BIRRIA-INSPIRED RED CABBAGE TACOS
From short ribs to jackfruit, versions of birria tacos have been all over the internet. So, of course, I had to give it a shot. Our birria-inspired red cabbage tacos are crispy, cheesy and oh so delicious.
Let’s just get this out the way now. This recipe is not quick and easy; it takes some time. Here are a few tips to make sure you are ready for this recipe:
Pull out the InstaPot. The recipe takes some time, but it is well worth the wait. To speed up the process a little, I used my InstaPot. Instead of spending 4-6 hours boiling down the ingredients over the stove, I was able to set it and forget it. In 45 minutes, the marinade was ready to blend. If you don’t have an InstaPot, you can boil in a stockpot.
Red, not green. Often red cabbage can seem a little daunting in recipes. Trust me, red is the way to go for this one. Not only does it look good on the plate, but it also goes well with the marinade and has a great mouthfeel. So, please – don’t skimp on the red cabbage.
Oils are needed. When frying the tortillas, the natural oils from the meat cooking down comes in handy. We don’t have that luxury in this recipe – but, where there is a will, there is a way. My way was adding grapeseed oil. Why grapeseed oil? It has a mild taste that won’t interfere with the flavor of the marinade.
Ready to make Tacos?
Now that you have a few tips in your back pocket let’s get into this recipe. This is going to be a long one, so put your comfy shoes on.
Starting with the base, add a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, a 10.5 g cube of vegetable bullion, a 7oz can of chipotle in adobo sauce, a cup of water, two peeled and quartered red onion, garlic, 3 Pasilla peppers, 3 Guajillo peppers, 2 teaspoons of peppercorns, a pack of the Goya Sazon spice mix, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons of oregano, 2 whole bay leaves, the juice of a lime and 2 whole cinnamon sticks to the InstaPot. Set to high heat and cook for 45 minutes. Let the steam naturally release on its own.
If you prefer to cook over the stove, add ingredients to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for 4-6 hours.
Once the base is done, it’s time to blend. Carefully remove cinnamon sticks and bay leaves from the base. You won’t need them again. Add the remaining solids - chipotle, red onions, garlic, Pasilla peppers, Guajillo peppers and peppercorn - to a blender with some base liquid. Add enough liquid to cover the bottom third of the blender. Blend until smooth. Set a cup of the blended mix to the side and add the rest bask into the broth. Add broth to a large stockpot, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
While the broth is simmering, get started on the cabbage. Heat oven to 400° F. Cut the red cabbage into ribbons. Remember that cup of blended marinade you set aside? Pour over the cabbage ribbons and toss. Add coated ribbons to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. The cabbage should be darker in color and softened. Add cabbage to a bowl and set aside.
Let’s get to work on the tacos. In a bowl, mix the ¼ cup of grapeseed oil with a cup of broth. The oil will sit on top of the marinade. This is what we need to fry the tortillas. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Dip the tortilla in the grapeseed mixture and add to the pan. As it is frying, add red cabbage and queso to half of the tortilla. Then, carefully fold the other half over the queso. Press lightly and flip. Fry on the other side for a minute. Repeat with each taco.
Once the tacos are done, garnish with cilantro and red onion. Serve with a side of the marinade for dipping and a quarter of a lime.
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If you are looking for more plant-based deliciousness, check out these recipes:
Birria-inspired Red Cabbage Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
- 1 cube vegetable bullion, 10.5 g
- 1 can chipotle in adobo sauce, 7 oz.
- 1 C. water
- 2 small red onions, peeled and quartered
- 6 cloves of whole garlic
- 3 Pasilla peppers
- 3 Guajillo peppers
- 2 tsp peppercorns
- 1 pack of Sazon goya, corrander and annatto
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole red cabbage, shredded
- ¼ C. grapeseed oil
- tortilla shells as needed
- vegan white queso as needed
- sliced red onions for serving
- cilantro for serving
- lime quarters for serving
Instructions
- Create the base. Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable bullion, chipotle in adobo sauce, water, red onion, garlic, peppers, peppers, peppercorns, sazon, smoked paprika, oregano, bay leaves, lime juice and cinnamon sticks to the InstaPot. Set to high heat and cook for 45 minutes. Let the steam naturally release on its own.
- Blend the marinade. Remove cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Add chipotle, red onions, garlic, peppers, peppers and peppercorn to a blender with enough liquid to cover the bottom third of the blender. Blend until smooth. Set a cup of the liquid aside and add the rest bask into the broth. Add broth to a stockpot and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Time for cabbage. Heat oven to 400° F. Cut red cabbage into ribbons. Toss ribbons in the cup of blended marinade, add coated cabbage to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Assemble the tacos. In a bowl, mix the grapeseed oil with a cup of marinade. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Dip the tortilla in the grapeseed mixture, add to the frying pan. Add red cabbage and queso to half of the tortilla. Then, carefully fold the other half over the queso. Press lightly and flip. Fry on the other side for 1 minute. Repeat with each taco.
- Serve it up. Garnish tacos with cilantro and red onion. Serve with a side of the marinade for dipping and a quarter of a lime.
