Crispy Chickpea Taquitos with Spicy Queso (Vegan)
You will love these crispy chickpea taquitos that are a mouthwatering appetizer or snack perfect for parties! A crisp corn tortilla envelops a savory, spiced chickpea filling. Dip in a creamy spicy queso for the perfect combination!
I grew up eating taquitos as my after-school snack. If you’ve never had a taquito, it is a Mexican dish consisting of a rolled-up tortilla traditionally filled with ingredients like meat, cheese, and beans, then deep-fried until crispy. Instead of meat, we are going to use chickpeas and for a healthier version we will bake instead of deep fry.
These easy vegan taquitos are essentially a rolled taco and are super customizable to have whatever toppings you like! I like to enjoy these for an app or snack at a party (like the Superbowl!) or even for a dinner. This makes a fairly large batch (~16 taquitos) so can feed a larger crowd .
▶︎Try out these other top-rated apps and snacks:
- These Spicy Korean Tofu Wings are out-of-this-world tasty with a sweet spicy marinade!
- Make this creamy Almond dip that tastes like the super popular Bitchin’ sauce!
- Buffalo lovers will go crazy for these crispy Buffalo tofu bites with a tasty vegan ranch for dipping. They are a healthy vegan alternative to buffalo chicken wings.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Chickpeas: To make this recipe easily, use canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- Corn tortillas: Taquitos are traditionally made with corn tortillas so that is what we will use for this recipe!
- Spices: These taquitos are filled with spices to give them more flavor such as cumin, chili powder, paprika, and more.
- Vegan spicy queso: To make the spicy queso, you will need beans, salsa, nutritional yeast, and spices. You can also purchase some vegan queso from the store, such as Primal Kitchen Vegan Queso or Good Foods Queso-Style Dip.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions
- If you don’t want to make your own homemade vegan queso, you can also just use vegan cheese shreds like the Follow Your Heart or Violife cheddar shreds.
- Instead of chickpeas, try out black beans or white beans.
- You can use flour tortillas instead of corn for your vegan taquito. They produce a different texture and flavor to the taquitos.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1:
Start by warming some oil in a large pan over MEDIUM heat. Add in your diced onion and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes to let the onion soften and brown slightly.
Step 2:
Add in your chickpeas and spices and stir until combined. Add in your vegetable broth and cover the pan and simmer on LOW-MEDIUM heat for 5-7 minutes to let the chickpeas soften.*if the mixture dries out, add a touch more vegetable broth.
Once your chickpeas are softened, smash your chickpea mixture using a potato masher or the back of a fork. I recommend mashing about 1/2 of your mixture.Add your diced cilantro and stir until combined.
Step 3:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Wrap 5-10 corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds to soften them. *You may have to do this again during the assembly process if some are drying out.
Lay out a corn tortilla and add ~3-4 tbsp of mixture into the lower third of the tortilla.
Step 4:
Tightly roll the tortilla. Place it seam side down on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Repeat this step until you’ve used all your mixture.
Step 5:
Spread the taquitos out evenly so they are not touching.
Spray or brush some oil on the top of each taquito. Sprinkle a little salt on each.
Place the taquitos in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy!
Tip: Flip the baking sheet around halfway if you notice uneven cooking.
Step 6:
They should be golden brown with slightly darker ends.
Step 7: Serve the baked vegan taquitos with toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guac, lime juice, vegan sour cream and/or the spicy queso.
How to Make Vegan Spicy Queso
This vegan queso is SO easy to make and the creamy, cheesy flavor is nearly identical to dairy queso.
Simply add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on med-high for 4-5 minutes until it’s super creamy.
Serve your vegan taquitos with the spicy queso either on top or for dipping.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can store leftover vegan taquitos in the refrigerator for a short period. Store them in an airtight container for 1-2 days. To reheat leftover taquitos, you can use an oven or toaster oven to help retain their crispiness. Bake the taquitos at 350F until they are heated through and regain their crisp texture, usually for about 10-15 minutes. You could also try air frying them.
*If you add a lot of toppings on all your taquitos, they will likely lose their crispness if stored for later. Try to only top the taquitos you will be eating at that time.
Vegan taquitos are great with guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, vegan cheese, cilantro, fresh lime or a dairy-free sour cream. I love to make a spicy queso for topping too! (See the recipe below)
To make vegan taquitos ahead of time for parties, prepare and assemble them, but don’t bake them until just before serving to maintain their crispiness. Store the assembled taquitos in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, and bake them shortly before guests arrive!
Yes, you can air fry taquitos! Spray air fryer with a little oil before you place the rolled vegan taquitos seam side down in the air fryer. Air fry at 375F for 6-10 minutes until crispy and browned.
▶︎If you love taquitos, you will love TACOS! Check out my Oyster Mushroom Tacos or Chipotle Black Bean Tofu Tacos.
Pro Tips
- Use small corn tortillas that are pliable and easy to roll. Corn tortillas when briefly heated tend to be more pliable.
- Ensure your filling is well-seasoned and flavorful. I add lots of spices to the chickpeas (as you will see below) but taste test your filling before adding it to the tortilla and adjust to your liking.
- To prevent the taquitos from drying out during baking, brush them lightly with oil or cooking spray before placing them in the oven.
- Arrange the taquitos on the baking sheet with some space between them. This allows hot air to circulate so they get evenly cooked and crispy.
⇨ More Chickpea Recipes You Will Love! ⇦
♡ Did you love this recipe? ♡
Leave a ⭐️rating and ✏️comment below (I love to read them!) Tag us on Instagram with a photo or video of your dish 📸 @naturallieplantbased.
Subscribe for more delicious recipes!
Crispy Chickpea Taquitos with Spicy Queso (Vegan)
Save This Recipe
Want to get this recipe in your email? Just enter your email below and get it now along with new recipe updates!
Ingredients
Chickpea Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow or sweet onion finely diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz) drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
Taquitos + Toppings
- 15-20 corn tortillas
- avocado oil* as needed to brush the taquitos before baking
- guacamole, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, cheese, cilantro, and more for topping
Spicy Queso
- 15 oz can of white beans such as Great Northern Beans
- 1/4 cup spicy salsa of choosing*
- 3/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- dash of cayenne pepper for more heat (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- FILLING: Start by warming some oil in a large pan over MEDIUM heat. Add in your diced onion and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes to let the onion soften and brown slightly. Add in your chickpeas and spices and stir until combined. Add in your vegetable broth and cover the pan and simmer on LOW-MEDIUM heat for 5-7 minutes to let the chickpeas soften.*if the mixture dries out, add a touch more vegetable broth.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small yellow or sweet onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 cans chickpeas, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- SMASH: Once your chickpeas are softened, smash your chickpea mixture using a potato masher or the back of a fork. I recommend mashing about 1/2 of your mixture. Add your diced cilantro and stir until combined.1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
- PREPARE YOUR TORTILLAS: Preheat oven to 425F. Wrap 5-10 corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds to soften them. *You may have to do this again during the assembly process if some are drying out.15-20 corn tortillas
- ROLL: Lay out a corn tortilla and add ~3-4 tbsp of mixture into the lower third of the tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla.Place it seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this step until you've used all your mixture. *Spread the taquitos out evenly so they are not touching.avocado oil*
- OIL: Spray or brush some avocado oil (or canola oil) on the top of each taquito. Sprinkle a little salt on each.
- BAKE: Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy!
- SERVE: Serve the taquitos with toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guac, cilantro and/or the spicy queso (see below how to make). I also like to dip the taquitos in the leftover queso!
Spicy Queso
- In a high speed blender, add all your queso ingredients. Blend for 4-6 minutes (yes actually blend that long) on med-high speed. The mixture will thicken more as you blend longer.For the best flavor, warm the queso stovetop or in the microwave.15 oz can of white beans, 1/4 cup spicy salsa of choosing*, 3/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp ground flaxseed, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, dash of cayenne pepper
Video
Notes
-
- To prevent the taquitos from drying out during baking, brush them lightly with oil or cooking spray before placing them in the oven.
-
- Arrange the taquitos on the baking sheet with some space between them. This allows hot air to circulate so they get evenly cooked and crispy.
- To reheat, you can use an oven or toaster oven to help retain their crispiness. Bake the taquitos at 350F until they are heated through and regain their crisp texture, usually for about 10-15 minutes. You could also try air frying them.
I’m really loving the balance of spices in the chickpea filling, and that spicy queso dip is just perfect! Literally tastes like the real thing. I’ll be making this for the Superbowl. It’s going to be a spicy night! lol
Yes it’s a great app for the Superbowl!! Thanks Shaye! Enjoy 🙂
Yum! These were a hit at my house for Superbowl night and they were devoured very quickly. I loved the flavor and texture of the chickpea filling but the queso really took things to the next level. Will be making again soon!
Thanks for your review Sarah and glad they were a hit!!
This queso is everything!!! I’m obsessed and put it on everything, making extra – some for the taquitos and some for everything else!
Thanks Mika – So happy you loved that queso- it’s SO good!