Bean and Cheese Oven Taquitos

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups finely chopped veggies*

1 ½ tsp kosher salt (divided)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp oregano

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

½ cup pickled jalapenos. chopped**

2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans (drained and rinsed***)

1 ½-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

12-14 medium or 24-28 small flour tortillas

Olive oil (for brushing)

Toppings/dips: sour cream, guacamole, salsa

*I love these with bell pepper and cabbage or kale, but any veg you have lying around will work.

**You can skip this and substitute with any pickled pepper, a squeeze of lime, or a couple tablespoons of salsa.

***Replace 1 can of beans with ½ lb ground meat.

Note: to make smaller appetizer bites, use a sharp knife to cut the taquitos into smaller pieces once baked. Stick a toothpick in them and serve with guac, sour cream, and salsa for dipping!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, veggies, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until veggies are softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato paste, oregano, chili powder, and garlic powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, to toast the spices and tomato paste.

Stir in the jalapenos, beans, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Use a fork or back of your spoon to mash up about ⅔ of the pinto beans. Stir together for 30 seconds or so to meld the flavors. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Remove from heat.

Warm up the tortillas in the microwave to soften them. Scoop about 2 tablespoons bean filling onto one end of the tortilla (you want a thin line of bean mixture) . Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cheese next to the bean mixture and then roll up into a tight roll (see video). Place on the baking sheet and repeat until you run out of bean filling or tortillas.

Drizzle some olive oil into a bowl and use a pastry brush to generously coat the oil all over the tortillas (tops, edges, sides…). Alternatively, drizzle oil over top and rub around with your fingers to coat.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on and crispy. Serve with your desired toppings and/or dips.