Crispy Baked Beef Flautas with Pico De Gallo and Lime Crema

If you love tacos but want to switch things up, these baked beef flautas are the perfect answer. Rolled tortillas stuffed with seasoned ground beef and Mexican cheese are baked until golden and crunchy, giving you all the satisfaction of fried flautas without the mess. The crispy exterior is the ideal base for bright, fresh toppings.

We top these flautas with a quick homemade pico de gallo and a creamy lime crema that adds a tangy finish. Every bite combines savory beef, melted cheese, crunchy shell and fresh salsa. It’s a complete meal that comes together easily in your oven.

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Ingredients

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and brush with vegetable oil or coat with nonstick spray. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 tablespoon (2 tablespoons for 4 servings).
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and Southwest spice blend; cook, breaking up the meat, until beef is browned and onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the Tex-Mex paste and 1/3 cup water (1/2 cup for 4 servings). Simmer until mixture thickens and beef is cooked through, 2-4 minutes more. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, drizzle the tortillas with 1 tablespoon olive oil (2 tablespoons for 4 servings) and brush or rub to coat evenly. Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of the beef filling onto one side of each tortilla, then sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Mexican cheese. Roll up the tortillas starting from the filled side to form flautas. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are snug to prevent unrolling. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown and crispy, 8-12 minutes.
4. While the flautas bake, finely dice the tomato. Zest and quarter the lime. In a small bowl, combine the diced tomato, minced onion, half the lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt to make pico de gallo. In another small bowl, combine the sour cream, remaining lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt to make lime crema. Divide the baked flautas between plates and top with pico de gallo and lime crema. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well, but they are smaller and more likely to crack. Warm them slightly before rolling to prevent breaking.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover flautas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until crispy.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can assemble the flautas up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Bake just before serving for best results.