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Shredded Beef Taquitos

Shredded beef taquitos with crispy golden fried tortillas and a tender beef-cheese filling. Each roll is fried at 350°F until crunchy, then served warm with cool sour cream and salsa.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Filling
  • 2 cup shredded beef
  • 0.5 cup diced onion
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tbsp salsa
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
Taquitos
  • 12 small flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Serving
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 salsa additional for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the shredded beef filling
  1. Combine shredded beef, diced onion, cilantro, salsa, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly mixed and well coated.
  2. Taste the mixture and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed for a balanced filling.
Assemble the taquitos
  1. Lay out the tortillas and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture into the center of each tortilla.
  2. Add a small handful of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the beef mixture in each tortilla.
  3. Roll the tortillas tightly into cylinders with the seam on the bottom, securing with a toothpick if needed so they hold their shape.
Fry until golden and crispy
  1. Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven.
  2. Fry the taquitos in batches at 350°F until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side, turning once when the underside is crisp.
  3. Drain the fried taquitos on paper towels until the surface looks dry and no longer glossy with oil.
Serve
  1. Serve taquitos warm with sour cream and additional salsa on the side, with a visible creamy dollop and bright salsa for contrast.

Notes

For the tightest rolls and crispest edges, keep tortillas warm as you assemble so they stay flexible; if they crack, microwave for 10–15 seconds. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; re-crisp in a hot oven or air fryer rather than microwaving for best crunch. Freezing: freeze assembled (unfried) taquitos on a tray, then bag and fry from frozen, or freeze cooked taquitos and reheat until hot. Dietary swap: use corn tortillas if you prefer a more traditional, slightly earthier flavor (fry time may vary slightly).