Description
These Crispy Jalapeño Popper Beef Taquitos are the ultimate fusion of creamy, cheesy jalapeño poppers and crunchy beef taquitos—oozing with flavor, spice, and melty Pepper Jack cheese. Perfect for game day, weeknight dinners, or a fun twist on Taco Tuesday.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 TortillaLand raw medium tortillas
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 2–4 jalapeños, seeded, deveined, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup salsa (medium for more of a kick)
- 2 cups freshly grated Pepper Jack cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add jalapeños and garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and oregano; cook for another minute.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese and salsa until fully combined and creamy. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of Pepper Jack cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
- Warm tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet or microwave until soft and pliable. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto each tortilla, roll tightly, and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly spray taquitos with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese over the taquitos in the last 5 minutes of baking, if desired.
- Serve hot with sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Adjust the number of jalapeños based on your spice preference—use 2 for mild, 4 for extra heat.
- If using pre-cooked tortillas, skip the warming step and just roll and bake.
- These taquitos freeze well—bake and then freeze for quick snacks later!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taquito
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg