Corn and Potato Taquitos
These “little tacos” have all the bright, citrusy punch of elote, the grilled Mexican street snack.
- Serves
4
- Time
1 hour
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In her debut cookbook, My (Half) Latinx Kitchen, Kiera Wright-Ruiz draws inspiration from countless recipes from her childhood across many Latinx households in South Florida. This dish, however, was her original creation: oven-baked taquitos (little tacos) that have the same zippy flavor of classic Mexican street corn. The filling is seasoned with sweet corn, lime zest, cheese, and Tajín seasoning, and the crispy finished tacos are dressed with plenty of crema, cilantro, queso fresco, and even more Tajín. It’s an entirely new dish that, like Wright-Ruiz’s cookbook, gives us new ways of understanding and celebrating Latinx cooking. (To make your taquitos easy to assemble, use fresh soft corn tortillas and coat them with plenty of oil before filling.)
Adapted with permission from My (Half) Latinx Kitchen: Half Recipes, Half Stories, All Latin American by Kiera Wright-Ruiz. Copyright © 2025 by Kiera Wright-Ruiz. Photography © 2025 by Lauren Vied Allen. From Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.
Featured in “This (Half) Latinx Cookbook Celebrates the Author’s Cultural In-Between” by Jessica Carbone.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1¼ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into equal pieces
- Kosher salt
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime zest
- 2 tsp. Tajín, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp. cornstarch or potato starch
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 5 ears), or frozen
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For the taquitos:
- Sixteen 6-in. corn tortillas (as fresh as possible)
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Mexican crema, for serving
- Crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving
- ¼ cup packed finely chopped cilantro leaves, for serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
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- Make the filling: To a medium pot, add the potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10–15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the potatoes, adding the butter, lime zest, Tajín, and cornstarch about halfway through, until smooth, about 5 minutes total. Stir in the corn and cheddar until evenly distributed. Season to taste with salt, then set aside.
- Make the taquitos: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Place the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and loosely cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 15-second increments until warm, 30 seconds to 1 minute total.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, rub about 1 teaspoon of oil on each side of the tortilla to lightly coat. To the center of the tortilla, add a scant ¼ cup of filling. Roll up the tortilla tightly, tapping the filling at the ends to keep it from spilling out, and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. (If you have leftover filling, reserve for another use for up to 3 days.) Pour any remaining oil directly onto the baking sheet.
- Bake the taquitos until they begin to crisp and hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully flip the taquitos. Continue baking until fully crisp and golden, 8–10 minutes more.
- Divide the taquitos among four plates. Drizzle with the crema and sprinkle with the crumbled cotija, cilantro, and more Tajín. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side if desired.
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