Beef Taquitos (Baked or Fried)

🥄 Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 1/4 medium onion, (diced)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (minced (optional))
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup water
• 18 corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• oil ((about 2-3 cups for frying or 1-2 tablespoons for baking))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened.

2. 2

   Add ground beef and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.

3. 3

   Add tomato paste, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and water. Stir to combine and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. 4

   Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, flipping the tortillas halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable. Place them in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm during assembly.

5. 5

   Place a heaping spoonful of the ground beef mixture and a pinch of shredded cheese onto each tortilla. Tightly roll up each tortilla and secure it closed by threading a toothpick along the seam (see photo in blog post).

6. 6

   To fry the taquitos: Pour enough oil into the bottom of a deep skillet or frying pan so that the oil reaches halfway up the taquitos. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (To test, drop a small piece of tortilla in the oil. If it sizzles, it's ready.) Cooking in batches, add 3-4 taquitos and fry for about 1 1/2-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer taquitos to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.

7. 7

   To bake the taquitos: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the taquitos on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Lightly brush or spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they're crispy and golden brown.

8. 8

   Remove the toothpicks from the taquitos and serve with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, mexican crema and guacamole.

📊 Nutrition (per serving)

Nutritional values are estimates from the original source.