Leftover Taco Fritters

If you have leftover taco meat laying around you need to make these leftover taco fritters!!

We have leftover taco meat and quinoa sitting in our fridge, so I figured why not make a leftover fritter out of them. My son didn’t like the taco meat, I think he didn’t really understand how to grab it, so I thought if he had something he could more easily hold he would enjoy it more. To be determined as so far he hasn’t tried them lol, but I personally can confirm that these are YUM!

After I typed this intro I tried to serve them to him for the 3rd time and he rejected. I decided to heat up the rest for myself and THEN he wanted them and happily ate them. Toddlers 🙃

BABY LED WEANING

This would be a great recipe to serve babies starting at 6 months, once they’ve been safely introduced to the allergens in the recipe. For younger babies, typically it’s best to serve bigger pieces since those are easier for them to hold. Once they develop the pincer grasp (pointer and thumb pinching together), then you can start to give them smaller pieces.

For information on how to safely serve foods to babies depending on their age (plus so much more), I recommend Solid Starts. The app is free and has tons of information!

One thing to be mindful of is sodium in taco seasoning packets if you used one. Sodium should be monitored for babies under 1.

ALLERGENS

This recipe has eggs, dairy, and wheat

If you’d like to try it with an egg replacer, this one available online at Target. This post highlights other ideas for egg substitutes in recipes. GF flours should work here, as should DF cheddar cheese.

STORAGE

We ate these before we had any to freeze but I would keep them in the fridge for only 2 days max since they were already made from leftovers. They can stay in the freezer for 2-3 months.

To freeze I would line a baking sheet with foil or parchment then lay in a single layer and place in the freezer. Once frozen (give it a few hours) you can transfer to another container. This way they are individually frozen rather than all stuck together in one huge block!

To reheat I would either thaw in the fridge overnight then toast or microwave, or just toast or microwave from frozen. Def better toasted so they get a little crisp to them!

SUBSTITUTES & ADD INS

I haven’t tried yet with any subs or add ins, but let me know if you do!

TOOLS USED/RECOMMENDED

Small spatula – I find these easiest to use when flipping small pancakes or other small fritters for baby

More easy and delicious recipes for your little one found here!

Leftover Taco Fritters

If you've got taco leftovers in your fridge, you need to give these a try!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup leftover ground taco meat
• 1 cup leftover cooked quinoa or rice
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the ground taco meat, cooked quinoa, shredded cheddar cheese, flour, and eggs. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
• Use your hands or a spoon to form small patties or fritters from the mixture. Aim for about 2-3 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of olive oil or cooking spray.
• Place the fritters in the skillet, cooking them in batches if necessary. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully to avoid breaking the fritters.
• Remove the fritters from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
• Let cool slightly.
• Serve and enjoy!

I hope your little one gives them a try before you decide to just eat them for yourself 😂 thank you for reading!!

This post was all about my leftover taco fritters.