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.
Servings: 16 taquitos
Calories: 187kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix homemade or store bought (check ingredients for gluten-free)
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles drained
- 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 16 tortillas - fajita size flour, 6-inch corn, or 50/50 blend corn for gluten-free
- avocado oil nonstick cooking spray must be non-propellant
For Serving (Optional)
- sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce
Instructions
For the Beef Filling
- Place a medium nonstick skillet over MEDIUM heat and spray 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. 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. Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the Tortillas
- 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
- Place one tortilla on a cutting board or other work surface. Coat it well with propellant free cooking spray, 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 closer to one end. Top with some of the cheese. Fold the short end 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.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. To keep the cooked taquitos warm while cooking subsequent batches, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F and place a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven.
- The tortillas are already coated with a little oil and it should be enough to prevent them from sticking to the air fryer basket, but, if you are concerned they will stick, you can spritz the basket with a little oil (be sure to use a nonstick spray with no propellants). 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. I like to set my air fryer for 8 minutes and check on them frequently after 6 minutes. Transfer cooked taquitos to the baking sheet in the oven to keep them warm. Repeat with remaining taquitos. Subsequent batches may cook more quickly so watch them closely.
- Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce garnished with optional toppings or alternately, serve with toppings on the side.
Notes
Cook Time includes the approximate amount of time to cook 3 batches of taquitos.
Nutrition information was calculated with flour tortillas.
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. 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.
Freezing Taquitos
Transfer the completely cooled taquitos to 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 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 – 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. Not as crispy but still good!
Nutrition
Serving: 1taquito | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg