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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Entrees

    Vegan Taquitos

    Published: May 18, 2024 · Modified: Jan 15, 2024 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    It's almost Taco Tuesday! Instead of tacos, try crunchy vegan taquitos. This vegan taquitos recipe has various filling choices and two cooking options!

    Vegan taquitos on a plate served with southwest salad and topped with guacamole, salsa, and southwest dressing.

    One of my favorite childhood memories is my mom making taquitos when I arrived home from school. But, of course, those taquitos were frozen and by no means vegan. Since then, I learned how to 'veganize' my favorite foods, but vegan taquitos taste much better than I remember. My vegan taquitos recipe are baked or air-fried with various filling options. 

    Jump to:
    • Vegan Taquito Fillings 
    • Lentil Taco Filling Ingredients
    • Lentil Taco Filling Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Vegan Taquitos
    • Baked Taquitos
    • Air-Fried Taquitos 
    • What to Serve with Vegan Taquitos
    • Other Suggested Toppings
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Great Vegan Mexican Recipes to Try
    • 📖 Recipe
    •  
    • 💬 Reviews

    Taquitos, also called rolled tacos, are traditionally fried, but I bake or air-fry my vegan taquitos. 

    My mom, for example, gave us guacamole, salsa, and hot sauce to dip in our taquitos. 

    Vegan taquitos make a great snack, lunch, or dinner regardless of what fillings and toppings are chosen. And kids LOVE them! 

    Vegan Taquito Fillings 

    I decided to fill my taquitos with the lentil taco meat from my vegan lentil tacos recipe for tonight's taquitos. Also, I'd like to suggest other filling options that taste great in these tiny rolled tacos. 

    • Potato Tacos (a filling made of potatoes, seasonings, onions, and jalapenos)
    • Walnut Meat Tacos (a filing made from raw walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs)
    • Tofu Tacos (grilled taco flavored tofu)
    • Tempeh Tacos (grilled tempeh marinated in a southwest marinade)
    • Mushroom Chorizo Tacos (a combination of mushrooms, walnuts, and seasonings)
    • Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado-Cilantro Cream (roasted cauliflower and herbs)

    Lentil Taco Filling Ingredients

    Lentil taco meat ingredients are cooking in a plan on the stove.
    • Brown Lentils: Brown and black lentils are more solid when cooked than green or red lentils. I love Trader Joe's steamed lentils in the refrigerator section.
    • White Onion: White onion has a strong flavor profile, ut when sauteed, it sweetens up.
    • Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves as opposed to a jarred or garlic paste.
    • Jalapeño: I like my lentil taco meat a little spicy, so if you don't like spice skip this ingredient. Also, make sure to wear gloves when working with jalapenos.
    • Rotel Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies: This type of canned tomato already are flavored and contains green chilies.
    • Organic Vegetable Broth: I always buy it in bulk at Costco because I often use it.
    • Vegan Taco Seasoning: Choose a vegan brand of taco seasoning, or use a homemade seasoning mix.

    Lentil Taco Filling Ingredient Substitutions

    • Reduce the vegetable broth to 1 cup instead of 4 cups if using canned or pre-cooked lentils.
    • Use red or yellow onion instead of white onion.
    • Skip the jalapeno if you don't like it spicy. Or make sure to remove the seeds and vein to reduce the spiciness. For extra spicy lentil meat, add in a few seeds.
    • Try regular canned diced tomatoes and add green chilis.
    • Yondu is a great option to replace vegetable broth.
    • Make taco seasoning and store to use for Mexican recipes: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin,1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

    How to Make Vegan Taquitos

    I am filling a tortilla with lentil taco meat and rolling it.
    1. First, choose the type of tortilla. If using corn tortillas, heat them in a pan or microwave before filling them to make them more pliable so they don't break.
    2. On the other hand, flour tortillas only need heating after use because of their sturdiness.
    3. However, since the taquitos require hand rolling, allow the chosen filling to cool before handling.  
    4. Unlike a standard taco, vegan taquitos use a small amount of filling on one side of the tortilla. Then, roll each taquito tightly.

    This is my favorite homemade tortilla recipe if you want an oil-free one.

    Baked Taquitos

    Brush each taquito with fresh lime juice and sprinkle them with chili powder as an added fun extra. 

    • Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet.
    • Bake at 400 degrees.
    • Cook for 20 minutes until crisp.

    Benefits of Baking

    • Can bake several taquitos at one time

    Negatives of Baking

    • It takes twice the time as the air-fryer
    • Not as crispy as the air-fryer

    Air-Fried Taquitos 

    The vegan taquitos are rolled, brushed with lime juice, and sprinkled with chili powder like the baked version. However, instead of placing on a silicone baking, place a single layer of taquitos in the base of the air fryer. 

    air-fried taquitos

    Benefits of Air Frying

    • Very crispy like a fried taquito
    • It takes half the time of an oven

    Negatives of Air Frying

    • You can only air-fry 3 to 4 taquitos simultaneously unless you have a larger air fryer with a separate pan.
    Cooked vegan taquitos recipe on a plate with limes, cilantro, and jalapeno slices.

    What to Serve with Vegan Taquitos

    Once cooked, serve the vegan taquitos recipe with a salad dressed in vegan southwest dressing, homemade guacamole, jalapeños, and lime wedges. 

    Guacamole in a bowl on the counter.

    Other Suggested Toppings

    • Sour Cream (vegan)
    • Fruit Salsa Recipe
    • Tomatillo Salsa
    • Nacho Cheese Sauce(vegan)
    • Southwest Dressing (vegan)

    So, the next time you consider Taco Tuesday, think about making taquitos instead of tacos. Not only are vegan taquitos crunchy, but they also taste fabulous. When planning a meal for the family, kids love vegan taquitos.

    Recipe FAQs

    How are flautas and taquitos different?

    Taquitos are usually made of corn tortillas. Meanwhile, flautas are made of flour tortillas. 

    Are taquitos authentic Mexican food?

    Not really. While many people regard the taquito as a Mexican dish, it is believed that it was invented in the US. 

    What do Mexicans call taquitos?

    Crispy fried taquitos sold in Mexico are often called tacos dorados, "golden tacos."

    Tips

    • When working with corn tortillas, the trick to prevent them from cracking or breaking is to get them moist first. Do this my warming them in a microwave with a moist paper towel or in a pan on the stove. Ir spray them lightly with water or lime juice.
    • Skip making homemade guacamole and salsa and buy fresh guacamole and salsa in the grocery store deli section.
    • Choose unique fillings to make different types of taquitos.
    • Preheating the air fryer first helps to cook the taquitos evenly. If you don't, remember that subsequent batches will cook more quickly than the first batch.
    • If you have a small air fryer, preheat an oven to 325 degrees to keep the cooked taquitos warm while batch-cooking the others.
    • Serve with Mexican rice, Mexican chopped salad, or Southwest coleslaw.

    If you love crunchy tacos, give vegan taquitos a try for a healthy alternative!

    Great Vegan Mexican Recipes to Try

    • Mango Salsa
    • Mexican Pasta Salad Recipe
      Vegan Mexican Pasta Salad
    • Easy Mexican Street Corn Dip
    • Quick and Easy Southwest Coleslaw

    If you love this vegan taquitos recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    vegan taquitos

    Vegan Taquitos

    Kathy Carmichael
    Switch up Taco Tuesday with oil-free, crunchy vegan taquitos. With various filling choices, tortilla choices, and even two cooking options, this vegan taquito recipe is fabulous, especially for the kids.
    4.90 from 19 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 339 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Vegan Lentil Taco Meat

    • 1 ½ cups Brown lentils rinsed and picked over
    • 1 large diced White Onion diced
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 Jalapeño de-seeded diced
    • 2 cans Rotel Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies
    • 4 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
    • 2 packages Vegan Taco Seasoning or use your own brew

    Other Ingredients

    • 1 package Corn or Flour Tortillas 12 tortillas
    • ¼ cup lime juice
    • Chilii powder sprinkled
    • 3 Jalapeños de-seeded and sliced
    • Salsa of choice or hot sauce
    • Vegan sour cream

    Other Taquito Fillings (Instead of lentil taco filling)

    • Mushroom Chorizo Filling
    • Potato Taco Filling
    • Roasted Cauliflower Filling
    • Walnut Taco Filling
    • Tempeh Taco Filling

    Instructions
     

    Tortillas

    • Corn tortillas need to be heated in a skillet or microwave to soften them before rolling the taquitos.
    • Flour tortillas do not need to be heated.

    Lentil Taco Meat (or choose one of the other filling options)

    • Sauté the onion in a medium-sized saute pan with garlic and jalapeno.
    • You do not need oil.
    • The vegetables sweat and produce moisture.
    • You can always splash with vegetable broth, but don't waste the fat and calories on oil.
    • When the onions begin to be translucent, add the lentils and 3 cups of vegetable broth, 1 can of tomatoes, and the seasoning packages, stir, and bring to a boil.
    • Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and cook, covered for 30 minutes.
    • After 30 minutes, remove the top of the saute pan, and stir the contents.
    • Add the next can of tomatoes.
    • Continue to cook on low, stirring often.
    • Use the remaining vegetable broth if the mixture appears dry.
    • The goal is for it to have a thick consistency.
    • Allow cooling completely before rolling taquitos.

    Rolling and cooking the taquitos

    • Place each tortilla (corn or flour on a flat surface.
    • Add a small amount of taco filling on one side of the tortilla (about 4 Tablespoons) and tightly roll each tortilla.
    • Brush each taquito with lime juice and sprinkle with chili powder.
    • Choose your cooking method: air-frying or baking.

    Air Frying

    • Set as many taquitos (fold down) in the base of the air-fryer.
    • Cook at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes until crispy.
    • Remove from the air-fryer and cover to keep warm while the other taquitos cook.

    Baking

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
    • Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet.
    • Lay each taquito fold it down on the baking sheet.
    • Cook for 20 minutes until crispy.

    Notes

    • When working with corn tortillas, the trick to prevent them from cracking or breaking is to get them moist first. Do this my warming them in a microwave with a moist paper towel or in a pan on the stove. Ir spray them lightly with water or lime juice.
    • Skip making homemade guacamole and salsa and buy fresh guacamole and salsa in the grocery store deli section.
    • Choose unique fillings to make different types of taquitos.
    • Preheating the air fryer first helps to cook the taquitos evenly. If you don't, remember that subsequent batches will cook more quickly than the first batch.
    • If you have a small air fryer, preheat an oven to 325 degrees to keep the cooked taquitos warm while batch-cooking the others.
    • Serve with Mexican rice, Mexican chopped salad, or Southwest coleslaw.
    • For gluten-free taquitos, choose corn tortillas. 

     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 17gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 1607mgPotassium: 869mgFiber: 22gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1714IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 6mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.90 from 19 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melody Sieglitz

      January 17, 2024 at 7:07 pm

      I’m confused why 4 cups veg broth seems like lots doesn’t it make it really watery?! Yikes

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        January 17, 2024 at 7:54 pm

        Hi Melody, no, the lentils absorb it. If you are using precooked lentils, then reduce the vegetable broth by 1/2, but if using dry lentils, they absorb all the liquid.

        Reply
    2. Victoria

      October 22, 2023 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      These were so good! I made them exactly as written. My corn tortillas did break after I rolled them, so I obviously didn't wet them enough, but I'm going to try again. They still cooked up crispy in the oven, just not pretty. They do crisp up even more when left to rest for about 4-5 minutes before eating. Served with cashew sour cream and salsa Verde. Making them again tomorrow as I have filling left and I want to get my roll down. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        October 23, 2023 at 9:43 am

        Victoria, I'm so glad you liked the taquitos. "Get your roll down" HAHAH! You can also microwave them before or after wetting for a little more flexibility.

        Reply
    3. suzi

      October 15, 2023 at 12:03 pm

      5 stars
      Used your amazing recipe (cut in half) with my cup of leftover cooked lentils to make two giant taquitos for us today. Simply started with the onion, jalapeno and garlic, added the cooked lentils and fresh chopped tomatoes with some spices. Absolutely perfect!!!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        October 15, 2023 at 6:23 pm

        Hi Suzi, I'm so glad you liked the taquitos. And it's always great to use up those leftovers. Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it.

        Reply
    4. wu kimi

      September 14, 2022 at 1:27 am

      Delicious recipe! The Air fryer has so many healthy benefits, it healthier to have food with fresh vegatables!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 14, 2022 at 6:03 am

        Hello, I'm so glad you enjoyed the taquitos. Thank you for the feedback. Let me know if you try any other air fryer recipes. I would love to hear from you.

        Reply
    5. Joy Patras

      May 27, 2021 at 8:41 am

      Hi Kathy! My teenage daughter found your taquitos recipe online while searching for healthy vegan meals because I told her that I need dinner ideas for us. Anyway, I made the lentil filling last night, along with the taco seasonings recipe from your blog. I also flavored a combination of rice, lentils, veggies and taco seasonings for another filling. Lastly, I was inspired by your fillings to make a bean filling for the taquitos for an additional stuffing for the corn tortillas that we used. After I rolled them up, I baked them in the oven for 10 minutes. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe and I am now your newest Pinterest follower, too!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        May 27, 2021 at 10:55 am

        Hi Joy, thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad you found the blog and your daughter is enjoying the recipes. Both my kids are vegan and now adults. If you or your daughter use Facebook, you should join our recipe share page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/veganrecipesKVK

        Reply
        • Joy

          May 28, 2021 at 8:43 am

          Hi Kathy! I am on Facebook. I did just fill out the questions to join the group. However, it asked for my email address so I can get recipes sent to me. I hope it is okay to decline
          as I prefer to just look at blogs on my own time for recipes.

          Reply
          • Kathy Carmichael

            May 28, 2021 at 12:59 pm

            Hi Joy, you are already approved and ready to go. No worries. I hope you enjoy the recipe share page.

            Reply
    6. Quincee

      April 03, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      Thank you so much for the recipe. I added vegan shredded cheese

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        April 04, 2021 at 6:48 am

        Hi Quincee, I'm so glad you enjoyed the vegan taquitos. If you liked those, you will love the chimichanga recpe! Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kathy! I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based recipes. I believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet!

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