Rolled Tacos (aka taquitos!) are the ultimate finger food. Crispy, golden brown, and everything you love about tacos rolled up into one crunchy bite. Filled with Mexican spiced ground beef and plenty of gooey cheese, this homemade version of baked roll tacos is fresh, tasty and perfect for dipping in salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
Reader review
My rolled tacos recipe was an instant hit when I made them for one of my personal chef clients. Especially since they're my copycat version of Taco Bell's rolled tacos which their kids love. And their parents love how easy they're to reheat in the oven.
With so many of you fans of my Tortilla Stack recipe, you're absolutely going to love these roll em up taquitos. They've got all the delicious Mexican flavors in an easy to eat taco roll. I skip the frying and bake them to crispy goodness instead.
Jump to:
What's to love about beef taquitos
- Easy to make: With a quick to make filling and few minutes of rolling the tacos, the hardest part is waiting for them to finish baking.
- Baked and not fried: There's no need to stand over a hot pan of oil to cook these rolled tacos. You won't believe how crispy they get in the oven!
- Gluten free: Most corn tortillas are made with a few ingredients including corn masa, water, and salt. For those on a gluten free diet, rolled tacos are a tasty option. Check the ingredients of purchased tortillas to ensure they don't include any wheat.
- Versatile ~ Serve rolled tacos as an appetizer at happy hour, for an afternoon snack, for a quick lunch or a fun dinner with tortilla chips and Pico de Gallo.
- Meal prep them ~ Refrigerate baked rolled tacos for up to 3 days. Or freeze them for as long as a month. All they need is a reheat in the oven.
- Everyone loves them ~ Both kids and adults can't get enough of these taquitos!
Ingredients & substitutions
There's nothing fancy in these rolled tacos. No need to buy any special ingredients. Scroll to the recipe card for the full quantities of the ingredients.
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Salsa
- Cream cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper
- Thin corn tortillas
- Sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes ~ Serve the Mexican taquitos with your favorite taco fillings.
Hint: Shred the cheese. Grab a box grater or food processor and shred your own cheese. It has better flavor and melts more smoothly than the packaged shredded cheese at the grocery store. The store bought cheese is coated with an anti-caking ingredient and contains preservatives that can affect its taste and meltability.
Substitutions & variations
- Protein: I like 85/15 ground beef for this recipe. But use a leaner one if you'd like. Ground turkey or chicken are tasty alternatives.
- Vegetables: Vadalia or red onion are substitutes.
- Cheese: Less fat Neufchatel cheese can be used in the recipe. Try pepper jack for a spicy kick.
- Spices: If you don't keep a well stocked spice cabinet, a package of taco seasoning can be used in place of the spices.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas can stand in for the corn tortillas.
How to make rolled tacos
Rolled tacos are easy and fun to make. Gather the ingredients and get rolling! Store bought tortillas speed up the recipe, but you can also make homemade tortillas too.
Step 1: In a sauté pan, toast the spices. Add the ground beef and diced onion.
Step 2: Cook the ground beef until browned and the onions are softened.
Step 3: Transfer the ground beef mixture to a bowl. Add cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and salsa. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Warm the tortillas in a pan. Place in a tortilla warmer or resealable bag.
Step 5: Roll the taquitos by spooning the ground beef mixture on the bottom third of the tortillas. Tightly roll up.
Step 6: Transfer seam side down to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Step 7: Lightly coat the tacos with cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Step 8: Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
Storage and heating
Rolled tacos are best baked and completely cooled before storing in the refrigerator or freezer. Store rolled tacos airtight. These are my favorite meal prep containers. A resealable bag works too.
- Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Heat on a baking sheet in a 300 F degree oven for about 10 minutes.
- Freeze: Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Heat from frozen on a baking sheet in a 300 F degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Amy's top tips
- Warm the tortillas: If you roll the tacos with tortillas right out of the package, they're more prone to cracking. Then you'll end up with a pan of rolled tacos that look like the photo above. Warm them in a dry nonstick pan for 30 seconds per side. Then pop them into a tortilla warmer or resealable bag. The tortillas will and make them easy to roll.
- Seam side down: To ensure the rolled tacos stay rolled, place them with the seam side down on the baking sheet. Give them a press down so they lay flat.
Frequently asked questions about rolled tacos
No there isn't. It seems to be a regional as to whether you say rolled taco or taquito.
Rolled tacos are made with small, 6-inch corn tortillas while flautas are generally made with larger flour tortillas.
Thin, 6-inch corn tortillas are my go-to for homemade taquitos. Not only are the gluten-free (ideal for my son), corn tortillas have more rustic texture, earthy flavor, and provide more whole grains than flour tortillas.
Two easy steps will help keep corn tortillas from breaking when rolled. Warm the tortillas in a dry, nonstick pan for 30 seconds per side. Then place them in a tortilla warmer or resealable bag. A couple minutes of steaming will ensure the corn tortillas don't crack and split when filled and rolled.
What goes with Mexican taquitos?
These are my favorite dishes and drinks to serve with taquitos:
More recipe like this one
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Rolled Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15
- ½ cup diced onion
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup salsa
- 16 thin corn tortillas 6-inch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper and oregano. Stir and toast the spices for about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef and onion. Break up the ground beef and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned.
- Add the cooked ground beef mixture to a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and salsa. Stir to thoroughly combine the filling. Set aside.
- Heat a clean sauté pan over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and heat for 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a tortilla warmer or resealable bag. Continue heating all the tortillas.
- Place one tortilla on a cutting board. Put about 2 heaping tablespoons of the ground beef mixture on the bottom third of the tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla. Place it seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Coat the rolled tacos with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
Elaine Beck says
We made this over the long weekend and it was delicious and fun. Kids love them.
Amy Casey says
So glad my recipe was a hit! These are fun to serve and I love that you can freeze them too.
Laura Kelsch says
These were amazing - not hard to make and taste sooo good !! Will definitely make them again!
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe Laura. They're so much more fun to serve than regular tacos. And great for parties.