Taquitos are such a fun food to eat. They’re like a taco rolled into a tube that’s crispy, delicious, and easy to dip. This makes them a perfect appetizer, party food, and regular meal. Once you make these homemade beef taquitos in the air fryer they’ll be a regular in your rotation.
Taquitos are such a versatile dish to make, because you can stuff them with a variety of fillings to suit any crowd.
I’m making ground beef based taquitos today, but you can use steak, carnitas, chicken, beans, or really anything else you can think of as your base.
Throw in some veggies like onions, peppers, corn, and season them up to make the perfect delicious bite.
While you need to do a little prep and rolling, they cook up in the air fryer in only about 10 minutes! I like to make and roll them ahead of time and then heat them up when I’m ready for a quick and easy meal.
You can also use low carb or flour corn mix tortillas. I don’t recommend full corn, as store bought ones always tend to split when rolling. You can also use different sizes, you’ll just need to adjust the quantity to fit the amount of filling (and using burrito or quesadilla sized tortillas technically makes it a flauta instead)
Low sodium and homemade taco seasoning is also fine in place of a regular packet
I recommend 80/20 or leaner ground beef, or you can swap in steak or shredded beef as well if preferred
The yellow onion can be substituted by a white, sweet, or red onion
In place of the poblano pepper feel free to use a cubanelle (actually what I have today since my store was out), a jalapeno, or something similar
If you don’t like pepper jack, use Monterey jack, colby jack, or a Mexican cheese blend
Serving suggestions include: chipotle sauce, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges
How to Make Homemade Beef Taquitos in the Air Fryer
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
Add the diced onion and pepper, and cook until they soften slightly, 3-5 minutes
Push the onions and peppers to the perimeter of your pan, then add the ground beef to the middle
Cook until the beef browns and you can break it apart easily, draining excess grease if needed
Add in the taco seasoning and water, and cook, continuing to break up the meat, until mixture thickens and beef is fully cooked
Remove pan from heat and add the pepper jack cheese, stirring until it’s melted
On a tortilla, place about 2 Tbsp of the beef mixture on the bottom third of the tortilla
Fold the end closest to the filling over the filling, then continue to roll tightly until it forms a tube
Repeat until all tortillas are rolled and all filling is used
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (or 380°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
Place rolled taquitos into the preheated air fryer basket seam side down in a single layer
Spray the tops of the taquitos with oil spray
Cook on the air fry setting for 5 minutes at 375°F, then flip, reapply oil, and cook an additional 3-5 more minutes until taquitos are browned and crispy
Serve with your favorite toppings and sides
What to Serve With Beef Taquitos
Sour cream
Mexican crema
Salsa
Pico de gallo
Salsa verde
Cilantro
Lime wedges
Chipotle sauce
Avocado ranch
Hot sauce
Queso
Guacamole
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Cilantro
Beans
Rice
Nachos
Sweet potato fries
Street corn
There are so many great sides, sauces, and toppings to serve alongside your beef taquitos for the perfect meal!
You cook homemade taquitos in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes on average.
This is actually slightly longer than frozen, because homemade taquitos are never rolled as tightly and are therefore thicker, requiring more time to heat through.
Should Taquitos Be Soft or Crunchy?
Traditionally, taquitos are crunchy. This is achieved by deep frying, air frying, or even baking them.
The crunchy texture is the same whether using corn or flour tortillas.
Why Are My Taquitos Not Crispy?
If your taquitos are not crispy, then you generally have not cooked them long enough. If possible, put them back in and cook for a few extra minutes.
Also ensure that you’ve only misted them with oil and not saturated them, and make sure to drain grease from any meat that goes inside to prevent it becoming soggy.
How Do You Know When Taquitos Are Done?
Taquitos are done when the shell is browned and crisp, and the internal filling reaches 165°F.
If your filling has no meat, such as beans, vegetables, or cheese, then 135°F should be a sufficient internal temperature.
Are Taquitos Just Rolled Tacos?
In terms of flavor, yes, taquitos are generally associated with that of a taco.
However, only the meat, cheese, and seasonings go inside. Other toppings such as salsa, lettuce, or sour cream would be added afterwards.
Do You Have to Flip Taquitos?
You don’t have to flip taquitos, but it is recommended. The flipping process helps to ensure even browning and prevents the filling from creating wet spots on the bottom side.
It is more important to flip in the air fryer versus the oven or deep fryer.
Do You Dip Taquitos in Anything?
You don’t have to dip taquitos in anything, but you certainly can if you’d like. Typical dips are queso, sour cream, salsa, or crema.
However, you can use a variety of sauces and salsas that you like. If it would go well with a taco, it would go well with a taquito.
Recipe Pro Tips
A pair of kitchen tongs will make your life easier when it comes to flipping the taquitos. However, you can also use a fork to gently move them
If you’re having problems with the taquitos staying closed after rolling, you can secure them with a toothpick (toothpicks are safe in the air fryer). Make sure to remove them before serving though!
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your taquitos in batches. I can fit 8 at a time in an 8-qt Ninja Dual Zone air fryer
My taquitos were perfectly crispy and browned after 9 minutes total cooking time. Other air fryers may vary slightly
I precook my filling so I can soften my veggies and remove grease ahead of time. However, if you don’t have a stove you can put the filling in raw. Increase cooking time to 12-15 minutes. It’s not quite the same but works in a pinch!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover taquitos in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zippered bag. Consume within 5 days, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months
Reheat taquitos in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F or until warmed through. They may also be reheated in a conventional oven for about 15 minutes at 350°F or in the microwave for 1 minute on high (but they will not be as crispy)
This homemade beef taquitos air fryer recipe delivers crispy, cheesy, and delicious taquitos in under 10 minutes.
While there is some prior prep work involved before the air fryer cooking, you can always do that part in advance to make things easier.
Taquitos also freeze and reheat well, making them ideal for meal prep, busy nights, gifted meals, and portioning for one. In other words, everyone will love them!
While these beef taquitos are great, feel free to change things up with chicken, beans, and other types of proteins to suit your dietary needs or preferences.
These homemade beef taquitos in the air fryer come out crispy, browned, and delicious. They’re perfect for an appetizer or meal when paired with sides.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
1 Tbsp olive oil
Add the diced onion and pepper, and cook until they soften slightly, 3-5 minutes
½ Medium yellow onion, 1 Poblano pepper
Push the onions and peppers to the perimeter of your pan, then add the ground beef to the middle
1 Pound ground beef
Cook until the beef browns and you can break it apart easily, draining excess grease if needed
Add in the taco seasoning and water, and cook, continuing to break up the meat, until mixture thickens and beef is fully cooked
1 Ounce package taco seasoning, ⅛ Cup water
Remove pan from heat and add the pepper jack cheese, stirring until it’s melted
1 ½ Cups shredded pepper jack cheese
On a tortilla, place about 2 Tbsp of the beef mixture on the bottom third of the tortilla
18 Fajita flour tortillas
Fold the end closest to the filling over the filling, then continue to roll tightly until it forms a tube
Repeat until all tortillas are rolled and all filling is used
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (or 380°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
Place rolled taquitos into the preheated air fryer basket seam side down in a single layer
Spray the tops of the taquitos with oil spray
Oil spray mist
Cook on the air fry setting for 5 minutes at 375°F, then flip, reapply oil, and cook an additional 3-5 more minutes until taquitos are browned and crispy
Serve with your favorite toppings and sides
Notes
You can also use low carb or flour corn mix tortillas. I don’t recommend full corn, as store bought ones always tend to split when rolling. You can also use different sizes (though using burrito or quesadilla sized tortillas technically makes it a flauta instead), you’ll just need to adjust the quantity to fit the amount of filling
Low sodium and homemade taco seasoning is also fine in place of a regular packet
I recommend 80/20 or leaner ground beef, or you can swap in steak or shredded beef as well if preferred
The yellow onion can be substituted by a white, sweet, or red onion
In place of the poblano pepper feel free to use a cubanelle (actually what I have here since my store was out), a jalapeno, or something similar
If you don’t like pepper jack, use Monterey jack, colby jack, or a Mexican cheese blend
Serving suggestions include: chipotle sauce (pictured), sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, avocado ranch sauce (pictured), pickled jalapenos, crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese (pictured), cilantro (pictured), and lime wedges
A pair of kitchen tongs will make your life easier when it comes to flipping the taquitos. However, you can also use a fork to gently move them
If you’re having problems with the taquitos staying closed after rolling, you can secure them with a toothpick (toothpicks are safe in the air fryer). Make sure to remove them before serving though!
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your taquitos in batches. I can fit 8 at a time in an 8-qt Ninja Dual Zone air fryer
My taquitos were perfectly crispy and browned after 9 minutes total cooking time. Other air fryers may vary slightly
Store leftover taquitos in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zippered bag. Consume within 5 days, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months
Reheat taquitos in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F or until warmed through. They may also be reheated in a conventional oven for about 15 minutes at 350°F or in the microwave for 1 minute on high (but they will not be as crispy)
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Keyword air fryer taquitos beef, air fryer taquitos homemade, beef and cheese taquitos air fryer, beef taquitos air fryer, beef taquitos recipe, crispy air fryer beef taquitos, ground beef taquitos air fryer, homemade beef taquitos air fryer, taquitos, taquitos in air fryer
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
