Cheesesteak Taquitos: Crispy, tasty and packed with rich beef and melty cheese. Try them with corn or flour tortillas for an easy appetizer.
These 35 minute air fryer cheese taquitos make a delicious (and super popular) bite sized snack or easy dinner. They’re great for parties, game day or even a casual lunch with your favorite Mexican sides. They come out golden and ultra crunchy!
For more taquito inspiration, check out these recipes for Air Fried Big Mac Taquitos, my Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos with Cilantro Lime Dressing or my Oven Baked Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Taquitos!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE CHEESESTEAK TAQUITOS
These Cheesesteak Taquitos are just like your favorite cheesesteak sandwich; crispy on the outside and melty in the middle.
I love that they cook up in 10 minutes and require zero deep-frying. They’re just a lighter version of a deep-fried taquito, and I’m here for it!
My air fryer cheese taquitos can easily be customized with different seasonings. You can make air fryer taquitos flour tortillas or air fryer taquitos corn tortillas, depending on what you prefer.
Homemade beef taquitos in the air fryer are great for batch cooking and are freezer-friendly, too! They come together quickly and pair well with the zesty dipping sauce I’ve included here, or any dip you prefer.
INGREDIENTS
I recommend using 85/15 ground beef for a delicious Cheesesteak Taquitos filling that’s not overly greasy. I used green bell pepper in my air fryer cheese taquitos, but you can use any color bell pepper.
Garlic powder, salt, and pepper are key for good seasoning, so don’t skimp. I love using Gruyere cheese as a nutty-tasting cheese that melts gently.
Flour tortillas are easy to roll up, but then corn tortillas are heartier and gluten free.
The dipping sauce is quick to make and packs loads of flavor – you’ll need a quality mayo, ketchup, mustard and a little pickle juice for some punchiness.
Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient and quantity list.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESESTEAK TAQUITOS
Here’s how to make my delicious Cheesesteak Taquitos:
Prepare the filling
Cook the ground beef in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through.
Add the onion and chopped green bell pepper. Saute for 5 or 6 minutes. Add in the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the gruyere and stir it in slowly. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool a little.
Assemble the air fryer cheese taquitos
Heat the air fryer to 400F. Lay out the tortillas and spoon in a little filling along one edge. Roll them up nice and tight and fold into taquito shapes. Close up the seam on the bottom to keep them closed. Secure them with toothpicks if you need to!
Cook the Cheesesteak Taquitos
Prepare the air fryer with oil to prevent it from sticking. Arrange the taquitos in a single layer. Space them out so they don’t touch.
Cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway.
Prepare the dipping sauce
Add the following to a mixing bowl: Mayo, ketchup, mustard, dill pickle juice, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir everything until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve while still hot and fresh!
HOW TO GET EXTRA CRISPY TAQUITOS
To get your Cheesesteak Taquitos extra crunchy, lightly mist them with a little oil before cooking. I never load my air fryer too much.
Having a little space between your air fryer taquitos let the hot air circulate and crisp up the edges.
HOW TO PREVENT THE CHEESE FROM RUNNING OUT
I try not to overfill the taquitos with too much filling – this is key. Try only adding 1-2 tablespoons. That is more than enough to fill your Cheesesteak Taquitos.
Roll the tortillas up tightly and keep them seam-side down. Secure them with toothpicks to keep the filling inside.
Let the filling cool down a little before rolling up the tortillas. This just helps the cheese stay put!
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
Here are a couple of ingredient swaps I like to use in my Cheesesteak Taquitos:
- Ground beef swaps: Use thinly sliced beef or shredded cooked chicken instead.
- Cheese alternatives: Use provolone, mozzarella or cheddar in your air fryer cheese taquitos. Pepper jack is great, too!
- Add-ins: Try adding in mushrooms or jalapeños.
- Veggie option: You can make a vegetarian version with black beans and some cheese.
SCALING UP FOR A CROWD
These are honestly ideal for hosting. You can easily double or triple this recipe for air fryer cheese taquitos. It scales up perfectly.
Cook the Cheesesteak Taquitos in batches and keep the cooked taquitos warm until ready to serve. You can make the dipping sauce up to 3 days in advance of your party.
STORAGE AND MAKE AHEAD
Prep the filling and sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Keep your leftover air fryer cheese taquitos in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
To freeze uncooked Cheesesteak Taquitos, lay them out in a single layer on a tray and freeze them. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat cooked taquito leftovers, air fry them for 10 minutes from frozen at 375.
SERVING AND PAIRING
These Cheesesteak Taquitos are fantastic on their own with their dipping sauce but they also work well with:
- The Best Guacamole Recipe or my Cilantro Lime Dressing
- A crunchy side salad or slaw
- Roasted sweet potatoes or tortilla chips
- Salsa
- Sparkling lime water
3 TOP TIPS
- Are your tortillas cracking? Try microwaving them for 15 to 20 seconds in a damp paper towel before rolling them out.
- Are your taquitos unrolling? Don’t panic! Use toothpicks to secure them.
- Are taquitos not crispy enough? Try increasing the temperature of the air fryer or cook them for an extra 2 minutes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can. Here’s a recipe for oven baked cheesesteak taquitos.
Absolutely. Chop it up finely first, and then follow the same process.
Both flour and corn tortillas work well.
OTHER MEXICAN STYLE RECIPES TO TRY
Egg Roll Recipe Carnitas Egg Rolls
Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas Topped with Mexican Street Corn
Air-Fried Cheesesteak-Inspired Taquitos
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup gruyere cheese shredded (or cheese of your choice)
- 8-10 small flour or corn tortillas
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5-6 minutes.
- Season the beef, onion, and bell pepper with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle shredded gruyere cheese over the filling and mix to combine then remove from heat.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Place a small amount of the filling mixture onto each tortilla, along one edge.
- Roll up the tortillas tightly to form taquitos, ensuring that the seam side is facing down to prevent them from opening during cooking. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not touching.
- Air fry the taquitos in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the taquitos are golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through cooking for even browning.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle juice, yellow mustard, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Stir well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Taste the fry sauce and season with salt and pepper to your preference.
- Remove the cooked taquitos from the air fryer, serve with fry sauce, and enjoy!
