Rolled taquitos (such as our favorites from the Macayo’s Scottsdale and Shea menu!) are a flavorful, simple, and versatile meal option that are a hit for just about anybody. The great thing about them is that, even though this is a beef recipe, you can substitute the beef for just about any other meat your family might like, whether it be ground chicken, chopped steak, or pulled pork.

What You’ll Need

To make enough to feed a family of four or five, you’ll need to make sure you have some basic ingredients on-hand. Here’s what you’re going to need:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1.5 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 1 minced jalapeno
• a half red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 Tbs ground paprika
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil
• a package of small flour tortillas (or try our homemade tortilla recipe!)

Additionally, make sure you’ve got some basic seasonings, such as salt and pepper, along with a large, high quality skillet.

Putting it Together

Got all your ingredients ready? Time to get started! Go ahead and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F; it should be ready at about the same time it’s time to pop the taquitos into the oven.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Saute garlic, onion, and jalapeno; once soft, add beef and brown. Add some salt and pepper before tossing mixture into a bowl of cheese, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Once the beef seems to be well coated, set the entire mixture aside.

It’s time to get rolling! Bust out a couple cookie sheets and grease them so the tortillas don’t stick to them. Then, begin rolling a small amount of the beef/cheese mixture into each tortilla before setting them on your greased baking sheet. Since the beef is already cooked, you only have to cook the tortillas for about 10 minutes—just long enough to let them crisp up. Then, just let them cool for a few minutes before serving!

Pairing Options

This versatile recipe goes great with your typical Mexican sides, including rice and beans. However, you can also serve them up with some simple dipping sauces, such as sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. You could even serve it up with a Fiesta salad topped with tortilla strips!

The next time you’re in the mood for Mexican food but are tired of using the same Mexican recipes at home, try these perfect rolled taquitos or head to your nearest Macayo’s for some fresh, traditional Mexican cuisine.