El Monterey Frozen taquitos in air fryer or Ninja Foodi is the best way to cook them super crispy with a tender inside! WAY better than in the microwave and done in just minutes. Frozen food in an air fryer is the bomb!
Skip preheating the oven and bake with hot air instead from now on. This takes half the time, healthier without oil and they’re way crunchier this way too. Find this and more of our air fryer recipes our family loves for lunch or a quick snack.
There are a few brands out there, any of them will do and cook the same way. I mean who doesn’t love these babies!! An easy throw together dinner you can make when days get hectic, and they do. You can make homemade air fryer flautas like this but with flour tortillas but this is faster.
You can find beef, chicken or cheese versions in the freezer section of your grocery store. I always have some on hand for “those days.”
Tips: My Favorite models are the Cosori or making Ninja Foodi recipes with the lid that is attached.
It is best practice to put food into a hot basket. This is how to preheat air fryer first before adding your food so it becomes as crispy as possible. For best results, here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
It doesn’t matter whether you choose cheese, beef or chicken taquitos. This timing will work for them all. In no time you’ll air fry everything too! In the Foodi you are going to use the lid that is attached for the air crisp function. Use the basket that sits inside with the holes in the bottom so the hot air can circulate well.
How Long to Cook Frozen Taquitos in Air Fryer
Before you had to preheat your oven to 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, then cook for 12 minutes. NOW air fryer frozen taquitos need 5 minutes preheating and 6 minutes to get crispy. Since they are already precooked it doesn’t take long. Unlike our air fryer chimichangas which use fresh tortillas there’s little to no prep for these.
If you were to go thru the effort to make your own Yes we have made homemade chicken taquitos style when we have time but that isn’t often nowadays. with air fryer tortillas but you made them in a large batch and froze them you’d use the same instructions. Of course for you the timing would vary depending on how thick yours are and how much you stuffed them full. You want the center to get warmed of course.
What You Need
The brand a box you choose is your choice. You can find cheese or meat filled frozen taquitos and they take the same cook time. In order of popularity, favorite brands: Delimex, Jose Olé, El Monterey, Don Miguel, and Trader Jose’s has their own brand.
There’s really no need for non stick cooking spray in your air fryer basket, or need to flip them over either. I do like to have some olive oil spray available to get them to a deeper golden brown. That is all you need! Of course we love a variety of dips once they’re done but those are add ons.
I kid you not this machine will give you the deep fried crunch and taste you crave without the added calories. EVERYTHING I have tried in it tastes better, and more like I’d get at a restaurant than in the oven.
What is a good dip to serve with taquitos?
Easy choices are store bought pico de gallo salsa and sour cream. If avocados are in season I love fresh guacamole. Some like bang bang shrimp sauce, this is how to make fry sauce on everything, ketchup if you asked a young child, or serve with air fryer salsa and enjoy immediately for best results.
Frozen Taquitos in the Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 24 large taquitos, frozen
- 1 spray olive oil, spray
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Put as many frozen taquitos in your air fryer basket as you'd like to eat.
- Set to 6 minutes, then check. If you'd like them crispier add 1 minute at a time. Leave them in the basket for 3-5 minutes closed once time is done in order to continue to warm the insides.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Other easy meals you’ll love
What should you serve with taquitos? Well many times if we want a quick meal it is just this, and done. For a heartier dish I might cook a frozen chicken breast in air fryer until that is tender and add one to each plate with these on the side.
Great for an every day meal or snack, and perfect for a quick Cinco de Mayo appetizer too. Here are a few other air fryer dinner recipes you will love. If you want to try a one pot meal, give our Instant Pot Mexican casserole a whirl too. For another great after school snack, this is how to cook air fryer frozen corn dogs too.
Air fryer empanadas are fabulous. You can really fill them with anything you love but I would say ground beef is an easy one to spice up. Hope this helped answer this question today. Then you can go on to cook all the things like frozen burritos in an air fryer too. If you have any other hacks you’ve figured out, let us know!
FAQ
I guess you could microwave them first to soften, and then crisp a bit in a pan on your stovetop. Air frying is SO much better though!
The inside meat is already cooked, so you’re safe there, though the corn tortilla or flour tortillas are not. If you just allowed them to defrost on the counter you’d be safe to eat them but it would be soft and a bit rubbery.
This worked wonderfully! I buy the same kind you used and followed your directions exactly. The taquitos were beautifully crunchy but not burned and all the yummy filling stayed tucked inside. Thank you so much!
awesome
I did mine in 400 for 5 min.and they were just about burned. I am going to do a lower temp. on the oven and see how that goes.
If yours are thinner than the version I used yes they may take a minute or so less
@Sharon, If I use these directions the filling shoots out the end.