What a treat to open up the fridge and see that you've got leftover Potato Chorizo Taquitos.
Give 'em 20 minutes in the oven and the world's easiest breakfast is served. Or lunch. Or dinner!
How To Make Potato Chorizo Taquitos
It's true, a traditional batch of taquitos will be fried, but lately I default to baking them as it is so much easier. Will they be as crispy? No! But they are crispy enough and the flavor is just as good.
I'm using an ultra fiery version of our Papas con Chorizo recipe for these taquitos. That means four chipotles -- yes, four! I added the extra heat to compete with the crispy tortillas, but keep in mind that you can always dial back on the chipotles for a milder version.
This recipe will make 10-14 taquitos and some of them are hoping to take up residence in your fridge for easy future meals. But keep in mind that this Potato Chorizo filling also works well in burritos and tacos, or even just eaten on its own, so feel free to save some on the side if you don't want to use it all for the taquitos.
I usually parboil the potatoes to give them a headstart, so let's begin with that. I used Gold potatoes but feel free to use what you have on hand.
Let the potato cubes cook in some salted, boiling water and start testing them after 5 minutes or so. Take them off and drain them once the outsides are cooked but the inside is still firm.
As the potatoes cook we'll start browning the chorizo.
We're adding loads of flavor to this batch so don't worry about tracking down the most authentic chorizo possible, just use what is available to you. More info on chorizo here.
Once the chorizo is browned I usually set it aside and use the leftover fat to cook the onion.
But you can always drain some of the fat if you want.
Once the onion is softened we'll add:
the drained potato cubes
4 chipotles in adobo (or less for a milder version)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
some freshly cracked black pepper
I also added some of the Ancho-Guajillo chili powder from last week's recipe, but this is definitely optional and you can just omit it if you don't have any pure chili powder on hand.
Cook the potatoes for a couple minutes and then add the cooked chorizo. Combine well and take a final taste for seasoning.
I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch.
And if you started small on the heat feel free to add more chipotle at this point if you want.
You'll have much better success rolling the taquitos if you warm up the tortillas first. I used to put them in the oven for a few minutes, and this is still a good option, but lately I cover them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for a minute or so.
If they roll easily and don't talk back to you then they are pliable enough. If they crack or split then they need to be warmed up a bit more.
We'll add 2-3 tablespoons of filling to each tortilla along with plenty of cheese (I used Jack). I think it's easiest to favor one side or the other when adding the filling to the tortilla, as opposed to putting it in the middle. Then just fold the short edge of the tortilla over the filling and roll it up.
Rolling them tight is important when frying them, but not when baking them! Since you don't have to worry about oil getting inside them I will usually make them plumper so that the filling-to-tortilla ratio is quite high. I will even stuff more filling in the sides once rolled.
When they are loaded you might benefit by using a toothpick to hold them together.
Or you can just place them seam side down and you can usually get them to hold together that way.
The toothpicks can also help them freeze in a sealed position. For example, I froze half of this batch by putting them on a plate in the freezer. An hour later I removed the toothpicks and stored them in a Ziploc in the freezer.
But if you're ready to chow down you can just put the taquitos seam side down on a baking sheet and give them a thin layer of oil. I use an olive oil sprayer but you can also just drizzle some oil on them and spread it around with your fingers.
They'll need about 20 minutes in a 400F oven to fully cook, but I usually start taking a look after 15 minutes or so.
I take them out when the edges are turning dark brown.
This means the edges will be crispy but the center will only be slightly crispy, and I think that's ideal for baked taquitos. If you try to get the centers ultra crispy then the edges become too brittle.
In keeping with the theme of minimal effort, you can just dip these in the leftover homemade sauce or Salsa that you have in your fridge (right?!).
For this batch that meant some Chipotle Mayo.
Yum!
It may sound rich but this batch was mostly Greek yogurt and just a bit of mayonnaise, and it has equally good flavor. More details on the Chipotle Mayo recipe.
But since you are baking the taquitos for 20 minutes you could easily whip up a batch of homemade Salsa as you'll typically need about the same time to roast the tomatoes/tomatillos. Some good options would be:
Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa
But these Potato Chorizo Taquitos aren't too picky about the Salsa they are served with. They get along well with others and just want to be in your fridge!
Okay let me know if you have any questions about these beauties. It's a great way to add the Potato Chorizo mixture to your repertoire if you're new to it.
Buen Provecho.
Potato Chorizo Taquitos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chorizo sausage
- 1.5 lbs. potatoes (I used 2 small Gold potatoes)
- 1/2 small onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- 10-14 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup Jack cheese (approximately)
- olive oil
Instructions
- Give the potatoes a good rinse and finely cube them. I usually leave the skin on.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and cook for 5-10 minutes or until they are mostly cooked through. I usually take them off and drain them once the outsides are cooked but the inside is still a little firm.
- As the potatoes are cooking, add the chorizo to a skillet and brown it over medium heat, approx. 8-10 minutes. Once browned set aside until you need it.
- I use the leftover chorizo fat in the pan to soften up the finely diced 1/2 onion. (You can get rid of some of the fat if you want.) Once softened, add a minced garlic clove and briefly saute.
- Add the drained potatoes to the pan along with 4 minced chipotles in adobo, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder (optional). Keep in mind that you can use less chipotles for a milder batch. I usually de-stem and de-seed the chipotles.
- Saute for a few minutes to ensure the potatoes are cooked through and then add the cooked chorizo. Bring everything to a uniform temp and take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch.
- To make the taquitos, start by warming up the corn tortillas. I covered with them damp paper towels and microwaved them for a minute or so.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of the Potato-Chorizo mixture to each tortilla along with strips or cubes of cheese. Roll tight and place them seam side down. You can optionally use a toothpick to hold them together.
- Bake the taquitos in a 400F oven for 20 minutes or so. I usually start taking peeks after 15 minutes and take them out when the edges are turning darker brown.
- Serve immediately with your choice of Salsa. Or this Chipotle Mayo.
- They store best uncooked. Once rolled I put half of this batch in the freezer for an hour, then removed the toothpicks and stacked them in a Ziploc. If baking straight from the freezer they might need a couple extra minutes but not much longer so keep an eye on them. You could alternatively store them in the fridge where they will keep for a few days.
Notes
Still hungry?!
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Malisa
The recipe calls for 4 chipotle in adobo sauce, do you mean 4 pieces of the peppers from the can of adobo sauce, or 4 cans of chipotle in adobo sauce? Forgive me for I’ve never used this ingredient before. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Patrick
Hey Malisa! Inside the can you'll find individual chipotle peppers swimming in the adobo sauce. This recipe calls for 4 of those individual chipotle peppers. Cheers.
Maddy
I made these for a "to go" breakfast bowl for my son along with some scrambled eggs with cheese on top on the side and it was a huge hit. I really liked the flavor and the small cut of the potatoes. Thank you so much. Your culinary creativity is very inspirational.
Patrick
Hey thanks much for the feedback Maddy! Cheers.
Amanda
Just made these for some somewhat picky eaters and they loved them. I used frozen hash browns, thawed before hand, because that's all I had and they still came out delicious.
Patrick
Ahh good to know, I love getting a thumbs up from picky eaters 🙂
Ella
Can I make these in the morning and put them in the fridge and wait to bake them till the evening time?
Patrick
Hi Ella! Yeah this should work fine. The only risk is the tortillas drying out and cracking but if you wrap tight or use a Ziploc all should be well. Cheers.
JoAnn
I look forward ro reying this recioe thus weekend. I have a question about the quantity of potatoes. Isnit 1-½ pounds or is it 2 small potatoes? Your answer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Patrick
Hi JoAnn! I used two smallish Gold potatoes and that worked perfectly for me. Cheers.
JoAnn
Thanks Patrick. And apologies for all my typos! 🤭
rachel
I just made them and it was awesome. I did use soy chorizo because I wanted to cut the fat. but with the peppers it had a ton of flavor.
Patrick
Good to know, thanks Rachel!
Esther
OMG! My stomach's rumbling, just reading the recipe. I have all of the ingredients; tomorrow's dinner!
Patrick
Thanks Esther, I hope they treat you well!
Georgiann cain
Love your recipes, they are so helpful, especially the chile, i love the recipe!
Patrick
Thanks much Georgiann!
Alice
Have you found, or tried to find, a decent vegetarian chorizo product? My hija is veggie and has said the ones I've tried were flavorless.
Patrick
Hi Alice! Hmmm sorry I can't give a better answer on this one but I haven't tried out any of those products. Cheers.
Kelli
I made these with Morningstar Farms meatless chorizo crumbles and found it to be very tasty. Great simple recipe, thank you!
Patrick
Hey thanks much for mentioning your meatless version Kelli, good to know 🙂 Cheers.