Go Back
Crispy Beef Taquitos Recipe
John

Easy Crispy Beef Taquitos Recipe

These Easy Crispy Beef Taquitos are packed with juicy seasoned beef and melted cheese, rolled into tortillas, and crisped until golden for the perfect crunchy, dippable snack or weeknight dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 351
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef Filling
  • 1 pound ground beef or cooked shredded beef
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.5 cup tomato sauce or thick salsa
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Jack, or Mexican blend)
For the Taquitos
  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • vegetable oil or cooking spray for frying or baking
  • toothpicks optional, for securing rolls
For Serving
  • guacamole
  • sour cream or crema
  • salsa
  • shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro

Method
 

  1. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with a small drizzle of oil. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent.
  2. Stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.
  3. Add the ground beef (or shredded cooked beef) to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until the meat is no longer pink and any excess moisture has mostly evaporated.
  4. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and let the spices toast for 1–2 minutes.
  5. Pour in the tomato sauce or salsa and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens and is no longer watery, then remove the skillet from the heat.
  6. Stir in the shredded cheese until it melts into the warm beef, then let the filling cool slightly so it is easier to handle.
  7. Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet or in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel until pliable.
  8. Spoon a small line of the beef mixture along the lower third of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick if needed.
  9. To fry, heat a shallow layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place taquitos seam-side down and cook, turning as needed, until all sides are golden and crisp, then drain briefly on paper towels.
  10. To bake, heat the oven to a high temperature, arrange taquitos seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet, lightly coat with oil or cooking spray, and bake, turning once, until deeply golden and crunchy.
  11. To air fry, preheat the air fryer, place taquitos in a single layer in the basket, spray with oil, and cook, flipping halfway, until crisp.
  12. Serve the Crispy Beef Taquitos hot with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and fresh toppings.

Notes

For best results, let the filling thicken in the pan so it does not leak while the taquitos cook. Warm tortillas just enough to bend easily, especially if using corn, to prevent cracking when rolled.