Air Fried Crab Taquitos
Air Fried Crab Taquitos- A Maryland style crab cake mix stuffed in a crispy corn tortilla then topped with summer corn guac and Old Bay crema.
May 5, 2021 by Nicole Collins
It’s Cinco de Mayo!
I’ve been waiting for this day alllllll week!
If we’re being honest, I basically celebrate it as Cinco de Mayo week. I’m always looking for excuses to eat more tacos, devour more guac, and drink more cervezas!
Now, I told you on Monday that we weren’t going to get to celebrate Cinco de Mayo the traditional way today. But, things change! And now, my Italian Instagram challenge has been moved to Friday. So, that means we are definitely going to fiesta today!
Don’t you love it when things work out!
Thank goodness I had today’s recipe on standby, because it’s the PERFECT way to celebrate! And, there’s still a twist! Because, we’re fusing two cuisines and throwing a Maryland style spin on today’s recipe.
Today, we’re making Air Fried Crab Taquitos!
I’m mashing up my two favorite styles of food today: Maryland style and Mexican style, to create a deliciously refreshing bite. We’re going to stuff some tortillas with a crabby mix reminiscent of MD style crab cakes, toast them up til crispy perfection in the air fryer, and top them with a fresh homemade guac and Old Bay crema.
You need a minute to wrap your head around all that goodness?? Go ahead, take all the time you need.
Ok, let’s talk crab first. Usually when you guys see crab around here, we’re using a creamy crab mix that’s basically a slightly altered version of my infamous crab dip. But if there’s one thing we know, “Crab cakes and football. That’s what Maryland does!” (<-- Name that movie, and we are DEFINITELY friends.) So anywho, we’re going to use the same flavors as we’d use in a Maryland style crab cake to create the filling of our taquitos. So, we need some fresh crab meat, a little mayo, a dab of mustard, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and a healthy shake of Old Bay seasoning. Everything get’s mixed together, and it’s ready to stuff in our tortillas.
Before we can stuff our corn tortillas, we have to get them nice and pliable. So, we’re going to lightly brush both sides of our tortillas with some grapeseed oil, then pop them in a hot, dry skillet for about 10 seconds per side. You’ll be able to feel the texture of the tortilla change from stiff to flimsy. The tortillas almost feel thinner after we heat them. Only then will they be able to fill and roll. If you try to skip this step, your tortillas will crack when you try to stuff them. So, don’t try to cheat on this one.
Once the tortillas are heated and flexible, we’ll fill the center with our crab mix, roll the tortillas as tightly as we can into a cigar shape, and sit them seam side down on a plate to rest while we finish rolling our tortillas. Now since we brushed our tortillas with oil before rolling them, we don’t need to oil them again before they go to the air fryer. So as soon as the air fryer is preheated, pop them right in, and let them crisp up for about 10 mins total. And don’t worry, if you don’t have an air fryer, I have oven instructions in the recipe notes.
While the taquitos air fry, we can work on our garnishes. First up, we’ll make a quick and simple fresh guac with some avocado, some lemon juice, some diced red onion, a little seeded tomato, and some fresh corn kernels. Mash, mix, enjoy!
And you know me, if we’re having anything in the Mexican cuisine category, I need sour cream. So, we’re going to make a quick and simple Old Bay crema using sour cream, Old Bay, and a sprinkle of garlic powder. You can serve this crema as a dollop along side the taquitos, or you can add a little splash of water to thin it out and get it to a consistency you can drizzle right over the top of the taquitos.
That’s all the work we need to do before we can eat! When the taquitos are perfectly crisp, you can lay them on a platter, pile them up with guac and crema, and get ready for your tastebuds to dance. The crab meat is savory and juicy stuffed inside that crispy corn shell. The guac is light and bright with those little fresh pops of corn that create small juicy bursts in your mouth. And that crema on top is perfectly cooling but still brings the flavor thanks to the spices we added.
This summery meal might look a little fancy. It might feel like there are a lot of components. But in reality, the whole meal can be on the table in under 20 minutes. You just can’t beat that!
Ok, everyone. On Friday, we’re taking that trip to Italy for real this time. So, stay tuned!
Until then, enjoy! And, let’s eat!
Air Fried Crab Taquitos
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Old Bay Crema:
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/8 tsp garlic powder
cold water, for thinning
For the Taquitos:
1 lb lump crab meat, picked through for shells
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
8 white corn tortillas
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
For the Guacamole:
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
½ cup corn, thawed if frozen
1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp red onion, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
generous pinch of salt
Directions:
Make the Old Bay Crema: To a mixing bowl, add sour cream, ½ tsp Old Bay, and garlic powder. Stir well to combine. If you'd like your crema to be a drizzling consistency, add a splash of cold water until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside in the fridge to chill.
Make the Tostadas: To a mixing bowl, add crab, mayonnaise, parsley, 2 tsp Old Bay, mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Mix gently until just combined. Set aside.
Heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with grapeseed oil. One at a time, place a tortilla in the skillet. Allow to cook on one side until you start to see bubbles in the tortilla, about 10 seconds. Flip, and cook the other side another 10 seconds until the tortilla is pliable. Set aside on a plate, and repeat with remaining tortillas.
Spoon about 3-4 tbsp of crab mix along the center of one tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly to create a cigar shape, and place seam side down on a plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Place taquitos in a single layer, seam side down, in the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 mins, flip, and cook an additional 5-6 mins until the taquitos are golden and crispy. Cook in batches, if necessary.
Meanwhile, make the guacamole: In a mixing bowl, mash avocado with a fork to your desired texture. Add corn, tomato, red onion, lemon juice, and salt, to taste. Stir to combine.
To serve, arrange taquitos on a platter. Top with Old Bay crema and guacamole. Serve immediately!
Recipe notes:
*If you don't have an air fryer, I definitely recommend getting one. The Ninja Foodi grill is what I have, and I love it! However, these taquitos can also be baked in the oven at 425 degrees for 12-15 mins.
*The Old Bay crema doesn't require water if you'd rather serve it on the side as a dip. Only add a tiny splash of water at a time until you reach the drizzling consistency you like. The amount of water you need will very between brands and based on the age of your sour cream.
*Definitely get fresh crab meat, if you can, as opposed to the stuff you buy in a can. The quality and taste is substantially different.
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