Beef and Cheese Taquitos

These Beef and Cheese Taquitos are 10x better than the store bought ones! They’re packed with flavor and will become a new family favorite.

We love “Taco Tuesday” over here and I am always looking for ways to switch things up! Well, I am excited to share this amazing recipe with you guys to add to your weekly taco rotation. Imagine flour tortillas stuffed with juicy, fork tender shredded beef slow cooked in the crockpot with a variety of seasonings, shredded cheese, rolled up and pan fried to golden, crispy perfection.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• The Taquitos can be air fried, pan fried or baked in the oven.
• Once the beef is cooked, the taquitos are very easy to make. All you have to do is layer the tortillas with shredded beef and cheese, roll and fry and boom that’s it!
• This is a great game day meal.
• The shredded beef can be prepared ahead of time.
• These Beef and Cheese taquitos can be stuffed with pretty much any protein you’d like if you’re not a huge fan of beef or you can skip the protein all together and stuff with beans, cheese and veggies. You can also swap the corn tortillas for flour tortillas.

FAQS

WHAT ARE TAQUITOS?

Taquitos are a favorite Mexican dish that can be made as an appetizer, snack or main meal for dinner. Fill a small flour or corn tortilla with meat and cheese then tightly roll it up. Once it is rolled up, it is traditionally deep fried but they can be baked too.

WHAT CUT OF BEEF SHOULD I USE?

The best cut of meat for beef taquitos is chuck roast! You can use other cuts of meat instead of chuck roast as long as they are cooked long enough such as rump roast or round roast. Make a note that whatever cut of meat you decide to use has rich marbling, more fat=more flavor and tenderness. Keep in mind that because these cuts of meat are already leaner than chuck roast they won’t be as juicy and flavorful.

CAN I BAKE THE TAQUITOS INSTEAD OF FRYING?

Yes, feel free to brush the rolled Taquitos with canola oil and bake on a sheet tray sprayed with nonstick spray on 365F for about 8-10 minutes. Do not seal the taquitos with toothpicks if you will be baking them instead of frying. Be sure to check halfway through so you do not burn your taquitos.

CAN I USE CORN TORTILLAS?

Yes, you can use corn tortillas for this recipe if you’d like, but I recommend against it because corn tortillas don’t hold their shape very well and will tear/ fall apart once stuffed, rolled and fried. And they honestly won’t crisp up like the flour tortillas. 

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes! You can actually prepare the shredded beef mixture and fill the taquitos, roll them up and store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 day before frying them. 

HOW DO I STORE THESE TAQUITOS?

Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

MORE MEXICAN RECIPES!

• Baked Chicken Burritos
• Mexican Inspired Rice
• Pulled Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
• Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa

Questions about these Beef and Cheese? Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments below! Tag me #chefelizabethreese on Instagram, I’d love to see your creations!

Beef and Cheese Taquitos

These Beef and Cheese Taquitos are 10x better than the store bought ones! They’re packed with flavor and will become a new family favorite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 6 hrs

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

For Taquitos

• 2½ lbs Beef Chuck Roast, Trimmed of Excess Fat
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil for searing and coating the beef
• ½ Cup Canola Oil for Frying the Taquitos
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, as needed
• 14oz Can Green Chilies, Do not drain
• 1 lb Shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese
• 12-15 Medium Flour Tortillas
• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 2 Cups Beef Broth, Low Sodium
• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• Toothpicks
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo

Toppings for Serving

• Pico de Gallo
• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Chipotle Sauce
• Cotija Cheese
• Shredded Lettuce

Instructions

 

• Cut the beef into large pieces. Pat the beef dry and coat in about 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Generously season all sides with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef in an even layer and sear on all sides until golden brown (you don’t need to worry about cooking through). Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat with remaining beef. Do not overcrowd the pan.
• In a crock pot add the beef broth, green chilies, adobo peppers, lime juice, liquid smoke and tomato paste. Mix well. 
• Add the meat to the crock-pot and cover. Cook on high for about 4-6 hours until the meat is nice and fork tender. 
• Once the beef is cooked and tender, transfer the cooked beef to a large wood cutting board and shred with two forks.
• To assemble the taquitos, lay a few tortillas on a separate cutting board and fill each of them with about 1/4 cup of the shredded beef and sprinkle with some of the shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas up tightly and secure the end with a toothpick inserted into the seam.
• Pour enough oil in the frying pan or deep pot to cover 1/2 inch, or enough oil to reach halfway up the sides of the tortillas when frying. Heat the oil to about 350°F, use a candy thermometer to measure the oil without touching the bottom of the pan. If you don't have a thermometer, test the oil temperature by dropping a piece of the tortilla into the oil. If it sizzles it should be hot enough.
• Add the filled tortillas to the hot oil and cook in batches so that you don’t crowd the pan. Fry each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate or cutting board lined with paper towels.
• Remove the toothpicks from the taquitos and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!