Vegan Taquitos (Air Fryer or Baked)
These vegan taquitos honor traditional Mexican flavors with a crispy, plant-based spin. They're easy to customize, meal prep-friendly, and perfect for sharing with the whole family. Plus, you can make them in the air fryer or oven!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil for sautéing, OR water for oil free
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt premeasured into a small bowl for adding when directed
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1 jalapeño finely diced (optionally remove membrane and seeds for less heat)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth for deglazing, OR water and see Notes
- (1) 15-ounce can pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups water OR low-sodium vegetable broth and omit vegan bouillon cube
- 1 vegan bouillon cube
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano regular oregano works too
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 recipe simple avocado salsa recipe
- 20 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Sauté veggies: Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt (from the premeasured bowl), cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add tomato, celery, jalapeño, and another pinch of salt, cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic for the last minute. Deglaze by adding vegetable broth (or water) to lift browned bits and deepen flavor.
- Cook beans: Stir in beans, vegetable broth, spices, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mash slightly with a potato masher. Simmer 20 min, stirring occasionally, until thick and scoopable. Taste and adjust salt.
- Meanwhile, make the simple avocado salsa recipe.
- Warm tortillas: Heat each tortilla in a skillet or on a griddle for 10-15 seconds per side, or until softened. Keep wrapped in a towel to stay pliable.
- Assemble taquitos: Spread ~1 ½ tablespoons beans and ~½ tablespoon of the salsa near one edge of each tortilla. Roll tightly, seam-side down, and secure with a toothpick if needed.
Cook
- Air Fryer: Preheat to 390°F. Arrange seam-side down in a single layer, cook 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden.
- Oven: Preheat to 425°F. Bake on parchment-lined sheet 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks. Serve warm with remaining salsa, shredded lettuce, taqueria style pickled jalapenos and carrots, homemade pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, or vegan cashew sour cream.
Notes
- Salt in layers: Add a pinch with onions, another with mirepoix, then taste and adjust at the end. This builds depth without oversalting.
- Deglazing with water: Broth gives the best savory flavor, but water works fine too. Tip: a splash of beer adds malty depth, but broth or water keeps it more family-friendly.
- Prevent cracking: Warm tortillas before rolling and keep wrapped until ready.
- Extra crispy taquitos: If you want extra crispness, optionally lightly spray or brush tortillas with oil once rolled.
- Avoid overcrowding: Space taquitos evenly in the air fryer or on the baking sheet for even cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.4mg
