A mix between a soft taco and cheese quesadilla, mulitas are a popular Mexican street food dish found at Southern California taco shops, Mexican restaurants, and food trucks.
Two corn tortillas are loaded with tender meat and melted cheese, then topped with your favorite garnishes like 4-ingredient guacamole, pico de gallo, and a dollop of sour cream.
Use your favorite taco meat for the filling: carne picada, birria, birria de chivo, carne asada, carnitas, Mexican shredded beef, shredded chicken, pollo asado or al pastor.
What Is A Mulita
A mulita is made by sandwiching melted cheese and meat between two soft corn tortillas, then cooking it until the tortillas are lightly crisped and the cheese is fully melted.
Unlike tacos, mulitas are cooked on a griddle until crispy around the edges, giving them a texture closer to a griddled quesadilla. They’re also usually smaller and crispier than traditional quesadillas, making them easier to eat like tacos.
They’re especially popular at taco trucks because they’re crispy, cheesy, easy to eat, and perfect for using flavorful grilled or slow-cooked meats.
Pro Tip: For taco truck-style mulitas, sprinkle a little cheese directly onto the skillet before adding the tortilla. As the cheese crisps, it creates a thin cheesy crust around the edges of the mulita.
Mulitas vs Quesadillas
At first glance, mulitas look similar to quesadillas, but there are a few key differences. Traditional quesadillas, like my carne asada quesadillas and shredded beef quesadillas, are usually made with large flour tortillas folded in half, while mulitas are made with two small corn tortillas.
Mulitas Variations
Here are some of our favorite versions to make. Mulitas are also one of the best ways to use leftover taco meat.
Mulitas de Birria
We almost always have leftover meat after making birria ramen or birria tacos, so birria mulitas are one of our go-to leftover meals.
Mulitas de Asada
Grill up a batch of our famous San Diego-style carne asada, traditionally made with flank steak or skirt steak, and sandwich the chopped meat between two corn tortillas with melted cheese.
Chicken Mulitas
Grill up a batch of pollo asado or your favorite shredded chicken recipe for an easy chicken mulitas variation.
Carnitas Mulitas
Carnitas mulitas are one of the easiest versions to make because the pork can be prepared ahead of time using our slow cooker carnitas or baked carnitas recipe. For even more flavor, season the pork with homemade carnitas seasoning before cooking.
Shredded Beef Mulitas
Slow-cooked Mexican shredded beef makes incredibly flavorful mulitas. The tender beef melts into the cheese and creates the perfect taco truck-style filling for crispy corn tortillas.
Filling and Topping Ideas
Mulitas can be filled with all kinds of taco shop-inspired meats, cheeses, and sauces. Traditional versions usually keep things simple with meat and cheese, but you can customize them with additional fillings and toppings before serving.
When you order mulitas from taco shops or food trucks, toppings are often added inside after cooking. I prefer serving cooler toppings like guacamole, crema, and salsa on top so they stay fresh and flavorful.
You can also gently peel open the tortilla after cooking, add the toppings inside, and reseal before serving.
- Oaxaca cheese, Monterey Jack, Chihuahua cheese, or queso fresco
- Refried beans, pinto beans, or black beans
- Diced onions or cilantro
- Guacamole Molcajete
- Avocado Crema
- Chipotle Crema
- Homemade Salsa
- Pickled Red Onions
- Shredded Lettuce
- Lime Juice
Pro Tip: I prefer serving cooler ingredients like guacamole, avocado crema, sour cream, and salsa on top after cooking instead of inside the mulitas. This keeps the tortillas crisp and prevents the cheese from cooling down too quickly.
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How To Make
The key to great mulitas is allowing the cheese to fully melt while the tortillas crisp slightly around the edges. Cooking them slowly over medium heat helps create crispy tortillas without burning them.
Load one corn tortilla with cheese and meat, then cook on a skillet or flat top until the cheese melts. Top with a second tortilla, gently press down, then flip until both sides are lightly crisped and golden brown.
Serving Ideas
Mulitas are delicious on their own, but here are a few ways to build a full taco shop-style meal:
- Chips and Salsa
- Refried beans
- Mexican street corn or esquites
- Mexican rice or Cilantro lime rice
- Pair them with Mexican-inspired drinks like a Michelada, Mexican Mule, or classic Margarita.
Mulitas Recipe Notes
- Mulitas are one of the best ways to use leftover taco meat.
- Dice the meat into 1/4-inch cubes for the best texture and meat-to-cheese ratio.
- Plan on using about 2 ounces of meat per mulita.
- Serve 2 to 3 mulitas per person depending on size and toppings.
- Cooking over medium heat prevents the tortillas from burning before the cheese melts.
- For crispier mulitas, lightly press down with a spatula while cooking.
- Mulitas are best served fresh while the cheese is still melted.
Mulitas (Birria/Carne Asada/Carnitas/Pollo Asado)
Equipment
Ingredients
Meat Filling Options (Pick One!):
- ½ batch birria, cut Into 1/4" cubes (*Note 1)
- ½ batch carne asada, cut Into 1/4" cubes
- ½ batch pollo asado, cut Into 1/4" cubes
- ½ batch shredded carnitas
- ½ batch Mexican shredded beef
Mulitas:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 8 oz cheese, shredded
Garnishes (Optional):
- 4-ingredient Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Onions, Lettuce.
Instructions
Meat Filling Options (Pick One!):
- Make 1/2 batch of birria, carne asada, pollo asado or carnitas before making the multias (or up to 3 days prior). To re-heat, just add the diced pieces of meat to a skillet over medium heat until warmed throughout.
Make The Mulitas:
- Pre-heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add one corn tortilla to the skillet and immediatley top with cheese and meat. Place the second corn tortilla over the top.
- Once the cheese starts melting gently press down on the mulitas before carefully flipping over with a flat spatula.
- Every 1-2 minutes, flip the mulitas until the cheese is fully melted and the tortilla is browned.
- Transfer to a plate and top with your preferred garnishes. You can also peel open the tortilla and add your topping inside the mulitas for easy eating. (*Note 2)