Cheesy Beef Taquitos (Printable Version)
# What You’ll Need:
→ Taquitos
01 -
16 small corn tortillas, about 5-6 inches each
02 -
3 cups shredded Mexican-style beef
03 -
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
04 -
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
05 -
Cooking spray or vegetable oil for frying
06 -
Toothpicks to hold taquitos together
→ Beef preparation
07 -
1 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 7-8 chunks
08 -
1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil, like vegetable oil
09 -
1 tablespoon ground cumin
10 -
1 tablespoon chili powder
11 -
½ tablespoon garlic powder
12 -
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
13 -
½ tablespoon onion powder
14 -
1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt as an alternative)
15 -
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 -
1 teaspoon ground coriander
17 -
½ to 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle pepper powder
18 -
1 cup mild salsa (green or red)
19 -
1 cup low-sodium beef stock or broth
20 -
2 tablespoons lime juice
21 -
½ of a 4 oz can of mild green chilies, undrained
22 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste
23 -
1 tablespoon granulated beef bouillon or crumbled bouillon cube
24 -
2 tablespoons brown sugar
25 -
1-3 teaspoons liquid smoke for rich flavor
26 -
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
→ Serving options
27 -
Crunchy iceberg lettuce, shredded
28 -
Homemade pico de gallo or premade salsa
29 -
Creamy guacamole or store-bought varieties
30 -
Mexican crema, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
In a bowl, mix all of the spice rub ingredients. Dry the beef chunks with paper towels, coat them with the spice mix, and press to help it stick. Set leftover spices aside. Heat oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat, and brown the beef on all sides.
02 -
Move the browned beef into a slow cooker. Add in the leftover spices and all the other ingredients. Stir well, cover, and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW or 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours on HIGH. The beef should be tender enough to shred with forks. Remove excess fat, shred, and let it soak in the juices on LOW for another 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 -
Take six tortillas, wrap them in damp paper towels, and microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat with more batches until all the tortillas are soft and bendy.
04 -
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of shredded beef onto the lower part of each tortilla. Add 2 tablespoons of cheese over the beef, tightly roll it up, and secure it along the edge with a toothpick.
05 -
Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a skillet at around 350°F. Fry the taquitos seam-side down, flipping them occasionally, until all sides are golden and crispy (about 3-4 minutes). Let them cool slightly on paper towels.
06 -
For air fryers: Preheat to 400°F, lightly oil the taquitos, and cook for 6-8 minutes while turning them halfway through. For baking: Preheat oven to 425°F, place taquitos on a greased wire rack, and bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy.
07 -
Take out the toothpicks before serving. Pair with toppings like shredded lettuce, guacamole, or salsa, and dig in!
# Additional Notes:
01 -
To reheat, pop taquitos in an air fryer, oven, or skillet to crisp them up again.