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Shredded Beef Taquitos

Shredded beef taquitos are crispy golden fried rolls filled with tender beef, cheddar, onion, cilantro, and salsa. Frying at 350°F gives a crunchy exterior while the filling stays savory and juicy.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Taquito filling and assembly
  • 2 cup shredded beef
  • 0.5 cup diced onion
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tbsp salsa
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Taquitos
  • 12 small flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Frying and serving
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 Sour cream and salsa for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the beef filling
  1. Combine the shredded beef, diced onion, chopped cilantro, salsa, and salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly mixed.
Assemble the taquitos
  1. Lay out the small flour tortillas and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture onto the center of each.
  2. Add shredded cheddar cheese on top of the beef in each tortilla so the filling stays inside the roll.
  3. Roll each tortilla tightly around the filling, placing the seam side down, and secure with a toothpick if needed.
Fry until crispy
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F.
  2. Fry the taquitos in batches at 350°F for about 2 minutes per side, until golden and crispy with crisp edges.
  3. Transfer the fried taquitos to paper towels to drain and briefly cool so they stay crunchy.
Serve
  1. Serve the taquitos warm with sour cream and additional salsa on the side for dipping.

Notes

For the crispiest taquitos, keep the oil at a steady 350°F and don’t overcrowd the Dutch oven—batch fry to prevent the temperature from dropping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat on a sheet pan in a 425°F oven until hot and re-crisped. Freezing isn’t recommended because fried shells can soften after thawing. If you want a lighter version, use low-fat cheddar and consider baking instead of deep-frying for a less crunchy result.