These baked vegan taquitos are not exactly traditional, but they are SO delicious and easy to prepare. Filled with vegan taco meat and cheese, then baked until crispy! Endlessly customizable, too. Serve with your favorite toppings like salsa, guacamole, green onion, and cilantro.Makes 6 large taquitos (or flautas); serves 3 to 4 people depending on appetites.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C), and line a baking pan with parchment. If you have an oven-proof metal rack, place that on top.
If the taco meat was made in advance and is cold from the refrigerator, warm it briefly in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. It doesn't need to be piping hot, just warm.
Lay a tortilla out flat, and spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans horizontally across the middle. Spoon about ⅓ to ½ cup taco meat on top of the beans, and gently pack it down. Lay a few pieces of spinach on top of the meat, then sprinkle with cheese.
Roll up tightly, and place seam side-down on the baking rack (or directly on the parchment if not using a rack). Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until hot and crisp. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings. See Notes for storage and re-heating.
Notes
Vegan Meat OptionsI highly recommend trying the soy curl taco meat if you can. The flavor and texture are just SO perfect for these taquitos - any leftovers you have can easily be added to salads, grain bowls, and nachos.But in a pinch feel free to sub store-bought vegan beefy crumbles, crumbled tofu chorizo, or even ground seitan. You'll need to sauté it with diced onion and taco seasoning before using in this recipe.Corn TortillasIf using small corn tortillas you'll need to warm them first to make them pliable. To do this, stack them on a plate, and cover with a damp tea towel or paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds or until soft. Keep covered with the warm towel while assembling taquitos.As long as the corn tortillas are soft enough you shouldn't have trouble with them unfolding on the baking sheet, but toothpicks can help hold them in place if needed.These cook faster than flour tortillas, so keep an eye on them after 6 or 7 minutes in the oven.Cheese OptionsIf you prefer an oil-free homemade cheese option, I recommend one of these:
No-Cook Cheese Sauce - only use a small amount in the taquitos to avoid adding too much moisture.
Storing and ReheatingVegan taquitos taste best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a few days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven until hot and crisp.