Air Fryer Beef Taquitos

Deliciously seasoned beef and cheese rolled into tortillas and cooked to crispy perfection! These Air Fryer Beef Taquitos are a low fat, low calorie way to enjoy a Mexican-inspired meal.

I’ve been recipe testing to my heart’s delight in my newest air fryer for the past couple of months and these Air Fryer Beef Taquitos are one of the happy results. They’re so easy to make, include simple, inexpensive ingredients, and they freeze well, making them an excellent choice for meal prep or late night snacks for hungry teenagers. But, most importantly, they are SO tasty! The cheesy, seasoned beef and the crispy exterior are oh, so satisfying in a far less guilt-inducing way than traditional fried taquitos.

One bite of these easy Beef Taquitos and you’ll be hooked.

One of the most frequent questions I get is “Should I buy an air fryer?” and my answer is a resounding YES! Assuming you are a sucker for fried food, that is (and who isn’t?).

Air fryers are capable of replicating the frying process with an exceptionally small amount of oil. Even if some of the ingredients you are working with are slightly indulgent (hello, cheese!) air frying reduces the fat and calorie count of traditionally fried recipes in a significant way. You can create healthier versions of snacks you love like Air Fryer Tortilla Chips. My Air Fryer Fried Chicken is the first recipe that convinced me of the amazing abilities of this appliance and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef – I like to use 90% lean ground beef and be careful to drain off as much of the excess grease as possible.
• Taco seasoning – I always have a batch of my Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix in my pantry. Making your own seasoning blends at home allows you to control the sodium level and in the case of taco seasoning, the heat level. If preferred you can go with a store bought mix.
• Diced green chiles – You’ll need a small can of diced green chiles – another item that is easily stocked. The mild variety adds no heat, just great flavor to recipes.
• Cheese – I like the powerful flavor of sharp cheddar cheese in these Beef Taquitos. You can mix things up and use Pepper jack, queso fresco or cotija cheese or a combination of any of these!
• Onion – I use sweet yellow onion but feel free to substitute with white or red. Go with what you love or what you have on hand.
• Tortillas – I’ve included instructions for how to work with all types of tortillas for the best result. Flour tortillas are a little easier to work with but although you may end up with a crack of two in your corn tortillas, I just love the flavor and they are a great gluten-free option. Another option that I use from time to time is the 50/50 blend tortillas that contain either wheat/corn or flour/corn. They roll nicely without cracking and hold their shape well.
• Optional toppings – Sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and salsa are all great choices. If you want to get fancy-Nancy, serve the Air Fryer Beef Taquitos on a bed of shredded lettuce and garnish them with your toppings of choice. Or, just serve all of the toppings on the side and let everyone have at it.

The Best Oil for Air Frying

When cooking at high temperatures, it’s important to use an oil with a high smoke point. Here are some of the best oils to choose for air fryer cooking.

• Avocado Oil, Corn Oil, Canola Oil – Up to 400 degrees F
• Grape Seed Oil – Up to 390 degrees F
• Peanut Oil – Up to 450 degrees F
• Vegetable Oil – Up to 400 to 450 degrees F
• Light/Refined Olive Oil – Up to 465 degrees F (*see note below)

*If you are intent on using olive oil, go with a light olive oil which cooks without smoking at much higher temps than extra virgin.

All of the oils listed above, with the exception of avocado oil, are neutral oils that will not enhance or add flavor to your ingredients. However, once cooked, avocado oil doesn’t add any noticeable flavor and it contains a good amount of antioxidants and healthy fats making it one of the healthier choices. It’s the oil I use to make these Air Fryer Beef Taquitos.

You can use either a refillable oil mister or even more convenient, pick up a can of propellant free cooking spray at the store. Propellants may cause damage to the coating on air fryer baskets so it’s best to avoid them. Avocado oil and many others are readily available in a propellant free spray at most grocery stores.

How to Make Taquitos in an Air Fryer

1. Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat it with nonstick cooking spray. When hot, add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
2. Drain any excess grease and return the skillet to the heat. Add the taco seasoning and green chiles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Place a stack of 6 tortillas (or however many will fit in one batch in your air fryer) between paper towels on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 35 to 45 seconds (flour warms more quickly than corn). Tortillas should be warm, very soft and pliable.

Assembling and Cooking the Taquitos

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.

5. Place a tortilla on a cutting board or other work surface. Coat it well with propellant free cooking spray.
6. Flip it over so that the oil coated side is down. Add about 2 tablespoons of the beef filling down the length of the tortilla. Top with some of the cheese. Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling and tightly roll it up. Place it seam side down on your work surface and repeat with the remaining tortillas, filling, and cheese. Spray, flip, fill, wrap.
7. Place the taquitos in one layer in the basket, seam side down. It’s okay if they touch but they shouldn’t be layered or too tightly packed. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisped to your liking. Repeat with remaining taquitos. Subsequent batches may cook more quickly so watch them closely.
8. Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce garnished with optional toppings or serve with toppings on the side.

Storage

Store completely cooled Beef Taquitos in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use them within 3 to 4 days for the best quality.

Freezer Friendly Taquitos

Place the completely cooled taquitos on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for about an hour, or until the taquitos are frozen solid. Transfer the frozen taquitos to a freezer-safe zippered plastic storage bag, press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Flash freezing the taquitos before storing them ensures they won’t stick together. This allows you to pull out just as many as you want to reheat at a given time.

Allow frozen taquitos to thaw safely in your refrigerator for quick reheating or reheat them from their frozen state following the directions below.

Reheating Thawed or Frozen Taquitos

Air Fryer – Spritz them with a little oil and reheat fully thawed taquitos in your air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3 to 4 minutes, or until warmed through. If frozen, plan on doubling the cook time.

Conventional Oven – Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place fully thawed taquitos on a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet, spritz with a little oil and bake for about 5 minutes or until warmed through. Frozen taquitos will take 10 to 12 minutes.

Microwave – They won’t crisp as well as the other methods but sometimes FAST is best! Place taquitos on a microwave safe dish, cover with a paper towel and cook for 1 to 2 minutes for fully thawed or 3 to 4 minutes for frozen taquitos.

Thank you for sharing!