Description
These crispy air fryer beef taquitos are packed with bold flavors from spiced ground beef, sautéed onions and green peppers, and melted marble cheese. Quick to make and perfectly crunchy, they’re an irresistible snack or appetizer served with your favorite garnishes like salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 1 ½ Pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, green, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground paprika
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, for sautéing
- 1 Pinch salt
- 1 Pinch black pepper
To Assemble
- 2 eggs
- 24 corn tortillas, soft
- 2 Cups marble cheese, shredded
- Nonstick cooking spray
Optional Garnishes
- Salsa
- Guacamole, or sliced avocado
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Iceberg lettuce
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Make the Beef Filling: Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions and green bell peppers, stirring occasionally until onions sweat and start turning slightly brown and peppers soften. Add ground beef, breaking it down with a wooden spoon and cook until browned. Stir in garlic powder and ground paprika, continuing to sauté until the beef is fully cooked and slightly crispy. Remove from heat and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Assemble the Taquitos: Transfer the beef mixture to a bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then mix the eggs into the cooled beef mixture thoroughly. Lay a corn husk strip or kitchen string horizontally on a clean surface, then place one soft corn tortilla on top. Add 1 tablespoon shredded marble cheese in a vertical line down the center of the tortilla, then add 1 ½ tablespoons of the beef mixture on top of the cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly from right to left, tucking the edge under the filling. Secure the roll by tying the corn husk strip or kitchen string around the middle, trimming any excess length. Repeat for all tortillas.
- Prepare the Air Fryer: Spray the base and sides of the air fryer basket and extra rack, if used, with nonstick cooking spray.
- Air Fry the Taquitos: Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket and rack without overcrowding. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. For air fryer rack use: Set air fryer to 375°F and cook for 8 minutes. Check the upper rack taquitos for crispness, leaving the lower ones undisturbed. Once the top side is brown and crispy, flip those on the rack and cook for another 4 minutes, adding 2 more minutes if needed. Remove the top rack and flip remaining taquitos in basket, frying for an additional 4 minutes until crispy. For basket only: Cook at 375°F for 6 minutes, flip taquitos, then cook an additional 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Add 2 more minutes if needed for extra crispness.
- Serve: Remove taquitos from the air fryer and serve hot with your favorite garnishes such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro.
Notes
- If tortillas are not fresh and prone to cracking, steam them briefly before rolling to increase flexibility.
- Cook in batches in the air fryer to avoid overcrowding, which prevents proper crisping.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for superior melt and flavor.
- Let the beef mixture cool before adding eggs to prevent premature cooking of the eggs.
- Soak corn husks in water for 5 minutes and dry before use to make them pliable and prevent snapping. Alternatively, use kitchen string cut into 7-inch lengths or toothpicks to secure the taquitos.
- Check taquitos periodically during cooking and add more time as needed to ensure they are crispy on all sides, flipping halfway through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taquito
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
