I'm leaning on the freezer more than usual lately, and these Spicy Beef Taquitos are my latest addition.
You'll get 24 scrumptious taquitos from this recipe -- which means you've got plenty of free meals coming your way over the next couple weeks!
Just plop 'em in the oven, set the timer, and chill until dinner is served. Sound good?
How To Make Beef Taquitos
Two pounds of ground beef will make approximately 24 taquitos. If that sounds crazy then feel free to cut the recipe in half.
We'll start by finely chopping an onion and cooking it in some oil over medium heat.
When the onion has softened we'll add 2 lbs. of ground beef.
Once the ground beef is browned you can drain off some fat if you want.
Add 4 minced garlic cloves, cook briefly, and then add the remaining ingredients:
3-6 minced chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
2 teaspoons chile powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano What is Mexican Oregano?
1.5 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)
freshly cracked black pepper
splash of water
You'll get plenty of flavor from the chipotles, but I usually add some chile powder when I have the good stuff on hand.
Here's a pic of the dry spices used for this batch.
That's crushed New Mexican chile powder for a bit of extra flavor, but it's definitely optional.
By the way, it's worth taking a look at the label on the chile powder in your pantry as most store-bought versions are loaded with lots of unnecessary ingredients. More info on the chile powders I use.
Combine well, bring it up to temp, and take a final taste for seasoning.
It's already loaded with flavor but I always do some final tweaking. For this batch I added another pinch of salt and a bit more Mexican oregano.
You may recognize this Beef from the recent Easy Taco Salad -- it's quite versatile and I crave it on a regular basis 🙂
For the taquitos, you'll want to warm up the corn tortillas first. This makes them more pliable and less likely to crack.
You've got plenty of options for warming up the tortillas:
- Put them in the oven for a few minutes
- Flash fry them individually in a thin layer of oil
- Cover with a damp paper towel and nuke them for 60 seconds or so
I microwaved these as it's the easiest when making big batches.
Once the tortillas are warm we'll give them a layer of cheese and a couple tablespoons of the ground beef mixture.
You're welcome to add any other fixings you want to the taquitos, but I usually keep it simple for freezer batches.
Roll tight and place them seam side down on a baking sheet.
I baked six of these for dinner and continued rolling the rest as they cooked.
After spraying on a thin layer of oil they'll need somewhere between 15-20 minutes in a 400F oven -- I usually start peeking after 15 minutes and pull them out when the edges start to turn darker brown.
This batch was in for 18 minutes.
Keep in mind that baked taquitos will never be as crispy as fried taquitos, and that's okay!
You can get pretty darn close and it's a much more sustainable method for my kitchen.
While this batch was cooking I whipped up a Salsa de Aguacate:
Salsa de Aguacate is a mild green sauce that comes alive when paired with spicy meats.
It takes just a few minutes to make and you get something wonderful in return. Here's a look at the ingredients:
1 avocado
1/4 cup water
juice of 1 lime
4-5 sprigs cilantro
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine it all in a blender and it's ready to roll.
Yum!
But keep in mind that taquitos aren't picky and they'll work well with just about any homemade Salsa, with a special nod to these favorites:
Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa
All of those Salsas require a similar amount of oven time as the taquitos, so you can always pull double duty and put the tomatoes/tomatillos in the oven at the same time as the taquitos.
In addition to the 6 taquitos I wolfed down, I got 18 additional freezer taquitos for a grand total of 24 from this 2 lb. batch of ground beef. Perfect!
Put them in a freezer-safe bag and when they get the call, simply add a quick brushing of oil, plop them in the oven, and then go say hello to the couch.
One last thing...
It used to bother me when ground beef would dribble out the sides when rolling up the taquitos. You can always use a toothpick to secure them and flip them on their back to stuff additional beef into the sides.
Then once they are partially frozen you can remove the toothpicks and they will hold their shape.
Yes, you'll get a bit more beef if you use this method, but lately I just pile more beef into the center knowing there will be some spillage along the way and they won't be perfect, but they're still going to taste great 🙂
Okay, let me know if you have any questions about these Spicy Beef Taquitos. It's a real treat to remember you've got a few of these beauties in the freezer waiting for the call.
Buen Provecho.
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Spicy Beef Taquitos -- Freezer Friendly!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3-6 chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
- 2 teaspoons chile powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper
- splash of water
- olive oil
- 24 corn tortillas
- 1/2 lb. cheese (I used Jack)
For the Salsa de Aguacate (optional):
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup water
- juice of 1 lime
- 4-5 sprigs cilantro
- 1/2 garlic clove
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by cooking a finely chopped onion in some oil over medium heat. Once softened, add 2 lbs. ground beef and cook until browned. Once browned you can drain off some fat if you want.
- Add 4 minced garlic cloves to the beef mixture and give it a quick saute for 30 seconds or so. Then add the remaining ingredients: 3-6 minced chipotles in adobo, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can, 2 teaspoons chile powder (optional), 1.5 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, freshly cracked black pepper, and a splash of water. Combine well and once heated through take a final taste for seasoning. I added another pinch of salt and Mexican oregano to this batch. Note: I used six chipotles for this batch and it had some real heat! Start with less chipotles for a milder batch.
- To make the taquitos, start by warming up the corn tortillas. I covered them with damp paper towels and microwaved them for a minute or so. Other ways to warm up corn tortillas. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the Beef mixture to each tortilla along with strips of cheese (or shredded cheese). Roll tight and place them seam side down on a baking sheet.
- To cook them, simply add a thin layer of oil to the taquitos and bake them in a 400F oven for 15-20 minutes. I usually start taking peeks after 15 minutes and take them out when the edges are turning darker brown. Serve immediately. Note: you can use an olive oil sprayer or pastry brush to give them a thin layer of oil, but I've used oily fingers in the past and it works just as well 🙂
- If you're making the Salsa de Aguacate, combine the following ingredients in a blender or food processor: the flesh of a ripe avocado, 1/4 cup water, juice of 1 lime, 4-5 sprigs of cilantro, 1/2 peeled garlic clove, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine well and taste for seasoning. For a thinner consistency add additional splashes of water and re-blend.
- Continue rolling taquitos until all of the ground beef mixture is used. Add leftover taquitos to freezer safe bags and store in the freezer. To reheat, simply add a thin layer of oil to the taquitos and bake in a 400F oven. They'll need a similar amount of time to bake when pulling them from the freezer, just a tad longer.
Notes
Want to see the latest recipe? It's these Pickled Jalapenos with Habaneros.
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Patricia
Wow - fabulous recipes - thank you!
Your Ancho Sauce is a delight.
Patrick
Thanks Patricia!
Marielle
That tasted awesome! I had all the ingredients but... large tortilla's en not so much mince. So i added kidney beans to add some bulk to the mince. I managed to squeez out 3.5 rolls 😀 and a big batch of Salsa de Aguacate although i think my recipe might not be mexican?! I always add some ripe tomato and a bit of chili.
I'm sure i'll be whipping up a new batch of taquitos soon.
Patrick
Hey thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Marielle! Cheers.
Chris
Do I need to bake these before freezing them? Or assemble, then freeze, then bake? I'm going to meal prep this weekend and this looks great! Thank you!
Patrick
Hey Chris I hope these treat you well! You can just assemble and freeze them, then bake when you're ready to chow down. Cheers.
Resa
Simple and yum!
Patrick
Thanks Resa!
Elsa
I tried it yesterday. Its taste is great. Everyone enjoyed it. The recipe is easy to follow, simple. I have more beef than you because I like to eat beef. However, the dish still holds the correct taste. Thank you for sharing.
Patrick
Thanks Elsa!
Hache
Hi Patrick,
Looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe. What brand of corn tortillas did you use?
Patrick
Thanks Hache! Pretty sure those were Don Panchos.
Tennessee Mom
One word....FABULOUS!
I made half the recipe but used the same amount of spices by accident. I will always double the spices as it was perfect. Thanks! Made 15. Two is plenty with a Mexican bean soup and chips.
Patrick
Hey thanks for the feedback -- good to know there is plenty of room for more spices 🙂 Cheers.
david christy
So good! I got burned out on your chicken taquitos after eating 50 or more over a period of a few months a year or two ago so I only made two of these bad boys tonight. Man, so tasty. When I was making the chicken version I settled on painting the taquitos with oil using a pastry brush, and that works for me. Some form of guac is essential for this recipe. No ripe avocado on the counter, no taquitos! Thanks for the recipe Patrick!
Patrick
Ha thanks David, I think I remember when you were obsessed with those chicken taquitos! I hope you don't burn out on these until well beyond 50 🙂
Penny
I made your Easy Taco Salad and it was definitely a winner! I know this recipe will be good, too, and I can't wait to try it!
Patrick
Hey Penny, I hope this one treats you well too! Cheers.