Air Fryer "Chicken" Flautas [vegan]

Quick, healthy, delicious, these "chicken" flautas (vegan) are crunchy, low in fat, high in protein and cooked in the air fryer.

When I think of enchiladas, tamales, taquitos, and flautas I think of lots of labor, cooking and prep.

This recipe however is super simple and doesn't require frying or baking. You simply spray them lightly with oil, place them in the air fryer, and set the timer. Easy as that.

Ingredients

This recipe calls for only 5 easy healthy ingredients. You can spice it up how you want to but the basic recipe is really this simple!

• What Tortillas
• Spinach
• Dried Pea Protein Crumbles
• Water
• Olive Oil
• Sea salt
• Spices (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Air Fryer Flautas Instructions

In a small bowl you'll want to soak the dried protein crumbles. In a saucepan, cook the soaked vegan protein crumbles and spinach until well done and dry. Use that filling to stuff tortillas and roll them up nicely. Lightly spray with oil, air fry, and voila! Dip them in hot sauce or sour cream or salsa.

Soak the plant-based pea protein crumbles.

Add it all to a hot well oiled saucepan. Cook the water down.

Cook until water evaporates and meat looks like the consistency of cooked chicken or tofu.

Add spinach and keep cooking until spinach wilts.

After the filling is ready and still warm, spoon about ¼ cup mixture onto one edge of each tortilla and gently roll them up.

This is what they look like all rolled up and ready for the air fryer.

This is how the flautas look after being air fried.

Hint: if you use Plant Boss dried pea protein like I did, you don't have to add spices. I added a little extra salt and that's it. It comes pre-seasoned. If you use another brand, you might need to add some garlic powder and onion powder.

Vegan Flautas Substitutions

There are so many substitutions you can make here.

• Spinach - kale or other heavy greens.
• Wheat Tortilla - you can try others like gluten-free ones, but I hesitated as they break and crumble too easily.
• Olive Oil - feel free to use vegan butter, coconut oil, and if you don't have spray oil, just brush some oil on top of the flautas before air frying.

Vegan Flautas Variations

There are a ton of variations for this.

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking or cover them in hot sauce.
• Onions - onions are really fun to add to the flauta filling.
• Protein Crumbles - you can use other brands of vegan "chicken" or use textured soy protein. I liked the pea protein version.
• Cheese - Cheese can be added to the filling for a richer (possibly less healthy) version.

Equipment

You will need the air fryer for this. Of course, my go-to favorite is the Ninja!

Air Fryer Chicken Flautas (vegan)

Quick, healthy, delicious, these "chicken" flautas (vegan) are crunchy, low in fat and topped with a mango salsa and vegan sour cream. Even more exciting; they are cooked in the air fryer. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course dinner, lunch, Vegan

Cuisine latin, Mexican, vegan

Servings 8 flautas

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

  

• 8 wheat tortillas
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 package Dried Pea Protein Crumbles
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

 

• Soak the plant-based pea protein crumbles (about 4 minutes)
• Add it all to a hot well oiled saucepan. Cook the water down.
• Cook until water evaporates and meat looks like the consistency of cooked chicken or tofu.
• Add spinach and keep cooking until spinach wilts. 

Notes

Hint: if you use Plant Boss dried pea protein like I did, you don't have to add spices. I added a little extra salt and that's it. It comes pre-seasoned. If you use another brand, you might need to add some garlic powder and onion powder. 

Keyword air fryer, chicken, flautas, healthy lunch, lunch, mexican, raw vegan, savory, sour cream, taquitos