What do you get when you combine the flavor of tacos and the crispiness of a perfectly fried egg roll wrapper- taco egg rolls, of course! Packed with seasoned ground beef and gooey cheese, these easy appetizers are perfect for game day, Taco Tuesday, or let’s be honest… any day.
If you’re interested in learning how to make these crispy, yummy little snacks, let’s “roll” right into the recipe!
RECIPE: Taco Egg Rolls
A Couple Notes Before You Begin:
1. Ground Beef- The following recipe calls for one pound of ground beef, which will easily make a couple dozen of these taco egg rolls. I always start with one pound of ground beef and typically only make a dozen or so of these egg rolls. Then I use the leftover meat for tacos, nachos, or these yummy taco wonton cups. Or, I simply freeze the extra meat for future use- it freezes well and is always nice to have on hand.
2. Egg Roll Filling- I use only about 2 tablespoons of meat in each egg roll, but of course, you can choose to use more or less filling depending on your taste.
3. Egg Roll Wrappers- These egg rolls use two egg roll wrappers each. I wrap the egg rolls once and then wrap them again in another egg roll wrapper, as you’ll see below. Using two wrappers makes the taco egg rolls much more substantial, which is what I prefer.
If you’d like to use only one egg roll wrapper for each taco egg roll, I would recommend frying them at a slightly lower temperature (around 360 degrees instead of 370 degrees). These egg rolls brown very, very quickly and you need to be able to keep them in long enough to heat up the filling.
4. Oil- I have used both canola oil and avocado oil to fry these egg rolls. Avocado oil is more expensive but is also healthier and offers a cleaner taste in my opinion. However, any neutral oil will do the job.
Taco Meat
If you are a taco fan, then you likely already have a signature ground beef taco meat recipe you enjoy. Use that to fill these egg rolls if you’d like! If not, here is a very simple “starter” taco meat recipe…
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 packet of taco (1 oz.) seasoning of your choice- this Ortega one (on Amazon) is my favorite.
- 1 can of black beans (15 oz.)
- 1/2 cup of shredded Mexican blend or Chihuahua cheese
Instructions:
1. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef in a skillet. Drain off any excess fat.
2. Add the sweet onion, about a 3/4 cup water, and the taco seasoning. Cook on medium/low heat until the onion is starting to soften. Stir frequently so the meat does not scorch.
3. Drain and rinse the black beans before adding them to the meat. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes on low to warm the beans and finish cooking the onion. Again, stir frequently as the meat mixture cooks.
4. Add cheese to the top of the meat mixture- do not mix in. Put a lid on, turn the heat off, and allow the cheese to melt.
P.S. Check back on the blog to see my favorite taco meat recipe soon!
Making the Egg Rolls
Ingredients:
- 24 regular egg roll wrappers, which will make 12 egg rolls
- Canola or other neutral oil of your choice
- Ground beef taco meat
- Shredded cheese of your choice (I like a Mexican blend or Chihuahua)
- Jalapenos, hot sauce, or other filling extras (optional)
Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a pot until it reaches 370 degrees. This is the temperature at which you want to fry the egg rolls.
2. To prep the egg rolls- start with one egg roll wrapper. Place about 2 tablespoons of taco meat on top of a little bit of shredded cheese (about one tablespoon). The meat should be warm but not hot. If the meat is fresh out of the fridge, it won’t heat all the way through when you fry the egg rolls. If it’s too hot, you risk it leaking out of the egg roll.
3. Optional- Add some extra shredded cheese on top of the meat, plus any other toppings you’d like. As you can see, I added some jalapeno nacho slices from La Preferida (shop on Amazon). I also occasionally add a little bit of hot sauce.
4. Lightly brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Roll up your egg roll, folding in the corners as you go.
5. Now it’s time for egg roll wrapper #2. Take your egg roll and place it seam-side down onto the second egg roll wrapper. Now wrap the egg roll in its second layer, folding in the corners to create an envelope shape. Then roll the rest of the way.
6. Make sure your oil is at about 370 degrees. Place the egg rolls in the oil and let them fry for about 40 to 50 seconds, flipping them about halfway through. Do NOT leave them unattended- they cook very quickly!
7. Remove the fried egg rolls and let them dry on a paper towel.
8. That’s it, they’re ready to eat! We love dipping them in queso or eating them with some fresh salsa and guacamole. Yum!
Did you try this recipe?
If you did, let me know how you like these taco egg rolls down below. If you’re looking for another simple taco-ish appetizer, check out these mini taco wonton cups. They’re super yummy and a great way to use up extra or leftover taco meat.
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