These easy, cheesy beef taquitos are one of my favorite recipes to come out of my kitchen and will be the touchdown game day (or any day!) appetizer at all your gatherings and parties! You can even make the filling completely ahead of time for an easy roll and toast appetizer!
With this Crispy Jalapeno Popper Beef Taquito recipe yielding 12 taquitos, you would think it would serve 6 but for Patrick and I, it serves 2 because we just could not stop inhaling this beefy cheesy deliciousness. And my friend who made the taquito video? She said they were all gone in seconds after the last shot. We are talking some serious, heavy hitting, undeniable deliciousness.
These tasty rolled tacos are filled with spicy ground beef and creamy cheese. Bonus: they are baked instead of fried so they are lighter on calories than the usual restaurant versions.
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
• ½ cup salsa (I used medium heat, but feel free to adjust to your preferences)
• 3 oz 50% reduced fat Pepper Jack cheese, shredded (I used Cabot)
• 16 6” corn tortillas (I used Mission Extra Thin Yellow Corn)
Directions :
• Pre-heat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and then lightly mist it with cooking spray and set aside.
• Combine the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in a dish and stir together to make your own taco seasoning. Set aside.
• Bring a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Cook while breaking up with a wooden spoon until beef is completely browned and broken into small pieces. Drain any grease from the pan. Add the taco seasoning from step 2 and the salsa and stir together until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
• Place about half the tortillas between two paper towels and microwave them for 30-60 seconds until they are warm and pliable. Place a tortilla on a clean, dry work surface and then scoop two rounded tablespoons of beef filling onto the bottom third of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up from the bottom to surround the filling and once it’s rolled into a tube, place it on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat steps with the remaining ingredients (including microwaving the other half of the tortillas when you get to them). When all the taquitos are rolled and on the baking sheet, mist the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until tortillas start to get golden and crispy.
enjoy !!