Tacos de Barbacoa (Beef Barbacoa Tacos)

Tacos de Barbacoa layers tender, slow-cooked beef, tangy pickled red onions, and sharp white cheddar cheese on top of a soft corn tortilla. These tacos are packed with flavor and incredibly easy to make. They are a crowd-pleaser, and perfect for your next taco night or Cinco de Mayo.

I love a good taco, and living in Texas, there is no shortage of incredible tacos around. Even with all the wonderful taco stands nearby, Barbacoa Beef Tacos are in frequent rotation in our household!

While this recipe is not authentic, it's an easy way for a home cook to prepare this classic Mexican dish.

Whether you're hosting Taco Tuesday or simply craving a taste of Mexico, Tacos de Barbacoa is a surefire way to elevate your next taco experience. So, gather your ingredients, embrace the slow-cooking magic, and bring the fiesta to your table.

If you are a fan of Mexican cuisine, check out my Barbacoa Quesadillas, Shimp Tacos With Mango Salsa, or my Gluten-Free Enchiladas. If you are curious you can also read about the difference between Barbacoa and Carnitas.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Versatility: They offer a canvas for creativity. The variety of toppings, from classic cilantro and pickled red onions to personalized salsas and guacamole, provides endless opportunities to customize the tacos which should make the whole family happy. 
• Great Way To Use Up Leftovers: When you make Dutch Oven Barbacoa, you are bound to have leftovers. These tacos are great when you need to clean out the fridge.
• Quick And Easy: Once you have made the meat, assembling the tacos takes no time at all! It’s perfect for a quick lunch during a busy day.

• Barbacoa: This is the star of the show. Prepare your beef barbacoa in advance using a slow cooker or Dutch oven, and just remove it from the fridge when you are ready to assemble the quesadillas. 
• Avacado Oil: Avacado Oil, is perfect as it does not have flavor, and helps the tortillas crisp up nicely.
• Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are perfect for this taco. Just make sure you find a good quality tortilla that uses non-GMO corn. 
• White Cheddar Cheese: If possible look for raw cheddar cheese from grass-fed cows. Raw cheddar is typically easier to digest and is also packed with nutrients. If you don't have white cheddar cheese you can also use any of these white cheddar cheese substitutes or queso fresco.
• Pickled Red Onions: The pickled onions add a little bit of acid that helps cut through the heaviness of this taco.

Substitutions and Variations

• Diary-Free: You can easily make these tacos dairy-free by omitting the cheese entirely, or substituting it with your favorite dairy-free cheese.
• Cheese: I prefer to use a sharp white cheddar, but you could use your favorite cheese like pepper jack or Colby cheese. 
• No Corn, No Problem: To keep these tacos grain-free, you can swap out the corn tortillas for your favorite grain-free tortilla. My favorite is Siete Almond Flour Tortillas, which you can pick up at Costco! Just be sure to avoid using a flour tortilla if you want to keep this recipe gluten-free.
• Breakfast: Try adding a fried egg for a delicious breakfast taco.
• Taco Salad: If handheld tacos are too messy, turn this into a taco salad, or barbacoa burrito bowl.
• Mango Avocado: Combine the creamy goodness of avocado slices with the sweetness of ripe mango chunks. It pairs beautifully with the smokey barbacoa.
• Rice Bowl With Beef: If you don't want to do tacos, you can use the meat to make burrito bowls.

Expert Tips And Notes

Choose Quality Ingredients: I say this a lot, but the quality of ingredients you use will have a huge impact on your overall dish. High-quality, minimally processed ingredients not only taste better, but they are better for you. When preparing the Barbacoa, try to get a cut of beef like chuck roast that is grass-fed.