Crispy Mexican Ground Beef Flautas Recipe Can Be Baked or Fried Mexican Recipes Beef Dinner Appetizers

Mexican food for dinner seems to calm the soul. There's just something about a plate of hot Mexican food with all the accompaniments that is just pure comfort. If crispy flautas are on your list of favorites, you are going to love this easy ground beef flautas recipe. The filling cooks up in no time, assembly is a breeze and you can either bake or fry them.

To make these easy Mexican flautas you will need to gather the following ingredients from your pantry and fridge: cooking oil or nonstick spray, red onion, garlic, ground beef, ground cumin, chili powder, chipotles in adobo sauce (from a can) and flour tortillas. You'll also need whatever you like to pile high o top of your flautas (if anything at all).

These crispy, flavorful flautas are delicious for dinner with your favorite side dishes and toppings. We like sour cream, guacamole, jalapeno. chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, more shredded cheese, salsa and pico de gallo. As side dishes, you can't go wrong with refried beans, Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice. These flautas can also be served as an appetizer with ranch, guac or queso as a dipping sauce. Cut them in half and they'll go further!

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Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 28 to 33 minutes (baked) or 10 minutes (fried)
Total Time: 30 to 48 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce (from a can)
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack, chihuahua or other melting Mexican cheese
• 8 flour tortillas
• vegetable oil, for frying, or nonstick cooking spray, for baking

Recipe Notes

• If you're worried the flautas will come undone, you can secure them with toothpicks.

• If you prefer, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.

• Don't waste the leftover chipotles in adobo sauce. Here's how to save them! 

• You can use whatever cheese you like that melts well for this recipe. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, chihuahua, a Mexican blend or even mozzarella would be delicious.

• Use the ground beef filling for burritos, tacos or enchiladas. 

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge to up to four days.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Brown the ground beef, onion and garlic in a skillet until meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Break the meat up as you stir. Season with salt and black pepper. 
2. Stir in the ground cumin, chilies in adobo, chili powder and about 1 tablespoon of water. Stir to combine. 
3. Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from the heat. 
4. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the meat and roll up. If desired, secure with a toothpick.
5. If frying, heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to about 350 to 375 degrees F.  Fry the flautas (do not crowd the pan) until golden on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel.
6. If baking, put the assembled flautas onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Spray the flautas all over with nonstick cooking spray or brush with a little cooking oil. Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until tortilla is golden and crispy. For more color, you could turn the broiler on for a minute or two.
7. Serve the flautas with your desired toppings.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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