The Real Difference Between Taquitos And Flautas

For many of us, navigating the menu at the local Mexican restaurant is intimidating at best and downright confusing at worst. Enchiladas, tostadas, fajitas...there are so many tasty options, some of which you may have never even heard of. Overwhelmed, you end up playing it safe and ordering your usual tacos or plate of nachos. While there's nothing wrong with those choices (both are delicious!), if you want to branch out the next time it's Taco Tuesday, there are some key things you should know about common Mexican dishes.

One of those important tidbits to keep in mind is the difference between taquitos and flautas. Order both and you might not be able to tell them apart. But don't be fooled by their very similar appearance — bite into each and you'll immediately know they are not the same. If you want to try one or the other but aren't sure how to choose, here's what makes a taquito different from a flauta.  

Those crispy golden rolls that appear on your table look almost identical at first glance. But food blog Fine Dining Lovers explains that one of the ingredients makes all the difference between the two: the tortilla. Taquitos and flautas are each made with different types of tortillas. A taquito is rolled up in a corn tortilla while a flauta is prepared with a flour tortilla. 

PopSugar adds that the type of tortilla can also make the shape of the two dishes slightly different. Because corn tortillas are often smaller than flour ones, taquitos will likely be smaller than flautas. Also, PopSugar explains that sometimes how the two are rolled can vary, which also affects the shape. Flautas traditionally are rolled with one end slightly larger than the other, causing them to be more of a cone shape, while taquitos are typically perfect cylinders. Now that you know, you can munch happily on whatever you choose!