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    Home » Mexican Food Recipes

    Beef Taquitos

    Published: Aug 19, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    dipping taquito into guacamole, with text overlay.

    Shredded Beef Taquitos are simple to make and such a crowd-pleaser. With a tender shredded beef and crunchy corn tortilla shell, these baked taquitos are perfect for dipping into salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

    Serve these easy rolled tacos alongside Homemade Refried Beans and Mexican Rice for the ultimate homemade meal that’s sure to please everyone at the table. For bonus points, include some Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip.

    hand dipping beef taquito into guacamole next to sour cream cup and more taquitos. this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • More Great Mexican Recipes to Make
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Beef Taquitos

    Growing up in Southern California, I had fairly easy access to great Mexican food. When I was little, before widespread drive-thru restaurants, there was a little taco stand in our town called Hi-Chic that served taquitos. I loved ordering two taquitos and a side of their very cold, probably had been frozen, guacamole. So good!

    Hi-Chic is no longer in business, but that’s okay. Especially when I can make my own Beef Taquitos at home.

    Why Make This

    They’re so good! Seriously, it will be hard to eat just one of these tasty Beef Taquitos, so be sure to make an extra batch of this beef taquitos recipe or to freeze some for later.

    They’re better than most you can buy. It’s rare to get freshly made taquitos, even at a taco stand, because they’re easy to freeze. These are so good and so fresh. You’ll be dining in from now on!

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade Beef Taquitos:

    ingredients for beef taquitos.

    corn tortillas – To make your taquitos gluten free, be sure to use corn tortillas. These some in a few different sizes, so keep in mind that the recipe yield may vary depending on what size tortillas you use.

    oil – You’ll need to soften the tortillas in hot vegetable oil. I like to use avocado oil, but you can use whatever oil you normally use.

    shredded beef filling – This beef filling is easily cooked in the slow cooker or instant pot, made with chuck roast, onion, chili powder, and chopped green chiles.

    Variations

    These are pretty simple and straight forward beef taquitos, but if you like, you can change things up in a number of ways:

    • Use flour tortillas instead of corn.
    • Substitute browned lean ground beef for the shredded in the filling for ground beef taquitos.
    • For cheesy beef taquitos, add shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese to the filling.
    • If you’d like to make meatless taquitos, you can substitute refried beans and shredded cheese for the Mexican shredded beef filling.
    • Be sure to try our Chicken Flautas for a fun option, too.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    letting one tortilla drip oil back into the pan while the next one is frying.
    fried tortillas in glass baking dish.
    six tortillas laid out on a white board.
    beef filling laid down the center of six tortillas on a white board.
    1. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Using tongs, fry tortillas in hot oil until softened. Drain on paper toweling.
    2. Assemble the taquitos by rolling about 1-2 Tablespoons of filling tightly into each tortilla. Secure with a toothpick and set on a baking sheet.
    3. Preheat the oven to 475°. Bake for about 10-20 minutes, turning at least once, until golden brown.
    4. Remove toothpicks. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
    rolling taquitos with beef filling and securing with toothpicks.
    rolled taquitos on a tray.
    baked taquitos on baking sheet.

    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. reheat them in the oven or air fryer.

    To freeze: Once the taquitos are rolled, place the tray in the freezer and flash freeze until firm, but not so firm that you can’t remove the toothpick. If the toothpick gets stuck, that’s fine, but you won’t be able to store them as compactly in your freezer container. Once frozen, remove the toothpicks and pack into freezer containers and store in the freezer.

    To bake from frozen: place taquitos seam side down on tray and bake at 475° for up to 25 minutes. Check for crispness.

    FAQs

    What are beef taquitos?

    A taquito is a rolled taco, also called flauta that is a rolled tortilla filled with meat, cheese, or beans and then fried crisp.

    Are beef taquitos gluten free?

    Beef taquitos are naturally gluten free if you use corn tortillas.

    What do you dip beef taquitos into?

    You can dip them in sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.

    basket of beef taquitos with cups of sour cream and guacamole.

    More Great Mexican Recipes to Make

    Love Mexican food? Be sure to check out these winning recipes:

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      60+ Budget-Friendly Mexican Dinner Ideas
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    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    dipping beef taquito into cup of guacamole.
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    5 from 2 votes

    Beef Taquitos

    While they may take a little advance preparation, homemade beef taquitos are an amazing meal! They taste so much fresher than what you buy at the taco stand and cost less, too!
    Prep Time25 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 48kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • toothpicks

    Ingredients

    • 2 dozen corn tortillas
    • oil for frying the tortillas
    • 2 cup shredded beef filling

    Instructions

    • In medium skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Using tongs, fry tortillas in hot oil until softened. Drain on paper toweling.
    • Assemble taquitos by rolling about 1-2 Tablespoons of filling tightly into each tortilla. Secure with a toothpick and set on a tray.
    • If freezing, flash freeze until firm, but not so firm that you can’t remove the toothpick. If the toothpick gets stuck, that’s fine, but you won’t be able to store them as compactly in your freezer container. Once frozen, pack into freezer containers and store in the freezer.
    • If baking right away, leave the toothpicks in, and pop into a preheated 475° oven. Bake for about 10-20 minutes, turning at least once.
    • If baking from frozen, place taquitos seam side down on tray and bake at 475° for up to 25 minutes. Check for crispness.
    • Remove toothpicks. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

    Notes

    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
    Nutritional values are approximate and do not account for frying oil. 
    Variations: You can swap out the shredded beef filling for other fillings, such as refried beans, shredded chicken, or pulled pork.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.04g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.001g | Vitamin A: 0.002IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tell us what you think!Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on August 20, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « Can You Freeze Pesto?
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. KathyJ

      October 08, 2022 at 10:36 am

      5 stars
      My Mexican neighbor makes these all the time with chicken, but calls them flautas.
      Instead of toothpicks she makes a paste of flour and water to seal the roll ups.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 08, 2022 at 11:43 am

        Thanks for the tip!

        Reply
    2. Dennise

      August 04, 2015 at 7:58 am

      Has anyone microwaved these from frozen? Should I bake them first then freeze?
      I’ve been buying frozen ones for my son to heat and eat for snacks. I doubt he will want to wait the 25+min needed to heat oven and bake ?

      Reply
    3. Lisa Jennings

      March 17, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      So much for the perfect “in memory” meal for our daughter who passed away unexpectedly 6 years ago 3 weeks before her due date. After how the rest of today has gone with one disaster after another I should have known dinner would turn out the same. Baking these from frozen was a complete fail. We have an oven thermometer so I know it was not the oven getting too hot.I checked at the 10 minute mark and several had unrolled. All of them were quite dark and the meat was not fully heated through in some. Going to salvage what we can and hubby is heating more at a lower temp. They too are coming unrolled even though they are seam side down.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        March 17, 2015 at 7:38 pm

        Lisa, I’m so sorry they didn’t work out for you. Usually, I can’t get the toothpick out once frozen, so I often bake with the toothpicks in.

        More importantly, I’m sorry for your loss. I lost three babies. It’s very hard. I hope that the evening ends better after what sounds like a very hard day.

        Reply
    4. Holly

      January 13, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      Have you ever made these with chicken and flour tortillas? That’s our preference, and I’d love to make them homemade!

      Reply
      • Jessica

        January 15, 2013 at 9:09 pm

        @Holly, yes, you can do that. Just watch the baking time in case they brown more quickly than corn.

        Reply
    5. Kelly

      May 07, 2012 at 4:50 pm

      Well, I didn’t follow your recipe, but I did follow the method! I used ground turkey seasoned with my taco seasoning inside. They turned out just crispy enough! They taste so much like the taquitos we got out of the freezer case as a kid, but I actually know what’s in them and can make them as healthy as I want! I’m going to try freezing them next time I make a batch!

      Reply
      • Jessica

        May 08, 2012 at 7:13 am

        @Kelly, so glad you enjoyed them, even if your filling was different.

        Reply
    6. Nicole

      February 10, 2012 at 10:20 am

      I made these for dinner last night & froze some too. They were a hit w/ all but a certain 7 yr old. Yummy!

      Reply
    7. Kristen

      January 17, 2011 at 9:34 pm

      ok, thanks! always like to use olive oil for health benefits, but haven’t ever fried in it.

      Reply
    8. Kristen

      January 16, 2011 at 9:45 pm

      hi there…love this recipe! just wondering what kind of oil you used to fry the corn torillas? thanks!

      Reply
      • Jessica

        January 17, 2011 at 5:04 pm

        I use whatever I have: peanut, olive, or canola.

        Reply
    9. Malisa

      September 07, 2010 at 8:59 pm

      Hi Jessica,
      I was wondering how to prevent the corn tortillas from breaking apart? I followed your recipe for the crockpot shredded beef and then this recipe for the inside of the taquitos, when I started rolling the tortillas, they crumbled. I didn’t think I had to fry them…was this the problem? Thank you in advance for your help! I love both of your sites.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        September 07, 2010 at 9:25 pm

        Yes, you have to soften them in hot oil. Corn tortillas are very unforgiving.

        Reply
      • Brad

        June 16, 2018 at 7:44 pm

        You microwave them just like flour tortillas. Try a minute for a dozen.

        Reply
    10. Sharon @ UnfinishedMom

      August 24, 2010 at 6:40 am

      Finally! Yeah. I’ve been waiting for your taquito recipe for a long time. I’m so glad you’ve finally perfected it. Thank you. I can’t wait till chuck roast goes on sale again and I can make some.

      Reply
    11. Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

      August 22, 2010 at 7:31 pm

      Oh, these are so cute! They are SO fattening in restaurants or in the frozen food aisle but these look SO much better! Thanks!

      Reply
    12. AllieZirkle

      August 20, 2010 at 1:13 pm

      Yay! The taquito post I’ve been waiting for!!! We regularly have corn tortillas on hand that go to waste. I’m looking forward to trying this out. I always warmed the tortillas on the grill, but I never thought to fry them. Perfect!

      Reply
    13. Emily

      August 20, 2010 at 11:42 am

      I was just looking on your site for a taquito recipe the other day and was disappointed not to find one, so thanks for posting! can’t wait to try them! 🙂

      Reply
    14. Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect

      August 20, 2010 at 7:06 am

      I don’t have a special taquito memory. Actually, they usually seem too bland to me. That’s why I love that you added green chilies to yours! I may have to try this out! Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    15. Tracy Martin

      August 20, 2010 at 6:49 am

      Ever since you posted about your geezers cooking I’ve been dreaming of taquitos! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Tracy Martin

        August 20, 2010 at 6:51 am

        Haha, “geezers cooking” funny typo!!! Freezer cooking!!!

        Reply
        • Jessica

          August 20, 2010 at 2:17 pm

          well, I didn’t catch that one! That’s what you get for typing with a toddler on your lap.

    16. Nancy

      August 20, 2010 at 6:19 am

      My youngest daughter loves taquitos. She would always request them while we were shopping the frozen aisle. Very, very rarely did I buy them but she had a friend whose mother always had them in the freezer. Can you guess what the meal of choice was when she was at their house? Anyway, I eventually found a recipe I liked for homemade taquitos. Now that is the variety she prefers! Like you, I make a big batch and freeze them. They’re great for an easy lunch or a quick dinner when she’s on her own.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        August 20, 2010 at 8:06 am

        I would love to see your recipe!

        Reply
        • Nancy

          August 24, 2010 at 11:06 am

          i’ll email it to you later this week.

        • Cindy

          April 18, 2012 at 12:36 pm

          @Jessica,

          I’d like to see your recipe too! I love taquitos!

    17. Susan

      August 20, 2010 at 4:00 am

      This is going on next week’s meal plan – thanks!

      Reply

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