Rummaging through our freezer this week I found a pound of Snake River Farms Wagyu ground beef and thought, “What should I do with this?” The answer: Taquitos! Taquitos and flautas are Mexican-style rolled up tacos that are typically deep-fried. But I made these babies in the oven and they came out terrific. You could substitute chicken, turkey or other ingredients for the main filling, but I really like the flavor of ground beef. This recipe will make 16-18 taquitos.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (store bought or see seasoning recipe below)
- ½ cup salsa
- 3-4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
- 16-18 corn tortillas
- Cooking oil spray
- Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp. Ground cumin
- 1 tsp. Sea salt
- 1 tsp. Ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. Paprika
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp. Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. Onion powder
- ¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp. Dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and then drain the excess fat.
- Stir the taco seasoning, salsa, and pepper jack cheese into the beef until well combined.
- Line a baking sheet or tray with foil and lightly mist with cooking oil spray.
- Working one or two at a time, warm the tortillas in a dry skillet.
- Fill each tortilla with a tablespoon or two of the beef mixture and roll tightly.
- Place the taquitos on the tray with the foil, seam side down. Mist the taquitos lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake the taquitos until crispy, about 15 minutes.
Enjoy your taquitos as is or with salsa and/or guacamole.
