Description
Mexican-inspired cheesy spinach taquitos deliver crispy magic with minimal effort. Creamy spinach and melted cheese wrapped in golden tortillas create a quick, irresistible appetizer you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces frozen spinach (thawed)
- 11–12 corn or flour tortillas (6-inch)
Aromatic Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion
Seasoning Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Squeeze thawed frozen spinach in a clean kitchen towel over the sink, removing all excess moisture completely.
- In a medium bowl, microwave cream cheese for 20 seconds until soft, then mash and blend thoroughly with the drained spinach.
- Mix in shredded cheddar cheese, finely diced onion, kosher salt, and ground black pepper until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Soften tortillas by wrapping them in slightly damp paper towels and microwaving for 20 seconds, making them flexible and easy to roll.
- Spread approximately of spinach mixture along one edge of each tortilla, creating a linear filling, then roll tightly from that edge, ensuring the seam faces downward when placed on the baking sheet.
- Continue filling and rolling until all mixture is used, then gently brush melted unsalted butter across the surface of each taquito using a pastry brush.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until taquitos turn golden brown and crispy.
- For an alternative cooking method, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry taquitos in batches, turning occasionally to ensure even browning, then drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Notes
- Storing these crispy taquitos in an airtight container keeps them fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat frozen or refrigerated taquitos by baking at 350°F for 10-12 minutes to maintain their crunchy texture.
- Customize the filling by swapping spinach with other vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, or roasted bell peppers for variety.
- Dip these cheesy delights in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole to elevate their flavor profile and add extra excitement.
- Make a large batch and freeze uncooked taquitos between parchment paper layers for quick future meals.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 355 kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 479mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 54mg