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
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