Ground Beef Taquitos
Crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-delicious, these oven-baked Ground Beef Taquitos are simple to make and will quickly become a family favorite! Made with a handful of ingredients and coming together in less than an hour, ground beef taquitos are the perfect busy weeknight dinner!
Serve these Ground Beef Taquitos with my Mexican Street Corn Casserole, Cilantro Lime Rice, and top with my Pico de Gallo and Guacamole for a flavorful, hearty Mexican inspired meal.
Why This Recipe Works
Taquitos, or rolled tacos, are a traditional Mexican dish that are fried until crispy and golden brown. However, in this recipe, we’re putting a healthy spin on things and baking them!
Flour tortillas are filled with a simple, yet flavorful, creamy spiced ground beef mixture and topped with tangy sour cream, pico de gallo, and served with a side of guacamole and salsa. This easy-to-make recipe is absolutely delicious and the perfect meal for those busy weeknights when you want something delicious but are short on time.
And one thing is for sure; when you make this dish, it will quickly become a dinner that the whole family is going to love!
Ingredients
Ground beef: You can use a slightly hight fat ground beef (80/20) if you’d like, however I prefer a leaner beef (93/7). Ground turkey or chicken will also work if you prefer a leaner type of meat.
Cream cheese: Feel free to use full fat, reduced fat, or fat free versions of your favorite brand. Just be sure you are using cream cheese blocks and not a spread. Also allow cream cheese to come to room temperature so it’s easy to mix with the other ingredients.
Pepper jack and Colby jack cheese: I like the flavor of colby and pepper jack with a Mexican inspired flavor profile but use your favorite or what you have on hand. Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend tastes great too!
Green chiles: I prefer buying a small can of diced green chiles so I don’t have to chop up the chiles. If you want to amp up the spice add diced jalapeños to the mixture.
Flour tortillas: While this recipe calls for flour tortillas; corn, whole wheat, low-carb, or gluten-free work just as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.
- In a pan, over medium heat brown the meat with the onions, making sure to break the meat up into small pieces as it cooks. Cook meat until it is no longer pink.
- Transfer cooked ground beef and onion mixture to a medium bowl. To the bowl, add softened cream cheese, green chiles, Coly jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, and spices. Mix until combined.
- Fill tortillas with approximately 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Once filled, tightly roll the tortillas and place seam side down on a prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking oil and bake until crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite taco toppings!
Recipe Tips
Substitute ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork instead of ground beef.
If you’d prefer to make these vegetarian taquitos, simply swap out the beef for mashed sweet potato and black beans.
If your taquitos are not staying rolled, you can put a toothpick through the center to hold it together.
Shred your cheese at home from a block to ensure better melting.
Be sure your cream cheese is brought to room temperature prior to mixture. If it isn’t soft, it will not incorporate easily and filling will be chunky instead of the smooth consistency we are going for.
For added crispiness turn the oven to broil towards the end of the cooking period and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Storing
You can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To freeze, let taquitos completely cool then place the baking sheet in the freezer until completely frozen; usually about 8 hours. Once frozen, place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. Will keep 3-6 months in the freezer. When ready to eat, remove desired amount from the freezer, and place back in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until cooked all the way through being sure to flip halfway to ensure even reheating.
FAQs
You bet! To freeze, let taquitos completely cool then place the baking sheet in the freezer until completely frozen; usually about 8 hours. Once frozen, place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. Will keep 3-6 months in the freezer.
Of course! Prepare taquitos as listed. However; instead of placing it on a baking sheet, place it in a prepared basket. Lightly spray taquitos with cooking spray to help crisp them up and cook in the air fryer for 5-6 minutes at 400 degrees.
The major difference between the two is size. Traditionally flautas are long, thin, and made from flour burrito sized tortillas. Taquitos on the other hand, are smaller and rolled in regular or taco size flour tortillas. Additionally, taquitos are meant as a snack or appetizer versus a main dish.
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Taquitos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 small yellow onion - diced
- 8 oz cream cheese - softened
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese - shredded
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese - shredded (can also use cheddar cheese or Mexican blend)
- 4 oz diced green chiles - (1-4 oz can) don't drain
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 16 6 inch flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet, or line with parchment or aluminum foil. (makes for easy clean up).
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, brown the beef and onion together. Discard any excess fat that may have accumulated while browning the beef.
- Transfer the beef and onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, Colby jack cheese, diced green chiles, salt, pepper, and cumin to the bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add 2-3 T. of meat mixture to each flour tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down on a baking sheet.
- Lightly spray the tops of the taquitos with olive oil or avocado oil spray. (Not heavy handed… just a light mist).
- Bake for 18-25 minutes or until lightly crisp and golden brown on top. *
- Serve with salsa and a garnish of cilantro if desired.
Video
Notes
- You can turn the broiler on for a minute or two towards the end if you wish. This will help really crisp them up! However, pay close attention! They can burn fast! Don’t leave them unattended.
- Substitute ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork instead of ground beef for a leaner option.
- If you’d prefer to make these vegetarian, simply swap out the beef for mashed sweet potato and black beans.
- If your taquitos are not staying rolled, you can put a toothpick through the center to hold it together.
- Shred your cheese at home from a block to ensure better melting.
- Be sure your cream cheese is brought to room temperature prior to mixture. If it isn’t soft, it will not incorporate easily and filling will be chunky instead of the smooth consistency we are going for
This recipe was first published September 4, 2018. It was republished August 29, 2021 with additional information.
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