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A plate of four golden-brown air fryer birria tacos filled with shredded beef and melted cheese, served with a small bowl of consommé.

Air Fryer Birria Tacos

Air Fryer Birria Tacos deliver everything people love about classic birria with crispy golden tortillas, melty cheese, and rich shredded beef cooked until tender and flavorful. Using the air fryer creates crunchy taco shells without extra oil or splatter, making this viral dinner recipe easier and lighter while still loaded with smoky savory flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 tacos
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Birria Beef
  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
For the Tacos
  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Air fryer

Method
 

  1. Season the chuck roast with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 3 minutes per side until browned.
  3. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and chili powder to the pot.
  4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is tender enough to shred easily.
  5. Remove the beef and shred with two forks. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking broth for dipping.
  6. Dip each tortilla lightly into the warm broth mixture.
  7. Fill one half of each tortilla with shredded beef, Oaxaca cheese, and cilantro. Fold closed into taco shapes.
  8. Spray the air fryer basket lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  9. Arrange tacos in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
  10. Air fry at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted.
  11. Serve immediately with the reserved warm broth for dipping.

Notes

Do not overfill the tacos or the tortillas may split during air frying. For extra crispiness, lightly spray the tops of the tacos before cooking.