These crispy Homemade Taquitos (Rolled Tacos) are made with seasoned shredded beef (or substitute chicken or pork), corn tortillas and all of the best toppings. They can be baked or fried and are sure to be your new favorite recipe!
My love for good, authentic Mexican food is not a secret, and I’ve shared all of my tried and tested recipes with you all! Some of my personal favorites include Chile Verde , homemade Tamales, and the most amazing Tres Leches cake!
We are surrounded by so much amazing, authentic Mexican food here in Arizona that it has become it’s own food group in my diet! I am particularly in love with taquitos (often called rolled tacos). They are authentically served with guacamole and melted cheese on top, sometimes finely chopped lettuce and a drizzle of sour cream as well. And don’t forget a side of hot sauce or salsa!
How to make taquitos:
Cook the Meat. You can cook the meat in a slow cooker or instant pot. I like beef taquitos best, but you could also fill them with shredded chicken, or pork, instead of beef.
- For Slow Cooker taquitos: Season the roast with salt and pepper. Add chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onion, beef broth and salsa. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily.
- For Instant pot taquitos: Season the roast with salt and pepper. Cut it into four large pieces and place in the Instant Pot. Add chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onion, beef broth and salsa. Cook on manual/high pressure for 50 minutes. When timer beeps allow the pressure to naturally release before removing the lid (about 15-20 minutes).
Shred the meat. Remove the meat to a plate and shred with forks. Discard any large pieces of fat. Return to the pot to keep warm.
Warm the tortillas: Heat a non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Cook tortillas for about 15 – 30 seconds on each side until soft and pliable. Remove tortillas to a plate covered with tinfoil to keep them warm and pliable.
Fill tortillas with meat. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into a line at one end of a tortilla and tightly roll it up. Use half of a toothpick to secure it.
Fry or Bake Taquitos:
- For Fried Taquitos:
Add about 1 ½ inches of oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot (the tortillas should sizzle immediately when you put them in), fry the rolled tacos in small batches, for a few seconds on each side, rotating them as they cook, until they are golden and crispy on all sides. Place them on a paper towel lined plate.
- For Baked Taquitos:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray or brush them lightly with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the shells are crispy.
Serve with guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream. The toppings are the best part, and an easy way to make the plate look beautiful!
To Freeze Taquitos:
Allow them to cool completely , then store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a hot skillet, lightly greased with cooking spray to help crisp the shells again.
Serve Taquitos with:
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Recipe
Homemade Taquitos
Ingredients
- 1 2.5-4lb beef chuck roast *
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 14 oz can beef broth
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbsp cumin
- 1 teaspoon dry minced onion powder
- 20 corn tortillas
- Oil for frying
- toothpicks
For serving:
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Shredded cheese
Instructions
- For the Slow Cooker: Season roast with salt and pepper. Add chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onion, beef broth and salsa. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily.
- Remove roast to a plate and shred the meat. Discard any large pieces of fat. Return to the pot to keep warm.
- For the Instant Pot: Season roast with salt and pepper. Cut it into four large pieces and place in instant pot. Add chili powder, garlic, cumin, minced onion, beef broth and salsa. Cook on manual/high pressure for 50 minutes. When timer beeps allow the pressure to naturally release before removing the lid (about 15-20 minutes).
- Remove roast to a plate and shred the meat. Discard any large pieces of fat. Return to the pot to keep warm.
- Assembly:
- If frying, add about 1 ½ inches of oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high.
- Drain beef and set aside. Heat a non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Cook tortillas for about 15 - 30 seconds on each side until soft and pliable. Remove tortillas to a plate covered with tinfoil to keep them warm and pliable.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into a line at one end of a tortilla and tightly roll it up. Use a toothpick to secure it.
- Fried Taquitos:
- Your oil should be hot (the tortillas should sizzle immediately when you put them in).
- Fry the rolled tacos in small batches, for a few seconds on each side, rotating them as they cook, until they are golden and crispy on all sides. Place them on a paper towel lined plate.
- Baked Taquitos:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the tops of the tacos with cooking spray , or brush them lightly with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the shells are crispy.
- Serve taquitos with guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Notes
Allow the taquitos to cool completely , then store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a hot skillet, lightly greased with cooking spray to help crisp the shells again.
Nutrition
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Excellent. It had great beef taquito flavor. Instead of deep frying or oven baking, I air fried the taquitos about 14 minutes at 375 and it worked out great. Can’t wait to make these again, and I may make the beef for regular tacos. Thanks for the recipe
We cooked about a 5 pound pot roast using you instructions and we could hardly keep the family out of the meat before making taquitos. Excellent, yummy recipe. We have previously used canned meat with cilantro. Just not the same as homemade…thank you!
Do you think an air fryer can be used?
Made these tonight for dinner and hubby couldn’t stop saying how delicious they were. Used prepared shredded beef from Del Real. I will definitely be making these again!!
I did corn tortillas pan warmed them first but u can microwave ) it took me about 30 mins to crispify these bad boys
The beef taquitos were great! The second time around my family wanted me to try chicken inn flour tortillas. I made them with 8″ tortillas. I also filled them with chicken(cooked in a crock pot with the same spices substituting beef for chicken broth), 2 c. cheese and 1c. Mild green chili’s. This made about 30.
There was this restaurant years ago, Garcia’s of Scottsdale. They made this really great dip for tacqitos that I use all the time. Mix 8oz cream cheese, 8oz sour cream, 1 cube chicken bouillon and 2 oz of green chili’s. Let sit in the refrigerator for 20 min. enjoy! My measurements maybe a little off, I cook by eye balling it.
How do you keep the corn tortillas from cracking/breaking apart? Mine would not roll up.
Warm them in a hot, dry pan for a few seconds on each side before adding the meat.
I cook my tortillas in oil for a short time to soften then roll and bake
Have you tried these in an air fryer?
Can I use flour tortillas? Has anyone tried it?
You can, but those are called flautas!
Lauren I am wondering, If I make the Taquitos ahead of time do I need to cook them half way or can I freeze them fresh, and then deep fry them straight from the freezer like I do Raviolis ?
To freeze: Make the filling as instructed and roll up in tortillas. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until warmed through and crisp on the outside.
Can you make the meat the day before
Yup, doesn’t even have to be warm
What could be subsituted for the salsa?
You can simply leave it out!
Easy recipe. They were delicious. Fried them in oil and they turned out super crispy. I will make it again but bake them. Fewer calories?😃
Yummy
My mother used our leftover pot roast meat to make these when I was a kid. These bring back so many memories……
What’s the best crumbled cheese to use with this recipe? I really want to try this recipe, I miss the little Mexican restaurant I got these from before, but no matter what cheese I try I can’t seem to find what they were using for the taquitos 😔
Cotija or queso fresco. Enjoy!
Would this be good with salsa verde, too? Or is it better to stick with a red salsa?
Absolutely, that would be delicious.
Can this recipe be made in a Dutch oven?
Yes, cook at 300 degrees F for 3-4 hours until tender.
This recipe was VERY good. I did have to do a bit of adjustment but other than that these were a hit! Btw not to be a Debbie downer BUT tres leche isn’t authentic Mexican just that they tend to make it a lot for their parties. ❤
I made these last night for my family and my pickiest eater was so happy to get the leftovers today for lunch.
They where good we had to modify the repice a little due to no ingredientsbut was good any way I say it was the best even though it’s my first
Since I frequently cook for vegetarian or pescatarian palates, I fill with potato or black beans and corn, properly seasoned, of course. Glad to find a recipe with an option for baking them. So much more appealing to finicky eaters.
My mother-in-law taught me how to make flautas, and these are basically the same thing. They are easy to make, delicious, and the fact that you can easily freeze them for later makes them so much better!
These turned out amazing! I was so intimidated by this recipe for some reason, but it’s simple and delicious. Definitely a keeper! Best taquito recipe I’ve found.