Turkey Taquitos With Cranberry Chipotle Salsa Recipe

Tess Le Moing

December 11, 2023 at 11:45 AM·9 min read

taquitos with cranberry sauce - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

This turkey taquito recipe switches things up from the typical beef or chicken taquito, and paired alongside a cranberry chipotle salsa, this dish repurposes Thanksgiving classics in a way that's fun and fresh. According to recipe developer Tess Le Moing, "This recipe was inspired by a jar of cranberry salsa I bought from a specialty food store. And I knew I wanted to make some sort of Mexican-Thanksgiving dish."

Not only did Le Moing accomplish her goal of making a Mexican-style Thanksgiving dish, but she also accomplished a simpler goal of turning traditional taquitos into something quite special. "What sets these taquitos apart is the harmonious blend of flavors and textures," she explains. "Our favorite holiday dishes, like turkey and mashed potatoes combined with the sweet and smoky cranberry chipotle salsa, create a unique flavor that elevates these taquitos beyond the classic flavors." If taquitos are a staple in your household and you're ready to switch things up — or if you're simply looking to unload some leftovers — these savory-and-sweet roll-ups will certainly do the trick.

Gather The Ingredients For Turkey Taquitos With Cranberry Chipotle Salsa

Ground turkey will serve as the meaty base for these taquitos, along with mashed potatoes that you'll make from Yukon gold potatoes, milk, and a little bit of salt. There are quite a few other goodies stuffed into these taquitos, including Mexican blend cheese, onion, jalapeños, garlic, rosemary or thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. And, of course, you'll need corn tortillas to form the taquitos and some canola oil to fry them in. As for the cranberry chipotle salsa, canned cranberry sauce will work just fine as the base. You'll also need red onion, cilantro, canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, and a bit more salt.

If you happen to have a plethora of Thanksgiving leftovers taking up space in your fridge, then you're in luck with this recipe and you can make some easy ingredient swaps. "This recipe is great for using up Thanksgiving leftovers! Swap out the ground turkey for shredded turkey," Le Moing suggests. "And skip making the mashed potatoes, just use those leftovers!"

Step 1: Simmer The Potatoes

potatoes and milk in saucepan - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Add the potatoes and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until fork tender.

Step 2: Mash The Potatoes

mashed potatoes in saucepan - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Mash the potatoes in the saucepan with a fork or potato masher and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt.

Step 3: Heat Up Oil

oil heating in skillet - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Step 4: Cook The Turkey

cooked ground turkey in skillet - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Add turkey and cook, breaking up pieces with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Step 5: Drain The Turkey

ground turkey in colander - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Drain turkey in colander; set aside.

Step 6: Saute The Onion

onions cooking in skillet - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet and add onions, cooking until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 7: Add Jalapeño, Garlic, And Spices

aromatics cooking in skillet - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Stir in jalapeño, garlic, rosemary, cumin, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 8: Set Mixture Aside

onion/potato/turkey mixture in bowl - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and then stir in mashed potatoes and ground turkey. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.

Step 9: Add The Cheese

Stir in the shredded cheese.

Step 10: Heat Up The Tortillas

plastic wrap over paper towel mound - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Wrap 6 tortillas in clean, damp kitchen towel; place on plate; and cover plate tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until hot and pliable, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 11: Begin Filling The Tortillas

tortilla with filling at bottom - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place a row of 3 level tablespoons of filling across the lower half of the tortilla.

Step 12: Roll The Taquito Up

hand rolling tortilla - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Fold the bottom of tortilla up and over filling, then pull back on tortilla to tighten it around filling as you roll.

Step 13: Line Finished Taquitos On A Sheet Pan

tortilla roll-ups lined up - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Place the taquitos on a sheet pan, seam-side down and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Step 14: Heat The Oil

Heat 1 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Step 15: Fry The Taquitos

three taquitos frying in skillet - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Place 3 taquitos, seam side down in the oil and fry until golden on each side, about 3 minutes.

Step 16: Drain The Cooked Taquitos

taquitos on paper towels - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 6 taquitos.

Step 17: Make The Cranberry Chipotle Salsa

cranberry salsa in food processor - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

For the cranberry chipotle salsa, pulse remaining ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Season with salt and extra line juice to taste.

Step 18: Serve The Taquitos

taquitos with cranberry salsa - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

Serve warm with cranberry chipotle salsa and other desired dips like sour cream or guacamole.

How Should You Serve These Turkey Taquitos With Cranberry Chipotle Salsa?

taquito dunked in cranberry salsa - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

You really can't go wrong when it comes to serving these turkey taquitos — just about any time or occasion is a good one. Of course, since these taquitos do conjure up images of a big holiday meal, you may want to keep this recipe in the books for future Thanksgivings. Otherwise, Le Moing has some helpful suggestions. "You can serve these taquitos whenever you want to add a flavorful and unique twist to your meal or celebration, like for a game day appetizer, holiday parties, a special weekend dinner, or leftovers," she says.

As for pairing options, you really can just enjoy these taquitos with the cranberry salsa alone and call it a day. If you insist on sides, Le Moing notes that "these taquitos would pair wonderfully with a side of rice and black beans." Looking for lighter options? She adds, "A fresh coleslaw with a zesty lime vinaigrette would add a refreshing contrast to the savory taquitos."

Can You Keep Leftover Turkey Taquitos And Cranberry Salsa?

taquitos on plate - Tess Le Moing/Tasting Table

This recipe yields 12 taquitos and a hefty amount of cranberry chipotle salsa, so there's a possibility of leftovers, though the chances may not be too high. "It's rare to have leftovers, but if you have any, store leftovers in the fridge in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 4 days," says Le Moing. When it comes time for that second round, "Reheat leftover taquitos in a 250 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes."

While the taquitos might fly off the plate before you know it, there will likely be some lingering cranberry salsa. "The cranberry salsa makes a lot, so you will have leftovers. You can either double the taquito recipe to make more, or freeze the salsa to use next time," Le Moing advises. She also notes that she likes to use leftover salsa for chilaquiles, so you too might get creative in the kitchen and see how you can repurpose it.