Air Fryer Mexican Cauliflower Rice Taquitos
by Amanda Keefer
Healthy, delicious, and ready in under 30 minutes, these Cauliflower Rice Taquitos are the perfect easy weeknight meal. No Air Fryer. no problem! Oven directions included.
Taquitos are a kid-friendly snack and an easy way to get veggies into kiddos, and this homemade version is no exception. Packed with cauliflower, black beans and corn, kids will happily eat these for lunch, dinner or as a snack. They can be baked in the oven or “fried” in an air fryer for a crispy, crunchy meal. Serve with salsa, guacamole or plain Greek yogurt for dipping.
We have been loving our Air Fryer for quick and easy meals like our Air Fryer Turkey Breast and sides like our Air Fryer Roasted Ranch Potatoes. It is great for quick and even cooking and fast clean up. Well I had a few extra cans of black beans in the pantry that I wanted to create something with. The kids love BBQ Chicken Taquitos in their lunchboxes, so I figured I’d give these Air Fryer Mexican Cauliflower Rice Taquitos a try. They were a win!
Getting familiar with your air fryer? Check out these Air Fryer Tips & Tricks to help you get started.
Key Ingredients for these Air Fryer Mexican Cauliflower Rice Taquitos
- Cauliflower
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Cheddar Cheese
These are super simple to make and are even great for meal prep, too.
Make a large batch and freeze for a later day. Older kids can easily defrost and take on the go between school and sports.
Nutrition Tip: Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable, as it can be made into pizza crust, mac & cheese, rice, or even buffalo wings! This veggie is rich antioxidants that have been shown to protect your skin from sun damage and decrease inflammation.
How to make these Easy Air Fryer Taquitos
First prepare your cauliflower rice by method of choice. Then mix the cauliflower rice, black beans, corn, cheese, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt in large mixing bowl.
Lay the empanada wrappers on a flat surface. Fill each with about ¼ cup of the filling and roll them up.
Next heat the air fryer to 375F. Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Then add the taquitos and cook 8 minutes, or until browned and crispy.
Oven instructions for these Cauliflower and Black Bean Taquitos
Alternately, place the taquitos on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake in preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
Then serve with all of of your favorite toppings such as sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce. If you are looking for a side dish try our Mexican Stuffed Potatoes or our Healthy 7-Layer Taco Dip.
How to make Cauliflower Rice
There are several ways to make cauliflower rice. You can grate the cauliflower with a cheese grater, you can add the cauliflower to a food processor, or even add it to a bag and use a meat tenderizer. Once the cauliflower is grated into the sizes of preference, you can steam the cauliflower. They your cauliflower rice is ready to use in your recipes like this one or our Thai-Style Beef Cauliflower Rice.
Make sure to PIN IT!
Air Fryer Mexican Cauliflower Rice Taquitos
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 8 ounces riced cauliflower steamed
- 1 15 oz. can low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1/2 cup shredded lowfat Cheddar cheese
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 small frozen empanada shells thawed
Instructions
- Mix cauliflower rice, beans, corn, cheese, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt in large bowl.
- Lay empanada wrappers on flat surface. Fill each with ¼ cup of filling and roll up.
- Heat air fryer to 375F. Spray air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Add taquitos and cook 8 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Alternately, place taquitos on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake in preheated 375F oven 20 minutes. Flip and cook additional 5 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
More recipes to try:
Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
