Spicy Beef Taquitos -- Freezer Friendly!
It's such a treat to remember you've got some of these Spicy Beef Taquitos in the fridge for a quick meal. I dipped this batch in some Salsa de Aguacate and they were delicious!
Servings: 8
Calories: 626kcal
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
Using six chipotles will give the beef serious heat! For a milder batch, I would recommend starting with 2-3 chipotles and tasting from there. You can always increase the heat by adding more chipotle.
I'm in the habit of scraping out the seeds of the chipotles. More info on working with chipotles in adobo.
Nutrition
Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 871mg | Potassium: 639mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 4mg