This Crispy Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos recipe paired with a homemade mole sauce is a cozy, flavor-packed dish perfect for fall and winter. The filling blends the natural sweetness of pumpkin with creamy potatoes, seasoned simply and rolled into warm corn tortillas, then fried until golden and crisp. The mole sauce—deep, nutty, and gently spiced—complements the taquitos beautifully and elevates this vegetarian comfort food into something special for gatherings, weeknight dinners, or party appetizers.
How to Make These Crispy Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos with Homemade Mole Sauce:
- Begin by preparing the mole sauce. In a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, toast 2 tablespoons pepitas and 2 tablespoons peanuts for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and continue to toast for an additional minute, stirring constantly so they do not burn. Remove the toasted seeds and nuts from the pan and set aside.
- Using the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil and fry 1/2 yellow or white onion (halved), 2 whole garlic cloves, and 1 halved tomato over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, about 5–6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and quickly fry the dried chiles (2 guajillo, 1 ancho, and 1–2 chiles de árbol) for about 4 minutes, moving them constantly to avoid burning. Set the fried chiles aside.
- Combine all the toasted and fried ingredients in a blender with 1½ cups vegetable stock. Blend on high until completely smooth, about one minute or longer if needed. Pour the blended mixture into a saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1/2 Mexican chocolate disc. Stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and add 1 bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Let the mole simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and set aside.
- While the mole simmers, make the taquito filling. If using fresh pumpkin, peel and chop it and boil it with peeled, chopped russet potatoes in heavily salted water until fork-tender, about 22–25 minutes. Drain and lightly mash the pumpkin and potatoes, leaving some texture rather than making a completely smooth puree. If using a 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree instead, add it to the pot and warm it through with the potatoes.
- Return the mashed pumpkin and potatoes to the stove over medium heat. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and season with sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Heat the mixture just until warmed through, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Warm 20 corn tortillas briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat just until they become pliable. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin-potato mixture along one side of each tortilla and roll tightly to form taquitos.
- Heat 3/4 cup neutral high-heat oil in a deep skillet to around 350°F (or until it bubbles when a wooden spoon is dipped in). Fry 4–5 taquitos at a time without overcrowding the pan, turning them so they brown evenly. Fry until they are golden and lightly crisp, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and repeat until all taquitos are cooked.
- To serve, spoon a little mole sauce onto each plate, arrange several taquitos on top, drizzle additional mole over them, and garnish as desired with crema, crumbled queso fresco, and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve warm.
Crispy Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos with Homemade Mole Sauce – Tips & Tricks
- Toast seeds and nuts carefully over medium heat and stir constantly at the end; small seeds burn quickly and will turn bitter.
- When frying chiles, move them continuously and keep the heat moderate to avoid a harsh, burnt taste. Brief frying releases flavor but should not char the chiles.
- Blend the mole until completely smooth for the best texture; strain if you prefer an ultra-silky sauce.
- Warm tortillas briefly before rolling so they remain flexible and do not crack while assembling the taquitos.
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying. Maintain consistent oil temperature to get evenly crisp taquitos without absorbing excess oil.
- For a quicker option, use canned pumpkin puree combined with cooked potatoes—adjust seasoning and texture so the filling holds together when rolled.
- Leftover mole keeps well refrigerated; reheat gently before serving. Store taquitos in an airtight container and re-crisp in a hot oven or air fryer.
Other Latin-inspired recipes you’ll enjoy
- Guatemalan Hilachas
- Chicken Birria (Birria de Pollo)
- Queso Fundido Stuffed Jalapeño Tacos
- Chicken Quesabirria Tacos
- Jalapeños y Zanahorias en Escabeche (Spicy Pickled Jalapeños & Carrots)
- Creamy Salsa Taquera Anaranjada
Recipe Details
- Servings: 18
- Prep time: 30 mins
- Cook time: 40 mins
- Total time: 1 hr 10 mins
Ingredients
Mole Sauce
- 2 tbsp peanuts
- 2 tbsp pepita seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1½ tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 2 garlic cloves, whole
- ½ yellow or white onion
- 1 tomato, halved
- 2 chiles guajillo, stemmed and deveined
- 1 chile ancho, stemmed and deveined
- 1–2 chiles de árbol, stemmed and deveined
- 1½ cups vegetable stock
- ½ Mexican chocolate disc
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos
- 1½ cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and chopped, or 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 3–4 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 20 corn tortillas
- ¾ cup neutral high-heat oil for frying
Optional Garnish
- Crema
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions (Condensed)
Make the mole first so it has time to develop flavor while you prepare the filling and assemble the taquitos. Toast seeds and nuts, fry the vegetables and chiles briefly, blend with stock, melt in the chocolate, and simmer with spices. Boil and mash pumpkin and potatoes, season, then warm tortillas, fill and roll. Fry taquitos until golden and serve with mole and garnishes.
Nutrition
Calories: 132 kcal (approximate)
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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