Birria Pizza with Birria Dipping Sauce

This birria pizza takes everything that makes birria so addictive and puts it on a crispy golden crust. Rich, smoky, slow braised meat melts into fresh mozzarella cheese, served with warm birria dipping sauce on the side so every slice can get dunked before eating. Exactly how it should be. If you like my birria grilled cheese you'll love this gourmet pizza recipe.

Why This Homemade Birria Pizza Is Better Than Any Restaurant Version

I had a birria pizza at a pizza restaurant for dinner and I couldn't stop thinking about it afterward. The combination of slow-braised, deeply spiced birria on a crispy pizza crust with melted cheese and that rich dipping sauce on the side was incredible. I left knowing I had to recreate it at home. So I did. And this version is gourmet pizza restaurant worthy, I'm confident in that.

The birria is made completely from scratch with dried guajillo and ancho peppers, whole spices, and chuck roast braised low and slow for four hours until it pulls apart effortlessly. That's the foundation of everything. The pizza itself layers two kinds of mozzarella and queso fresco, baked in two stages so the crust is perfectly cooked and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Finished with cotija and fresh cilantro and dipped in birria consommé, it's the kind of pizza you'd pay serious money for at a high-end restaurant.

Ingredients

For the Birria:

• 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into large chunks
• 4 cups beef broth
• 5 cups water
• 4 dried guajillo peppers, deseeded
• 4 dried ancho peppers, deseeded
• 1 white onion
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano

For the Pizza:

• 1 portion pizza dough, room temperature
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup cotija cheese
• 4 oz queso fresco
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• Olive oil, for brushing

How to Make Birria Pizza

Step 1: Rehydrate the Dried Peppers

In a large pot, bring 5 cups of water to a simmer. Add the deseeded guajillo and ancho peppers and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until they're fully softened and pliable. The water will turn a deep, rich red color as the peppers rehydrate. Scoop the peppers out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender.

Step 2: Make the Pepper Sauce

Add the rehydrated peppers to a blender along with the white onion, Roma tomatoes, and garlic cloves. Blend until completely smooth, adding a splash of the soaking water as needed to get it to a loose, pourable sauce consistency. This is the flavor base for the entire birria, so blend it well and get it as smooth as possible.

Step 3: Sear the Chuck Roast

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of oil over high heat. Sear the chuck roast chunks on all sides until deeply browned. This step builds a crust on the meat and develops the complex, roasted flavors that make the birria taste like it came from a serious kitchen. Don't rush it and don't crowd the pot. Sear in batches if needed.

Step 4: Braise the Birria

Pour the pepper sauce and beef broth into the pot with the seared meat. Add the peppercorns, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and dried oregano. Stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and cook low and slow for 4 hours until the meat is completely tender and pulls apart easily with two forks. Check it occasionally and add a splash of water if the liquid reduces too much. The braising liquid left in the pot is your dipping sauce. Remove the meat and shred it. Strain and reserve the consommé.

Step 5: Proof and Prep the Dough

Bring the pizza dough to room temperature and allow it to proof for 1-2 hours. This is what makes the dough pliable and easy to stretch without springing back. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a perforated pizza tray inside if possible.

Step 6: First Bake

On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch the pizza dough out into a large circle. Transfer to a perforated pizza tray. Brush the surface generously with olive oil. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and crumbled queso fresco over the top. Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is starting to set but not yet fully browned.

Step 7: Add the Birria and Finish Baking

Pull the pizza out of the oven and pile the shredded birria meat generously over the top.

Tear the fresh mozzarella into pieces and scatter it over the birria. Return to the oven and bake for another 8-9 minutes until the fresh mozzarella is melted and bubbling and the crust is deeply golden.

Step 8: Finish and Serve

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle cotija cheese and fresh cilantro over the top. Slice and serve right away alongside a small bowl of warm birria consommé for dipping. This pizza is best when the crust and the edge of each slice is dipped in the consommé.

Expert Tips for the Best Birria Pizza

Don't skip the sear on the meat. Browning the chuck roast before braising is the step that builds depth and richness in the birria. A good sear creates a crust on the outside of the meat that adds color, flavor, and complexity to the braising liquid. High heat, dry meat, and patience are the keys.

Bake in two stages. Starting with just the shredded mozzarella and queso fresco allows the crust to set and the base cheeses to melt properly before the birria and fresh mozzarella go on. Adding everything at once can lead to an underdone crust or overcooked toppings. The two-stage bake is what gives you that perfectly layered result.

Let the dough come fully to room temperature. Cold pizza dough fights back when you try to stretch it and springs back to its original shape. A full 1-2 hours at room temperature makes it pliable, easy to work with, and gives you a better bake.

Use a perforated pizza tray. The holes in the tray allow heat to circulate directly under the dough, which is what gives you a crispy bottom crust rather than a soft, soggy one. If you don't have one, a preheated pizza stone works even better.

Strain and reserve the consommé. The braising liquid is liquid gold and it's half the birria pizza experience. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve after the braise to remove the whole spices, then warm it gently before serving. Every bite of this pizza tastes better dipped in it.

Make the birria a day ahead. Birria is one of those dishes that gets noticeably better overnight as the flavors deepen and the fat distributes through the meat. Make it the day before, refrigerate overnight, and reheat gently before using. The pizza will be even better for it.

Birria Pizza Ideas

Add pickled red onion. A handful of thinly sliced pickled red onion scattered over the pizza right before serving adds a bright tangy punch that cuts through the richness of the birria and cheese. It also adds a pop of color that makes the finished pizza look even more impressive.

Make it spicier. A drizzle of chili crisp or a few sliced fresh jalapeños over the top alongside the cotija gives the pizza real heat. The chili crisp in particular adds a garlicky crunch that works well with the braised meat.

Use store bought birria as a shortcut. Trader Joe's prepared birria is an excellent shortcut if you do not have time for the full four hour braise. The flavor will not be quite as deep but the pizza is still incredible and comes together in a fraction of the time. 

Add a salsa verde drizzle. A spoonful of salsa verde drizzled over the finished pizza adds a herby tangy brightness that pairs with the rich birria and balances out the heavier cheese and meat.

Make it on naan or flatbread. For a faster weeknight version use store bought naan or flatbread as the base. Same toppings, same result, a fraction of the time, and it is a great option for personal sized pizzas if you are serving a crowd with different preferences.

How to Store Leftover Birria Pizza

The pizza: Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes to bring the crispy crust back. The microwave is not recommended since it leaves the crust soft and undoes everything that makes this pizza good. The pizza is really good cold though, so you don't have to reheat it.

The birria meat and consommé: Store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Having extra birria on hand makes this an easy repeat meal since you can build a fresh pizza, a batch of copycat Disney birria grilled cheese, or birria tacos anytime the craving hits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is birria pizza?

Birria pizza is a pizza topped with tender slow braised birria meat, melted cheese, and fresh toppings like cilantro and onion, served alongside warm birria consommé for dipping. It combines two beloved dishes into one, taking the rich smoky flavor of traditional birria and putting it on a crispy baked crust instead of in a taco or quesadilla.

What cheese works best on birria pizza?

A combination of fresh mozzarella, queso fresco, and cotija gives the best result. Mozzarella melts smoothly and creates that classic pizza pull. Queso fresco adds a mild creamy contrast, and cotija brings a salty crumbly finish on top. Using all three together gives every bite more texture and depth than a single cheese could on its own.

Can I use store bought birria instead of making it from scratch?

Yes. Trader Joe's prepared birria is an excellent shortcut that works well for this recipe when you do not have time for a full four hour braise. The flavor will not be quite as deep as homemade but the pizza is still incredible. If you want the most authentic result homemade birria is worth the extra time for a special occasion.

Do you really dip the pizza in birria sauce?

Yes and it's one of the best parts of the whole experience. The warm birria consommé is served on the side specifically for dipping each slice before eating, the same way it's served with birria tacos and quesadillas. The dipping sauce adds extra moisture and a deeper hit of that signature birria flavor in every bite.

What kind of crust works best for birria pizza?

A standard pizza dough baked until golden and crisp works great, but naan or flatbread makes an excellent shortcut for a faster weeknight version. Whatever base you choose, make sure it can hold up to the weight of the braised meat and melted cheese without going soggy underneath.

Can I make birria pizza on the grill?

Yes. Stretch the dough, par bake it briefly or grill it directly over medium heat until it firms up, then add the toppings and close the lid until the cheese melts. Grilling adds a subtle smokiness that tastes great with the richness of the birria.

How do I keep the pizza from getting soggy from the birria meat?

Drain the shredded birria meat well before topping the pizza and avoid adding too much of the consommé directly onto the crust. Save the bulk of the consommé for dipping on the side instead of pouring it over the pizza, which keeps the crust crisp while still delivering all that birria flavor.

Can I make this with goat birria instead of beef?

Yes. Traditional birria is often made with goat, and it works just as well on this pizza as beef does. The flavor is slightly gamier and more pronounced, but the braising method, toppings, and dipping sauce all stay exactly the same.

More Pizza Recipes to Try Next

• White Pizza
• Garlic Bread Pizza
• Pickle Pizza
• Hot Honey Pizza
• Garbage Bread with Pizza Dough