Tex-Mex Taquitos

History & Origin

Taquitos have their roots in traditional Mexican cookery, specifically in the flautas of northern Mexico and the tacos dorados of the centre of the country. However, the Tex-Mex version has developed its own characteristics that clearly distinguish it from the Mexican original. Whilst in Mexico taquitos are typically filled with shredded chicken, potato or beans and seasoned with Mexican spices like ancho chilli and epazote, the Tex-Mex version incorporates beef mince seasoned with the characteristic border spice blend, generous cheddar cheese, and sometimes ingredients like onion powder and dried oregano that are more typical of southern American cookery. The popularity of taquitos in Texas grew enormously from the 1970s when frozen versions began appearing in supermarkets. Tex-Mex restaurants in San Antonio perfected the deep-frying technique to achieve the crunchy exterior texture that makes the Tex-Mex taquito so addictive. Today they are served in portions of three, four or six with guacamole, soured cream and fresh salsa.