Crispy Beef Flautas (Restaurant-Quality!)

A close-up view of a platter filled with a line of crispy beef flautas topped with pico de gallo, crumbled Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro.

Crispy Beef Flautas (Restaurant-Quality!)

Course: Entree or Appetizer

Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Mexican

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 3 15

Total Time: 3 40

Servings:

Calories: 613kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Loaded with tender, slow-braised shredded beef and melted cheese, these Crispy Beef Flautas are fried to golden perfection and topped with cool crema and fresh cilantro. A crowd-pleasing Tex-Mex favorite that is easier to make at home than you think!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Dutch oven with a lid or a sturdy pot with a lid, or a baking dish with foil
Toothpicks optional, but helpful

Ingredients

For the Slow Braised Beef

3 lbs chuck roast trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoon lime juice fresh
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus about 1 tablespoon of the sauce from the can
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1½ cups beef stock or broth

For the Flautas

vegetable oil for frying
16 tortillas flour or yellow corn, see NOTES
1½ cups Monterey Jack cheese

For Serving

1 cup green leaf lettuce shredded, or iceberg
1 cup pico de gallo
Cotija cheese crumbled
2 tablespoon cilantro fresh, chopped
Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a little lime juice

Instructions

Braise and Prepare the Beef

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Liberally season the chunks of beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil (2 tbsp) in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, working in a couple of batches, and sear each side until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3 lbs chuck roast, 1 tbsp Kosher salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Add the onions to the pot and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, lime juice, chipotles (with 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce), chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 chipotle peppers, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika
Whisk in the beef stock (or broth), scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. Return the beef, along with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and place in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
1½ cups beef stock
Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from the pot and place it on a baking sheet with a lip. Use a fork to shred the meat, discarding any chunks of visible fat. Season the shredded beef with salt. Taste, and add more salt, if desired. Tilt the pot and use a spoon or small ladle to remove most of the rendered grease that has risen to the top. Return the shredded beef to the pot and stir it to completely coat it with the sauce. Set aside.

Prepare the Flautas

Add enough oil to a sturdy skillet to fill it about halfway (don't overfill!). Heat the oil to 350°F.
vegetable oil
Place the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH for about 30 to 60 seconds, until they are very pliable.
16 tortillas
Place one warm tortilla on a cutting board and add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beef to one half of the tortilla. Top with about 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly into a cylinder. Secure the seam with a toothpick, if desired (this will ensure they don't open up while frying). Repeat with remaining tortillas.
1½ cups Monterey Jack cheese
Working in batches, place the rolled tortillas seam side down in the hot oil with metal tongs. Hold them in place for about a minute so the tortilla will stay in place. Turn and continue to fry them until they are a light golden color and crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining flautas, keeping cooked flautas in a low-temp oven (220°F) until all are done frying.
Serve at once on a bed of shredded lettuce and top with pico de gallo, Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro. Serve with Mexican crema on the side, if desired.
1 cup green leaf lettuce, 1 cup pico de gallo, Cotija cheese, 2 tbsp cilantro, Mexican crema

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.

Flour vs. Corn Tortillas: Flour tortillas are traditional for flautas and yield a light, ultra-crispy, restaurant-style crunch. Corn tortillas (traditionally used for taquitos) produce an earthy, extra-shattering crunch. Both work wonderfully in this recipe! Just make sure to warm them first so they roll easily without splitting.
Securing the Seam (Toothpick Trick): To keep your flautas tightly rolled while frying, push a wooden toothpick horizontally through the center of each flauta near the seam. Always lay them seam-side down into the hot oil first, and remember to remove all toothpicks before serving!
Slow-Cooker Method: After searing the beef and building the sauce on the stovetop (Steps 1 & 2), transfer the meat and liquid to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours) until melt-in-your-mouth tender. Shred the beef, simmer the remaining juices in a saucepan on the stovetop for 6–8 minutes to reduce, then toss back together.
Storage & Reheating: Store leftover fried flautas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3–4 minutes or in an oven at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes to bring back that shattering crunch! (Avoid the microwave, as it will make the shell soft and soggy).

Nutrition