Enchiladas Vs. Flautas Vs. Taquitos: How Are They Different?

If you're a fan of Mexican food, it may come as no surprise that Mexican fare was classified as "the most popular ethnic cuisine in 27 states," based on Google data shared by Chef's Pencil. Just think of all the varied, very best Mexican dishes you've ordered at restaurants before: tamales, tacos, chimichangas, burritos, enchiladas, flautas, and more. And that doesn't even include dessert options like flan and fried ice cream.

One of the interesting characteristics of Mexican cuisine is that many dishes use the same ingredients but have completely different names. Some names vary based on how each dish is prepared, what other ingredients are added, and the type of tortilla that's used. For example, if you fill a tortilla with meat and cheese, you have a taco, but if you deep fry the tortilla flat until it's crispy and add the same ingredients on top, it's a tostada.

Take enchiladas, flautas, and taquitos as another example. How are they different? They all have two primary ingredients in common: tortilla and meat. While they have many other similarities, there are distinct differences between enchiladas, flautas, and taquitos.

The first enchilada is believed to have been developed by the Aztecs before it made its way to Mexico, according to one post by History Today. Currently, it's a popular dish served in homes and restaurants all over the United States and Mexico, with many regional varieties. An enchilada includes some type of meat — chicken, pork, beef, etc. — cheese, enchilada sauce, and other ingredients rolled up in a tortilla. According to Mexicali Blue, corn tortillas are typically used for enchiladas, but flour can be used as well. An easy enchilada sauce recipe can consist of chili powder, tomato paste, and broth, or it can be purchased in a can.

Usually, multiple enchiladas are made at the same time by being laid next to each other in a rectangular dish. After the enchiladas are assembled, more sauce and cheese are added to the top. Then the enchilada dish is placed in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes, according to an Old El Paso recipe.

When the enchiladas are removed from the oven and allowed to cool, they can be topped off with more cheese or other ingredients. Mexicali Blue lists some common topping or garnish options, including onions, lettuce, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado slices, and chili peppers.

Taquitos and flautas have more in common with each other than they do with enchiladas. Although all three dishes use tortillas, enchiladas are prepared differently than the other two, take longer to cook, and don't involve frying. Taquitos and flautas can be cooked in under 10 minutes.

So, what exactly are flautas? A flauta is a rolled tortilla dish with a cylindrical shape comparable to a flute, hence the name; flauta means "flute" in Spanish. They're typically filled with chicken or beef, but some people like to add other ingredients as well. The flautas are then deep-fried in hot oil until they're crispy (via Benito's Authentic Mexican Food). They can also be cooked in an air fryer.

Taquitos are prepared in the same way, using the same ingredients. Okay, so then what's the difference? Here's where it gets tricky. Benito's Authentic Mexican Food claims flautas are traditionally made with corn tortillas. Dictionary.com also mentions corn (not flour) in the flautas definition, while PopSugar says they are traditionally made with flour tortillas, and Culinary Specialties makes the same claim. According to Takeaway.com, the size of the tortilla is also a differentiating factor between flautas and taquitos; taquitos are shorter than flautas.

To recap, taquitos and flautas are both rolled, stuffed, fried tortilla dishes that use corn or flour tortillas (depending on who you ask), while enchiladas are a rolled, stuffed, and baked corn or flour tortilla dish.