Flautas
Flautas are long, thin corn-tortilla tacos rolled around a filling and fried until crisp, named for their resemblance to a flute. They are a popular antojito in Mexico and in Mexican cooking in the United States.
Name and description
The Larousse culinary dictionary defines the flauta as a very thin fried taco, usually filled with meat and measuring roughly 20 to 40 centimeters, named for its likeness to the musical instrument. The length is achieved either with large tortillas or, in some kitchens, by overlapping two tortillas before rolling. Chowhound notes that length is the simplest way to tell a flauta from a taquito, which is shorter and squatter, and that flautas are generally made with corn tortillas.
In everyday Mexican usage the line between flautas and tacos dorados is blurry: recipe writers for El Diario NY and La Opinión present fried rolled potato tacos under both names.
Fillings
Larousse lists shredded chicken, seasoned ground beef, strips of poblano chile (rajas) and boiled potatoes as the most common fillings. Chicken is the most popular, according to Chowhound. Potato with chorizo, picadillo and shredded beef also appear in home recipes.
Serving
Flautas are typically arranged on a plate in threes or fours and covered with toppings. Chowhound describes crema and guacamole as standard, and notes that families and regions also serve them with mole poblano or salsa verde. Shredded lettuce, tomato and crumbled fresh cheese are common. Unlike the U.S. taquito, whose roots lie in mid-twentieth-century California, the flauta is a Mexican dish whose precise date and region of origin are not documented.
Making long flautas
Achieving the characteristic length is the main practical challenge. Where large corn tortillas are unavailable, cooks overlap two standard tortillas by about a third, lay the filling along the long edge and roll the pair together, so the seam of one tortilla is held by the other. The roll must be tight enough that the filling does not spill into the oil, and a couple of toothpicks keep it closed until the tortilla firms up. Because the cylinder is thin, flautas fry quickly and stay crisp longer than wider tacos dorados, which is one reason they are popular for parties and family meals. Leftover shredded chicken, poached beef or seasoned potato are typical ways of stretching a small amount of filling to feed several people.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken thighs or breast
- 1/2 onion and 1 garlic clove
- 1 Roma tomato, finely chopped
- 20 to 24 corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
- Toothpicks
- To serve: crema, guacamole, salsa verde, shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco
Steps
- Poach the chicken with the onion, garlic and salt for about 25 minutes, then shred finely.
- Sauté the tomato in a little oil, add the chicken and cook until dry. Season.
- Warm the tortillas. Overlap two by about a third to make one long tortilla.
- Spread a line of chicken along the long edge and roll very tightly; secure with toothpicks.
- Fry in 2 cm of hot oil, turning, until golden and crisp all over.
- Drain on paper towels, remove toothpicks and serve topped with crema, guacamole, salsa, lettuce and cheese.
If you can find large (20 cm) corn tortillas, use one per flauta instead of overlapping two.
Where to try it
- Antojitos Los Cuates, Compton, California
- Juarez Tacos, Oxnard, California
- La Noria, Coachella, California
- Tacos El Dorado, Stockton, California
- Taquería La Pasadita, San Luis Potosí
Reviews
Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.
See also
References
- "Flauta". Larousse Cocina. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Flautas Vs Taquitos: What's The Difference?". Chowhound. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "¡El auténtico sabor mexicano! Irresistibles tacos de papa con chorizo". El Diario NY. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Ricos tacos de papa para una cena rápida y llenadora". La Opinión. Retrieved 2026-10-10.