Description
Enjoy these crispy jalapeño popper beef taquitos, a delightful fusion of spicy jalapeños, creamy cream cheese, and savory ground beef wrapped in warm tortillas and pan-fried to golden perfection. Perfect as a party snack or a delicious appetizer, these taquitos offer a fantastic blend of flavors and textures in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Taquitos
- 12 TortillaLand raw medium tortillas
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 2-4 jalapeños, seeded, deveined, and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup salsa (medium heat)
- 2 cups freshly grated Pepper Jack cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Make Filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, add ground beef, diced jalapeños, and chopped onions. Cook until the onions are softened and the meat is fully cooked. Then add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, ensuring to stir constantly to prevent burning.
- Flavor and Melt: Drain any excess fat from the skillet. Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, dried oregano, followed by salsa and softened cream cheese. Keep heating over medium-low heat while stirring frequently until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated. Next, add 1 cup of the grated Pepper Jack cheese and stir until melted. Remove the filling from heat.
- Assemble Taquitos: Lay out each raw tortilla and spoon a heaping ¼ cup of the beef filling onto the bottom third of each tortilla. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the remaining Pepper Jack cheese over the filling. Roll the tortillas tightly to encase the filling and cheese.
- Cook Taquitos: Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (optional but recommended for extra crispiness). Working in batches, place the rolled taquitos seam-side down in the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown and crispy. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side.
Notes
- For a milder version, reduce jalapeños or omit the seeds.
- If you prefer, bake the taquitos at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway for even crispiness.
- Use nonstick spray if you want to avoid adding extra oil during cooking.
- Make sure cream cheese is softened to help it melt smoothly into the filling.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or extra salsa for dipping.
