Heart Healthy AirFryer Black Bean Taquitos

Heart Healthy Air Fryer Black Bean Taquitos 

When I first moved to California in the late 90s, I had no idea what a taquito was. It’s just not something you found in the Midwest. I quickly fell in love with them, though. They are a delicious, crispy

snack packed with all the Mexican flavors I love. For the uninitiated, a Taquito is basically a small rolled up taco that is deep fried to a crisp golden brown. They are often filled with either ground beef, shredded chicken, or even shredded beef. I have also had chorizo taquitos…that are just amazing!

Living a heart healthy lifestyle is of course a downer when it comes to enjoying deep fried yummy things like taquitos. So, I’ve had to learn to improvise a bit to get my rolled taco fix. Using the principles I always use to make any recipe heart healthy, I’ve found a great way to get the crispy Mexi-Cali goodness of a taquito using black beans and my air fryer.

Black beans are a great source of fiber. Diets high in fiber are linked to longevity, as fiber satiates hunger, aids in digestion, lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of diabetes and strokes, and helps with weight loss.

How To Make Air Fryer Taquitos

This is probably one of the easiest things that I cook. But, there are a few tips that will help you pull this heart healthy air fryer recipe off at a higher level.

If you are going to use corn tortillas, they must be warm before you start building the taquitos. Warming the tortillas will make them more pliable, and less likely to break or crumble during the rolling process. There are several ways to do this, but the best way I have found is to wrap them in wet paper towels and then microwave them on high for 15 to 30 seconds. Be careful. They will be hot, but steaming them this way seems to cut down on a lot of ruined taquitos. You may need to warm them up several times, depending on how fast you are working.

If you do destroy a tortilla in the process of making a taquito, not all is lost. Just scrape the bean mixture off, and start over on a fresh tortilla. 

Here’s another important tip:  Don’t put too many taquitos in your air fryer at once. Overcrowding equals soggy taquitos! If you have one of the smaller air fryer units, you may need to cook your heart healthy snack in a few batches. 

How To Top Your Air Fryer Taquitos

Okay…there are a lot of ways to finish off this recipe. They are simply delicious all by themselves, and don’t really need anything. But, traditionally, taquitos are served with salsa on the side. Sometimes they are covered in shredded cheese, Mexican Crema, and guacamole. I personally like to keep it as heart healthy as possible. I like to add a little bit of hot sauce and maybe some sour cream. Play around with toppings and see what works for you.

Take Your Air Fryer Taquito Game To The Next Level

Who says that black beans is the only thing you can make a heart healthy taquito out of? The sky is literally the limit! You might want to try…

• Ground Beef
• Shredded Chicken
• Left Over Steak
• Stir Fried Veggies
• Grilled Chicken
• Shrimp

Heart Healthy AirFryer Black Bean Taquitos

Recipe by Keith MillerCourse: Lunch, Snacks, AppetizersCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can of Black Beans 15 ounces (rinsed, drained)

• 1/3 cup of Salsa

• 8 small (taco size) Tortillas (corn or flour)

• Taco Seasoning (to your preference)

• Hot Sauce (optional)

• Olive Oil or Cooking Spray

Directions

• Pre-heat your air fryer on 390 degrees for a few minutes prior to making this recipe.
• Drain and rinse the beans and place in a large bowl.
• Add Salsa, and season with Taco Seasoning and Hot Sauce (if using) to your preference. I like to use FlavorGod Taco Tuesday. Mix.
• Mash the contents of the bowl with a fork or potato masher until you have a smooth consistency. A few lumps are okay, and add texture.
• Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of this mixture onto a tortilla, and carefully roll up. Place the rolled taquito seam down inside your air fryer basket. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. When using corn tortillas I find it best to wrap them in wet paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. This makes them more pliable, and less likely to crumble.
• Spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil, and cook at 390 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Or until the tortillas are crispy.
• Top with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or cheese! Enjoy!

If you don’t know where to start, I’m here for you. Each and every week I set aside times for what I call Success Strategy Sessions. These short (and FREE!) coaching calls are designed to get you moving toward your goals and reaching them at lightening speed. During the call we’ll talk about where you currently are, where you’d like to be, and come up with some quick actionable steps you can take right away.

These calls are FREE, but I only have a limited amount of time to do them each and every week. They are “first-come-first-serve”. Schedule a free Success Strategy Session today!