Flautas are fried tortilla rolls filled with a delicious savory filling. I'm swapping the usual chicken or beef filling for a perfectly spiced mashed Yukon gold potato filling with a kick! Biting into one of these is a heavenly flavor experience.
These potato flautas are a non-traditional recipe. I have created this recipe and enjoy these flautas in appreciation of Mexican cuisine, and they are inspired by the amazing flavors in broader Latin cuisine.
Why this Recipe Works
These vegan flautas are a delicious option for anyone who appreciates a plant-centered diet. It is a cost-effective meal that will deliver on your flauta craving.
Frying them until golden brown gets the tortilla wonderfully crispy on the outside which pairs wonderfully with the fluffy mashed potato inside.
Flautas are wonderful finger food. They have only a few ingredients, are quick to assemble, and can be enjoyed with a variety of dips like pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, tomatillo salsa, or salsa verde.
I have used the same seasoning as I do in these potato tacos which are always a hit.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Yukon gold potatoes - this recipe works the best with Yukon gold or red potatoes or a combination of the two. They have a great texture for a smooth and fluffy filling.
Smoked paprika - you can use sweet paprika in this recipe, too. The flavor will obviously be missing the smokiness, but it will still be delicious.
Cayenne pepper - you can use chili powder for a sweeter twist, or birds-eye chili for a spicier one.
Tomatillo salsa - you can use my tomatillo salsa recipe, or feel free to pick up your favorite salsa and use it, instead. You can also top this recipe with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.
Oil - this recipe works best with canola or vegetable oil.
Flour tortillas - they yield the ideal texture for this recipe once you fry them up and work best this recipe. If you're not attached to the texture, you can use chickpea flour tortillas, corn tortillas, coconut wraps, or even spinach wraps.
How to Make Potato Flautas
The potatoes are the star of this dish, so let's start there! Begin by cutting the potatoes into quarters. Parboil the potatoes by placing them in a pot and just barely covering them with cold water.
Add salt to the water, and simmer the potatoes until fork-tender. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water. Now it's time to mill or mash the potatoes down until they have a smooth mashed texture.
Season the mashed potatoes with salt, garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Once the filling is mixed, add a ½ cup of potato filling to each flour tortilla. Pack it so it sticks together and won't fall out when you fry them. Wrap them up into a long thin roll.
Fry each potato flauta for 3-5 minutes per side in a minimum ½ inch of oil in the pan. Put each of the flautas seam side down first to make help keep them from opening up in the pan.
Fry until golden brown and serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Potato Flautas FAQs
The main difference is flautas are made with flour tortillas and taquitos are made with corn tortillas. The two terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably.
You could line these up on a baking sheet and bake them, you just won't get the same crispy crunchy outer texture that you'll get from frying them in oil.
If you're making flautas to eat later, I would recommend keeping the filling and the tortillas separate until you are ready to eat. The mashed potato filling will keep well in the fridge for a few days, and the flautas can be assembled and fried quickly when you're ready to make them.
A roll of paper towels will be your best friend! If your flautas feel oily after frying, roll them in a paper towel to absorb all that extra oil before serving.
Related Recipes
If you know me, you know I love tacos! Here are some of my favorites, and be sure to check out all the vegan recipes on Proportional Plate while you're there.
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Potato Flautas
Ingredients
Potato Tacos
- 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes quartered
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 12 8-inch flour tortillas 3 per person
- oil for frying, canola or vegetable
For Serving
- salsa optional
- guacamole optional
- sour cream optional
Instructions
- Parboil the potatoes by just barely covering them in a pot with cold water, adding salt, and simmering until fork-tender. This should take 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes. Add them to a large bowl and mash or mill them.
- Mix in the salt, garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Add ½ cup of potato filling to the center of each tortilla. Pack it down so it sticks together. Roll them up and keep them seam side down.
- Heat ½-inch of oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Fry the flautas starting seam-side down for 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown You can crowd them.
- Serve with your favorite salsas, guacamole, and sour cream.
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