What Mexican dish name is Spanish for “little taco”?

The Mexican dish name that is Spanish for “little taco” is taquito.

The word is formed from taco plus the Spanish diminutive suffix -ito, giving taquito the literal sense of “little taco.” In common English usage, a taquito usually means a filled tortilla rolled tightly and fried until crisp, often with beef, chicken, beans, cheese, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, or sour cream.

Taquitos are also called rolled tacos in many parts of the United States. The terms overlap, although local usage can differ: some cooks distinguish taquitos made with corn tortillas from flautas made with larger flour or corn tortillas, while others use the names interchangeably. These differences are culinary conventions rather than a single universal rule.

The name itself is the key clue. Quesadilla refers to a filled tortilla generally folded or grilled, tostada usually describes a crisp flat tortilla, and burrito means something different linguistically and structurally. Taquito’s diminutive ending does not merely describe a small ordinary taco; it became associated with the rolled, fried preparation familiar on Mexican and Mexican-American menus.