 1 cup of birria, and finish with an even layer of shredded cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Add a beef shank or bones to the chuck to enhance the flavor of the birria.
- Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and shred it using two forks.
- You will only use about 2 cups of the shredded beef for the nachos; store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reserve some of the consomé to dip the nachos in.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper for quick cleanup.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.