Brisket Flautas Banderas
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Updated Oct 05, 2026
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These Brisket Flautas Banderas are inspired by the crispy flautas I grew up eating in El Paso. Corn tortillas are filled with tender shredded beef brisket, fried until golden and crispy, then topped with avocado-tomatillo salsa, Mexican crema, and warm tomato broth. The green, white, and red toppings give them their bandera, or Mexican flag, presentation.
This recipe is especially close to my heart because it brings together two delicious memories of home: the shredded brisket my grandma used to make and the flautas from La Pila, a little restaurant across from my high school in El Paso. Over the years, I’ve heard from fellow El Pasoans who remember and miss those La Pila flautas, too. I loved this dish so much that years later, I included my version in my cookbook Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Why This Is Muy Bueno
There are plenty of beef flautas out there, but these are anything but ordinary. Here’s why I think you’ll love them:
- That brisket filling. Instead of ground beef, these flautas are stuffed with tender, slow-cooked shredded brisket that soaks up all those flavorful cooking juices.
- Crispy corn tortillas. Each tortilla is warmed on a comal before filling, then rolled tightly and fried until crisp and lightly golden.
- Three sauces, one beautiful presentation. Creamy avocado-tomatillo salsa, Mexican crema, and warm tomato broth create the green, white, and red stripes of the Mexican flag.
- Perfect for a celebration. Their festive bandera presentation makes them especially fitting for Mexican Independence Day or any gathering where you want something a little extra special.
- From my cookbook. This is the version I included in Muy Bueno Fiestas, with specific temperatures, timing, and techniques for making beautifully crispy flautas.
What Are Flautas Banderas?
Flautas are rolled corn tortillas filled with meat and fried until crisp and golden. They’re also often called tacos dorados, or “golden tacos.” In this recipe, the filling is carne deshebrada, tender shredded beef brisket cooked low and slow until it practically falls apart.
What makes these Flautas Banderas special is how they’re served. The crispy brisket-filled flautas are topped with green avocado-tomatillo salsa, white Mexican crema, and warm red tomato broth. Together, the three colors resemble the Mexican flag, or bandera.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Although these flautas have a few different components, most of the ingredients are simple. The slow-cooked brisket, creamy avocado-tomatillo salsa, and warm tomato broth can also be prepared ahead, so you don’t have to make everything at once.
- Beef brisket: Brisket gives these flautas their rich, tender shredded-beef filling. A 2 to 2½-pound boneless beef chuck roast also works beautifully. If you love this style of tender shredded beef, try my Slow Cooker Beef Brisket, too.
- Corn tortillas: Use corn, not flour tortillas, for these crispy flautas. Warming them on a comal before rolling makes them pliable and helps prevent cracking.
- Tomatillos: These give the green salsa its bright, tangy flavor. Remove the papery husks and rinse away the sticky coating before roasting.
- Jalapeños: Roasting them along with the tomatillos adds flavor and heat.
- Avocados: Three ripe avocados make the salsa especially creamy without adding dairy.
- Mexican crema: This is the white stripe in the bandera presentation and adds a cool, creamy contrast to the crispy flautas and warm tomato broth.
- Mexican oregano: Mexican oregano has an earthy, citrusy flavor that is different from Mediterranean oregano. It adds just the right savory note to the warm tomato broth.
How to Make Brisket Flautas
These flautas have a few components, but don’t let that intimidate you. The brisket does most of its cooking hands-off in the slow cooker, and both sauces can be made while it cooks.
Step 1. Cook the brisket. Sear the brisket on both sides until nicely browned. Make three deep slits in the meat and tuck a bay leaf, garlic clove, and peppercorns into each one. Transfer to the slow cooker with the seasonings and water, then cook on low for about 6 hours, turning halfway through, until fork-tender.
Step 2. Make the avocado-tomatillo salsa. Broil the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic until blistered and blackened. Transfer the roasted jalapeños to a covered bag and let them steam for about 10 minutes, then peel away the blackened skins. Blend everything with avocado, cilantro, and salt until smooth and creamy, adding a little water as needed. If you want more tips for making this creamy green salsa, see my full Avocado and Tomatillo Salsa recipe.
Step 3. Make the tomato broth. Blend the tomatoes and their juices with onion, garlic, Mexican oregano, salt, pepper, and water until smooth. If this simple red sauce looks familiar, it’s very similar to the tomato sauce I serve with my Rolled Taquitos with Ground Beef. Warm the broth on the stovetop just before serving.
Step 4. Shred the brisket. Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns, then coarsely shred the tender beef and cut it into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the slow cooker so it can soak up those flavorful cooking juices.
Step 5. Roll the flautas. Warm the corn tortillas on a comal until soft and pliable. Add about 2 tablespoons of brisket to each tortilla, roll tightly, and secure with a toothpick.
Step 6. Fry until crispy. Fry the flautas in 375°F oil for 2 to 3 minutes, turning until lightly golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you finish the remaining batches.
Step 7. Make them banderas! Remove the toothpicks and top the hot, crispy flautas with stripes of green avocado-tomatillo salsa, white Mexican crema, and warm red tomato broth.
Yvette’s Pro Tips
- Warm those tortillas. Don’t skip the comal. About 20 seconds per side makes corn tortillas pliable enough to roll tightly without cracking.
- Don’t overfill. About 2 tablespoons of brisket is plenty. Too much filling makes the flautas harder to roll and more likely to open while frying.
- Keep your oil at 375°F. If it isn’t hot enough, the tortillas can absorb too much oil instead of becoming light and crispy.
- Fry in batches. Crowding the pot lowers the oil temperature. Keep finished flautas warm in a 200°F oven while you fry the rest.
- No toothpicks? Mix equal parts flour and water into a simple paste and brush a little along the tortilla edge to help seal it closed.
Make-Ahead & Shortcut Options
Although these flautas have a few different components, most of the ingredients are simple. The brisket and tomato broth can be prepared ahead, so you don’t have to make everything at once.
Want to simplify the bandera toppings? Use Avocado and Tomatillo Salsa for the green, Mexican crema for the white, and choose your favorite red. The tomato broth in this recipe is delicious, but my Authentic Mexican Salsa Roja or Authentic Red Chile Sauce are great options, too.
For the easiest shortcut, use your favorite store-bought red and green salsas. You’ll still get that festive red, white, and green bandera presentation with much less prep.
Storage & Reheating
For the crispiest flautas, they’re best enjoyed fresh from the fryer. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and keep the salsa, crema, and tomato broth in separate containers.
To reheat, warm the flautas in the oven until heated through and crispy again, then add the toppings just before serving. Skip the microwave if you can. It will soften those beautifully crisp corn tortillas.
What to Serve with Brisket Flautas
Because these flautas are rich, crispy, saucy, and pretty substantial on their own, I like to keep the sides simple. Mexican rice, frijoles de la olla or refried beans, and a fresh salad all work beautifully.
For a celebration, serve them alongside other Mexican favorites and let the red, white, and green flautas be the star of the table.
More Crispy Mexican Favorites
Have you tried these Brisket Flautas Banderas? If you make them, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and give the recipe a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. And if you’re an El Pasoan who remembers La Pila, I’d especially love to hear your memories, too.
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Brisket Flautas Banderas
Ingredients
Beef Brisket and Flautas
- 1 beef brisket or boneless beef chuck roast, 2–2½ pounds, trimmed of fat
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn medley
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 24–30 corn tortillas
- Canola oil, for deep-frying
Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa
- 4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed
- 1 clove garlic, unpeeled
- 3 avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
- Handful of fresh cilantro sprigs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Water, as needed
Tomato Broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
- 1/4 white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
For Serving
- 2 cups Mexican crema
Instructions
Make the Brisket
- Preheat a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the brisket and sear, turning once, until a nice brown crust forms on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board or plate. Make 3 evenly spaced slits, each about 3 inches deep, in the meat. Insert 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, and one-third of the peppercorns into each slit.
- Place the brisket in a slow cooker and add the salt, ground black pepper, and water. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, turning the brisket after 3 hours, until fork-tender.
Make the Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa
- While the brisket is cooking, preheat the broiler. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and arrange the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic on the pan. Broil until blistered and blackened on top, about 5 minutes. Flip everything over and broil until blackened on the second side, about 4–5 minutes, watching the tomatillos carefully so they do not burn.
- Transfer the jalapeños to a small plastic bag, close the bag, and let steam for about 10 minutes, until the skins loosen. Meanwhile, peel the garlic and let the tomatillos cool. Peel and discard the blackened skins from the jalapeños.
- In a blender, combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic, avocados, cilantro, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding water as needed to reach a good consistency. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside.
Make the Tomato Broth
- Rinse out the blender. Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, onion, garlic, Mexican oregano, salt, ground black pepper, and water. Purée until smooth.
- Just before serving, pour the tomato mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
Shred the Brisket
- When the brisket is ready, transfer it to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves and peppercorns and let the meat rest for a few minutes to firm up.
- Coarsely shred the brisket, then cut it into small bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the slow cooker and allow it to soak up the cooking juices.
Assemble and Fry the Flautas
- Heat a comal or heavy frying pan over low heat. Warm each corn tortilla, turning once, until pliable, about 20 seconds per side.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of shredded brisket down the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and brisket.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and place it near the stove.
- Pour canola oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a deep, heavy pot and heat over medium heat to 375°F. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, carefully slide the flautas into the hot oil. Fry, turning at least once, until crispy and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes.
- Using tongs, transfer the flautas to the paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. Place them in the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining batches.
Serve
- Remove the toothpicks and serve the flautas piping hot. Top with stripes of avocado-tomatillo salsa, Mexican crema, and warm tomato broth to create the green, white, and red colors of the Mexican flag.
Notes
- Shortcut: To save time, use store-bought red and green salsa in place of the tomato broth and avocado-tomatillo salsa.
- No toothpicks? Make a slurry with equal parts all-purpose flour and water. Brush a little along the edge of each tortilla before pressing it closed to help seal the flauta.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m SO excited to finally have found this. My family is from Juarez/El Paso and every time I visit I stop by at La Pila. Can never get authentic flautas like in El Paso anywhere else in Texas. The rest of Texas makes them so sad and Americanized. Thank you!!
So happy I found your recipe! I’m from El Paso and miss La Pila and Chicos, and just EVERYTHING! I moved to Wisconsin with my fiancé who’s from Wi but he loves El Paso and Mexican food. It’s raining today so guess what I’m making!? Thank you for giving me something from back home ❤ any time I tried I’d fail on the tomato broth lol. Thank you!
i am overjoyed by the fact that they are based on La Pila flautas because THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I’M CRAVING. can’t wait to make these. thanks from a fellow el pasoan!
These look SO good!
Thank you amiga! They were soooo yummy! Wish we would have made a double batch. I’ll make them for you some day! Cervezas included 😉
These look yummy. I grew up in El Paso but moved away about 15 years ago. I can’t wait to try these. They also remind me of Chicos Tacos, but I’m sure taste way better!
Hi Tasha,
Yum, love Chicos Tacos! I have a homemade recipe for them too: https://muybuenoblog.com/2011/02/rolled-taquitos-with-ground-beef/
Keep in touch — I love hearing from El Pasoans!
These look delicious!!! It’s football season in my household so anything involving the slow cooker is a must! I’m trying these this week!
They are so yummy Alicia and would be sooooo good with a side of football 😉
I love making flautas for my family too. I will try the avocado dressing you made. I make mine simple. I slice 3 avocados, cream cheese, jalapeno and crema in the blender.
Kenia,
This salsa is one of my favorites. Be sure to have some tortilla chips for the leftover salsa 😉