We love Grandma’s flautas!! We’ve been eating and enjoying this recipe for generations and now our kids love them too.
If you are unfamiliar with this recipe, Flautas, which means “flutes” in Spanish, are rolled tortillas filled with meat or cheese and fried until crisp. Their long, thin shape is where the name comes from for this delicious Mexican dish.
What is the difference between flautas and taquitos?
Both are rolled tortillas filled with meat and fried until crisp. Flautas are often made with flour tortillas and tend to be longer, while taquitos are usually smaller and commonly made with corn tortillas. Depending on the region, you may see either tortilla used for flautas.
Ours are filled with beef, but we also have a Chicken Flautas recipe we love just as much! For a full meal, we will also make either Chicken Enchiladas or Cheese Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, and of course, Homemade Salsa!
Why you’ll love them + Why they work:
- Family Favorite. This is Grandma’s recipe, and we’ve been making and eating these crispy flautas for generations.
- Great for Leftovers. Flautas are one of our favorite ways to use leftover shredded beef, chicken, or pork. Just mix the cooked meat with the cheese, salsa, and chiles, then roll and fry.
- Crispy + Cheesy. The tortillas fry up golden around a savory meat and melted cheese filling.
- Easy to Change Up. Use corn or flour tortillas and add your favorite meat, cheese, salsa, or toppings.
- Ready Fast. Once the filling is mixed, the flautas cook in just a few minutes.
Flautas Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil (for frying): Neutral oil with a high smoke point for even, crispy frying.
- Shredded beef or shredded cooked chicken (3 cups): Tender, seasoned protein that fills the flautas without drying out. Or use Shredded Chicken or Shredded Pork.
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese (1 cup): Melts into the meat for creamy richness and helps bind the filling.
- Salsa, store bought or homemade (½ cup): Adds moisture, tang, and layered chile flavor in every bite. We recommend our Homemade Salsa.
- Diced chiles (1, 4-ounce can): Mild heat and a fresh pepper note that complements the salsa.
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes (to taste): Quick, even seasoning that boosts savory depth.
- Pepper (to taste): Gentle bite that balances the richness.
- Corn tortillas or flour tortillas (12, 6 inch): Flour tortillas are easiest to roll and fry up crisp without cracking. Corn tortillas give you a more traditional corn flavor, but make sure they are very warm and pliable before rolling.
- Salt (to taste): Finishes the shells right out of the oil for vivid, toasty flavor.
- Toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cilantro
- More Toppings: Guacamole, Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Avocado Cream Sauce, Salsa Verde, sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice, or cotija cheese
Do I use Flour Tortillas or Corn Tortillas?
This is up to your preference! Flour tortillas are more traditional for flautas, but both work great. Sometimes, corn tortillas can crack when rolling. Warm them in a pan or a griddle, or heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. We recently saw a Corn & Flour Tortillas blend at Kroger and feel like they give the best of both worlds.
How to Make Flautas
PREP. Preheat the oven to the warm setting or about 200°F. Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 375°F. You only need enough oil to come about halfway up the flautas, which makes them easier to turn and keeps the frying process simple.
FILL. In a medium bowl, combine shredded beef, shredded Mexican blend cheese, salsa, store-bought or homemade, diced chiles, garlic salt with parsley flakes, and black pepper to taste.
ROLL. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon about ¼ cup filling in a line down the center of each tortilla. Spoon the filling in a narrow line across the tortilla, then roll tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick.
FRY. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown or about 2 minutes. Hold each flauta over the pan for a few seconds and tilt it slightly to let any oil drain from the inside before placing it on paper towels.
Fry at 350 to 375°F, use a thermometer for best results, and avoid crowding so the oil stays hot.
SERVE. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas. Serve warm with toppings.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Warm tortillas first, stack and microwave 30 to 45 seconds wrapped in a damp towel so they roll without cracking.
- Cold corn tortillas will crack when rolled, especially if they are a bit stale. Whereas warm tortillas are pliable and easy to roll.
- Do not overfill the tortillas, as it makes them difficult to roll tightly and prone to bursting during frying. Roll tight and anchor with a toothpick.
- To avoid soggy flautas, be sure the filling isn’t too wet and make sure to maintain an even oil temperature.
- Different Cooking Methods:
- Airfryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray with cooking spray and cook for about 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway.
- Baked. Placed them seam side down on a lightly greased baking pan. Lightly spray with cooking oil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Beef Flautas
Equipment
Ingredients
- vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- 3 cups shredded beef, or shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup salsa, store-bought or homemade
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced chiles
- garlic salt with parsley flakes, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, (or flour tortillas)
- salt, to taste
Toppings
- shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, green salsa, guacamole, Cilantro Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the warm setting or about 200 degrees F.
- Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch oil. Heat over medium heat to 375 degrees F. You only need enough oil to come about halfway up the flautas, which makes them easier to turn and keeps the frying process simple.
- In a medium bowl, combine shredded beef, cheese, salsa, diced chiles, garlic salt, and pepper.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon about ¼ cup filling in a line down the center of each tortilla. Spoon the filling in a narrow line across the tortilla, then roll tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick.
- Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown or about 2 minutes. Hold each flauta over the pan for a few seconds and tilt it slightly to let any oil drain from the inside before placing it on paper towels.
- Transfer flautas to an alumiunium foil-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas. Serve warm with toppings.
Notes
- Cold corn tortillas will crack when rolled, especially if they are a bit stale. Whereas warm tortillas are pliable and easy to roll.
- Do not overfill the tortillas, as it makes them difficult to roll tightly and prone to bursting during frying.
- To avoid soggy falutas, be sure the filling isn’t too wet and make sure to maintain an even oil temperature.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
Prepare the shredded beef filling up to 48 hours in advance store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to fill and fry.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 1-2 months.
Preheat the air fryer to 400° F. Lightly spray the flautas with cooking spray. Working in batches cook for about 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, flipping them halfway through the cooking time.
Placed the rolled flautas seam side down in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish or on a metal baking sheet. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
To warm corn or flour tortillas, briefly heat them on a dry skillet, a hot griddle, or wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave until pliable and warm. Once warm, roll the flautas or keep the tortillas in a tortilla warmer.
Reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer until hot and crisp again. The microwave works in a pinch, but the tortillas will soften.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Homemade Spanish Rice Recipe
45 mins
Canned Refried Beans
10 mins
Homemade Salsa
10 mins
Mexican Street Corn Recipe
13 mins
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This recipe was originally published July 2019.
Do you have a recipe to make the seasoned beef? Would love to make these with a chuck roast I need to make!
Our Slow Cooker Barbacoa should work well for the flautas.
Laura’s! Great recipe Can prepare ahead of time then bake when ready to serve! 🥰❤️
For sure!! Thank you & enjoy!!
So simple and delicious. Made a few slight modifications based on what I did and did not have in the house. I used cooked ground beef rather than shredded, and I didn’t have the chiles so I just added a little bit more salsa. Otherwise, made them as instructed in the air fryer and they were a huge hit with my family. We topped them with light sour cream, shredded lettuce, and tomato. The teens have already requested that I make them again. I think this would also be a really easy recipe to modify for other flavors– e.g. buffalo chicken, Korean BBQ, etc.
Loved this since the first time I made it. My boyfriend did as well. I make this at least once a week and there are never any left-overs.
YUMMY.
I love how it turned out! So crispy and delicious. I’m addicted to these 😍
YUM! I had leftover shredded chicken and decided to make these and I am so happy I did. Everyone loved them- I just wish I made more!
This was SO delicious and the most perfect weeknight dinner!
I guess it’s the popup ads, but your site is too unstable to use.
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We do love your stories and recipes. I have a few of your recipes already printed ready for rotation. I do need to look for your shredded beef recipe, hope there is one.
Thanks
Crispy and delicious, and SO easy to make. These were a big hit with my family.