The Very Best Taquitos Recipe You’ll Ever Try
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How To Make Taquitos:
- Cook your meat in a slow cooker or instant pot along with other ingredients
- Shred the meat
- Heat up corn tortilla
- Spoon your meat mixture over the corn tortilla, use a toothpick to secure
- Either fry the rolled taco in a skillet or bake it in the oven
- Serve with melted cheese, guacamole, and more
1. What Are Taquitos?
There’s just something about Mexican food, isn’t there? Mexican foods such as Pico de Gallo and Quesadillas are popular for a reason. The specific combination of ingredients, their generous use of spices, and their seemingly perfect understanding of the importance of textural contrast. Mexican food is awesome, and it’s filled with many different dishes that we’re only now waking up to in the rest of the world (Pico de gallo, Quesadillas, and Chilaquiles to name a few).
One of those dishes is taquitos. If you know even a tiny amount of Spanish, you’re probably thinking that “taquitos” means “little tacos.” And that’s not exactly correct. I mean, yes, that’s what it would translate to, but that’s not exactly what the dish is. It’s obvious that there’s a direct relationship between the noble taco and the taquito, but the latter isn’t just a tiny version of the former.
Taquitos are also sometimes known as “rolled tacos”. They’re everything that’s good about tacos but rolled up in an even more texturally pleasing presentation. Taquitos are authentically served with guacamole and melted cheese on top (come on, isn’t your mouth already watering just reading that?). Sometimes they are also accompanied by finely chopped lettuce and a drizzle of sour cream.
And, because Mexican food tends to involve a spicy component, they are also often served with a side of hot sauce (or salsa).
So we’ve established that taquitos are among the best things that have ever existed. Now you probably want to head on over to your favorite Mexican eatery and order some. But wait! Why not instead learn how to make them yourself? That’s right – let’s explore this wonderful dish with the very best taquitos recipe you will ever try.
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2. The Best Homemade Taquitos Recipe
There are a few main elements that are involved in the creation of taquitos. First and foremost, we must cook the meat. Taquitos can be made from just about any type of shredded meat you can think of – chicken taquito is delicious, and pork taquitos are slowly gaining prominence – but beef taquitos are the most popular, and that’s what we’ll be making in this instance.
The meat for taquitos can be cooked in a slow cooker or in an instant pot. Let’s take a look at both.
- Chuck roast: 2.5 - 4 b
- Beef broth: 14oz
- Salsa:½ cup
- Chili powder: 1 ½ tbsp
- Garlic powder:1 teaspoon
- Cumin: ½ tbsp
- Dry minced onion powder: 1 teaspoon
- Corn tortillas:20
- Frying oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Toothpicks
- Salsa / Hot sauce
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Shredded cheese
Cooking the meat
For the slow cooker:
- First, season your roast with salt and pepper. Add chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onion, beef broth, and salsa. Cook it on low for 7-8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to shred easily.
- Move the roast to a plate and shred the meat. You can use a pair of forks or some meat claws. While you’re shredding, discard any large pieces of fat. Then return to the pot to keep it warm.
For the Instant Pot:
- Season your roast with salt and pepper. Cut it into four large pieces and place in the Instant pot. Add your chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onions, beef broth, and salsa.
- Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally before removing the lid (this should take between 15-20 minutes).
- Move the roast to a plate and shred the meat. Same as above, discard any large chunks of fat, and move back to the pot to keep it warm.
So we’ve got our meat ready, and at this point it should be deliciously tender.
Assembly
- If you’re making fried taquito, add about 1 ½ inches of oil to a large skillet and heat it to medium-high.
- Drain your beef and set it aside. We’re going to heat up the tortillas now. Put a non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Cook the tortillas for about 15 to 30 seconds on each side until you can feel they are soft and easy to handle. Then move the tortillas to a plate covered with tinfoil so that they stay warm and pliable.
- With a spoon, serve about 2 tablespoons of your meat mixture in a line at one end of the tortilla. Roll it up tightly, and use a toothpick so that it stays secure.
To make baked taquitos
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point you can either brush the taquitos lightly with some oil, or you can use a cooking spray to spray the top of the taquitos.
- Put your taquitos in the oven and bake them for 15-20 minutes. You want to make sure that the shells are crispy, as that crunch is part of what we’re going for.
-
Once they’re done, take them out and serve them with guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and/or salsa.
Fried taquitos
- This is the more common way of making taquitos and, frankly, it’s the one we wholeheartedly endorse. Your oil should be very hot, and the tortillas should immediately let out a good sizzle when you put them in.
- Fry your rolled taquitos in small batches, only for a few seconds each side. Rotate them as they cook. What you’re looking for is that they’re golden and crispy on all sides.
- When they’re ready, move them to a paper towel lined plate so all the excess oil drains off. Let it rest for a couple of minutes before serving with guac, shredded cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and / or salsa.
Note that you could also use an air fryer to make the taquitos, but they won't come out as crispy as if you were to fry them in a skillet.
And there you go. That’s how you make delicious homemade taquitos. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? We promise there’s no hidden catch, or secretly extremely controversial thing we’ve done that will get authentic taquito lovers unreasonably mad at us in the comments.
3. Taquitos Pro Tips
Here are a few taquitos pro tips you might find interesting.
- Taquitos are most commonly made with shredded beef filling, but you can replace beef for pork or chicken. Both meats go really well with the flavor and textural profile of the taquito. Chicken taquito is also a popular choice for many. I suppose there’s nothing stopping you from attempting more exotic meats, but do so at your own peril!
- Taquitos are unique in that they can work really well as a standalone snack or also as the main dish at dinner time.
- If you’re wondering what to serve with taquitos: Traditionally, taquitos are accompanied by the same accouterments that accompany regular tacos: guacamole, salsa, nachos, shredded cheese, what have you. But you can also serve them with easy sides for a well-balanced meal. Taquitos pair beautifully with refried beans, Spanish rice, a green salad, corn, or even a fruit salad.
- Some home cooks have gotten creative with their taquitos. In researching this article I came across people putting cream cheese, eggs, and even tater tots in their taquitos. I guess the concept of rolled-up goodness can apply to a large number of ingredients.
- If you’re going to freeze taquitos, first let them cool completely. Then you can put them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When it comes time to reheat them, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in a hot skillet, but make sure it’s lightly greased with oil or cooking spray so that the crispness of those shells comes back.
- An air fryer is also a good tool for heating up your homemade taquitos.
4. Nutritional Facts About Taquitos
For the taquitos recipe outlined above:
|
Calories |
83 kcal |
|
Carbohydrates |
13g |
|
Protein |
5g |
|
Fat |
2g |
|
Saturated fat |
1g |
|
Cholesterol |
1mg |
|
Sodium |
1201mg |
|
Potassium |
247mg |
|
Fiber |
2g |
|
Sugar |
1g |
5. Tools You’ll Need to Make Taquitos
Here are a few kitchen tools that will come in handy when it comes to making taquitos.
Shredding meat with a couple of forks is often a cumbersome process. Why not make it quick, easy, and fun? These meat shredding claws will have you ripping through tender meat quickly and easily.
PROS:
- Very easy to clean, stain resistant.
- Made of hand-crafted premium SUS304 stainless steel.
- Features four 7.7 inch precisely tempered razor-sharp prongs per claw.
- Has an ergonomic handle, which makes using them very comfortable.
CONS:
- You might embarrass people around you if you use this to do an impression of a certain Marvel Comics superhero.
2. Food Tongs 9" | Scalloped Silicone Tips
You always need a good set of kitchen tongs, especially when you’re frying stuff. And if you’re going to be frying taquitos (which we heartily recommend), you could do a lot worse than this awesome 9” kitchen tong with scalloped silicone tips. Pick stuff up without worrying about tearing or damaging it!
PROS:
- Silicone tips for added protection.
- Their locking mechanism makes it easy to hold on to foods, and to store when not in use.
- This will give you a good amount of reach when you’re working the grill or over a hot skillet.
- They feel very comfortable, like a natural extension of your hands.
CONS:
- These tongs are 9”, which should be more than enough to make taquitos, but if you’re looking for larger ones you should check out the other models available here.
3. 10" Frying Pan & Skillet | Hammered Finish Black | Avalon Series
This gorgeous 10” skillet is the ultimate marriage of form and function. Not only is it built to last you a lifetime, it also looks incredible – check out its pitch-black finish and the hammering on the sides. You’ll be frying up taquitos on a kitchen tool fit to serve a king.
PROS:
- Made of 5-ply copper forged foundation, with additional layers of smudge-free aluminum and 18/10 stainless steel.
- Has amazing conductivity, heats 5x better than iron and 20x better than stainless steel.
- Because of its 2.5mm ultra strong thickness, it won’t dent or warp under prolonged heat.
- Looks absolutely gorgeous.
CONS:
- The hammered finish is not everyone’s cup of tea.
- At only 10”, it might not be quite what you’re looking for. You might be interested in a larger skillet. In which case…
4. 12" Frying Pan Wok | ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
If you’re feeling adventurous, you might make your taquitos in a wok pan rather than a traditional skillet. This works well, as the wok is perfectly suited for frying in oil.
PROS:
- Premium construction: 3-ply aluminum core with fused layers of non-reactive stainless steel, for added durability.
- Includes a thick, extra strong tempered glass lid which provides a window into the food you’re cooking.
- Features the world’s greatest PFOA and APEO-free nonstick coating, which maintains its nonstick properties 10x more than other premium nonstick brands.
- An absolutely gorgeous piece of cookware.
CONS:
- Keep in mind that this is a nonstick wok pan. Some traditionalists may turn their nose up at this, but it’s an incredible tool with a lot to offer.
- 12” is pretty big, and some home cooks might not need that much space. Ask yourself if this is what you’re looking for.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between tacos and taquitos?
Generally, taquitos are smaller than tacos and contain less filling. But more importantly, taquitos are rolled up. That’s why they are sometimes known as “rolled tacos.” This makes eating them a completely distinct experience from traditional tacos, even if they share many of the same ingredients.
What are taquitos made of?
Taquitos are usually made of corn tortillas and a filling that is a mix of some shredded meat (most often beef) and various other ingredients, such as vegetables and spices.
What's the difference between a taquito and a flautas?
Flautas and taquitos have a lot in common, as they are basically rolled-up versions of existing Mexican dishes. Flautas are much bigger than taquitos, consisting of a large, burrito-sized or quesadilla-sized flour tortilla, whereas taquitos are made with corn tortillas and are considerably smaller. You may checkout this Flautas recipe here.
Are taquitos the same as rolled tacos?
Taquitos are sometimes known as rolled tacos, yes. They are the same dish.
