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 (translated flutes) is a Mexican dish made from tortillas filled with meat or poultry, cheese, and other fillings. It is then fried for a crispy finish that is beyond delicious.
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 we think you’ll love it:
- For any meal. Flautas are perfect to serve as an appetizer, lunch, or dinner dish!
- Alternative fillings. They can be filled with any fillings you prefer, but this recipe calls for shredded beef.
- Crunchy and addictive. This recipe hits it out of the park. The crunch from the fried tortilla and the creamy melted cheese mixed in with the beef makes it one of our FAVORITE Mexican dinner ideas.
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): Roll tight and fry up crisp; corn brings classic flavor, flour gives extra crunch. Sometimes, corn tortillas can crack when rolling. Warm them in a pan or a griddle, or heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave.
- 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
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.
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, spread a heaping spoonful of filling along the middle of each tortilla. Roll the tortillas tightly around the filling and secure each one with a toothpick.
FRY. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel–lined plate and immediately season with salt.
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
Video
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.
- In a medium bowl, combine shredded beef, cheese, salsa, diced chiles, garlic salt, and pepper.
- Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful of filling along the middle of each tortilla. Roll the tortillas tightly around the filling and secure each one with a toothpick.
- Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel–lined plate and immediately season with salt.
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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.
These crispy flautas are a family favorite! They come out yummy every time. Perfect comfort food Mexican style.
These flautas are SO delicious! The diced chilies in the filling make them extra good!
I also love making these with leftover Sunday roast. I love the chilies and cheese with the beef.
Crispy and delicious! These are way easy to make and are perfect appetizers. Gone in minutes!
We make these often! Any time we have guests over for dinner, this is on the menu, along with your Spanish rice. They are always a hit!!
These flautas are amazing! I love the green chiles and salsa inside them. They give the flautas the perfect amount of kick! And they’re so yummy dipped in a homemade salsa or guacamole. Mmmm!
I love to make these flautas when I have extra meat leftover from Sunday dinner. They’re so quick and simple to make and I love the crispiness of the fried tortilla!
These are authentic and they are fabulous. my favorite Mexican restaurant doesn’t make them as good as this.
Awe, that makes me so happy!! Thank you for sharing that!
They look so good! You may add shredded letuce, green salsa, red salsa (always two kind of salsa) queso and crema, and when You do justice to your flautas, still have a kinda salad deliciously flavored. my abuelita serves flautas always like that, i thought you guys might want to try it. Anyways, great recipe!
Thank you for saying that!! Yes, you can definitely add that other stuff. That would be YUM!
This recipe looks really amazing thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome! They are my favorite! Hope you try them!