Crispy Cheesy Beef Taquitos

Ingredients

• 0.25 onion (Finely chopped; approximately one-fourth of a medium onion)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet packet taco seasoning (Prepare according to the packet directions; homemade taco seasoning may be substituted)
• 12 corn tortillas (Warm briefly if needed to make them flexible for rolling)
• 8 oz quesadilla cheese (Shredded or thinly sliced; use additional cheese as desired for filling)
• neutral frying oil (Use enough for a shallow layer in the pan, not enough to fill the taquitos; amount depends on pan size)
• paper towels (For soaking up excess grease from the cooked beef)

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop about one-fourth of a medium onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened and lightly translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break it up into very small pieces with a spatula and cook until browned throughout, about 7–10 minutes. Breaking the beef up well helps distribute the seasoning through the filling.

3. 3

   Remove excess grease from the skillet. The creator's method is to carefully soak up the grease with a paper towel; use caution and keep the towel away from the burner or flame. Discard the saturated towel safely.

4. 4

   Add the packet taco seasoning and the amount of water specified on the packet. Stir thoroughly and simmer until the seasoning is evenly distributed and the mixture is no longer watery, following the packet directions.

5. 5

   Warm the tortillas briefly so they are pliable. Lay one tortilla flat and add a layer of quesadilla cheese, a portion of the seasoned beef, and another layer of cheese. Do not overfill, or the taquito may split during frying.

6. 6

   Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling to form a taquito. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and beef. Place each taquito seam-side down while assembling the rest.

7. 7

   Pour a shallow layer of neutral oil into a large skillet over medium heat. The oil should come only partway up the taquitos rather than filling the pan. Heat until shimmering; a small piece of tortilla should sizzle when added.

8. 8

   Place the taquitos seam-side down in the hot oil, working in batches so the pan is not crowded. Fry until the underside is crisp and golden, about 2–3 minutes.

9. 9

   Carefully turn the taquitos with tongs and continue turning them as needed so they become crisp and golden on all sides and the cheese melts, about 5–8 minutes total per batch.

10. 10

    Transfer the fried taquitos to a paper-towel-lined plate or rack to drain briefly. Serve hot while the tortillas are crisp and the cheese is melted.

Notes

The transcript does not specify the tortilla type, amount of cheese, number of taquitos, or exact frying-oil quantity; these amounts are practical estimates. Keep the oil shallow and turn the taquitos frequently so they crisp evenly without filling with oil.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• Mexican
• fried
• crispy
• cheesy
• beef
• easy recipe