These smothered ground beef burritos – aka wet burritos – wrap taco-seasoned beef, peppers, onions, and plenty of cheddar in soft flour tortillas, then bake under enchilada sauce until bubbling and melty. Finish with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime for a takeout-style plate at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cheesy, saucy, beefy- if that’s not enough to make you love this ground beef burrito recipe, these reasons will be.
- Cheesy, saucy comfort food – With plenty of cheese and a bubbly enchilada sauce on top, this is the epitome of comfort food, Mexican style.
- Great for meal prep – Because you can easily double the recipe and freeze it, this makes a great meal prep recipe for the week.
- Simple pantry ingredients – All of these ingredients are easily found (if you don’t already have them,) and you only need 30 minutes in the oven.
Recipe Essentials
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these easy burritos. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Ground beef – I like to use an 80/20 fat ratio for the best flavor, just make sure to drain well after cooking to get rid of the extra fat.
- Enchilada sauce – You can easily buy a jar from the grocery store, but making homemade enchilada sauce is so worth it.
- Vegetable oil
- White onion
- Bell pepper
- Taco seasoning
- Cheddar cheese
- Flour tortillas
How to Make Smothered Beef Burritos (Step-by-Step)
You are going to love how easy it is to make your new favorite weeknight dinner go-to.
- Sauté filling: Brown the beef in oil, then add the onion and pepper for a few minutes; stir in the taco seasoning (homemade taco seasoning or from a packet).
- Assemble: Fill the warmed tortillas with the beef mixture and a handful of cheddar; roll tightly, then place them seam-side down in a greased pan.
- Smother & bake: Pour the enchilada sauce (homemade red enchilada sauce or canned) over burritos and bake.
- Cheese finish: Top with the reserved cheddar and bake until melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Add your favorite toppings and lime (my favorite part for a zing!).
Chef Tip
Drain the ground beef mixture in a fine colander so you can make the vegetables and ground beef at the same time and not be too greasy.
Test Kitchen Tips
I’ve tested these smothered beef burritos so that I could bring you tips and tricks for the perfect smothered beef burritos.
- Warm the tortillas to prevent tears: You can microwave 20-30 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel or wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. This makes them more pliable.
- Don’t flood the pan: One cup of sauce keeps bottoms from getting soggy while still “smothered.”
- Serve with more warm sauce on the side: for extra saucy plates, serve a side of sauce too.
- Shred cheese fresh: Pre-shredded can melt grainy because of the anti-caking agents, shredding fresh gives the best texture and you might get a good cheese pull.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to switch up these wet burritos. Here are a few suggestions.
- Green “smothered” burritos: swap in salsa verde or green enchilada sauce.
- Spicy: add diced jalapeño or chipotle peppers in adobo to the beef.
- Protein swap: ground turkey, ground chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Bean & rice: add a few spoonfuls of black beans or Mexican rice inside (reduce filling per burrito).
Perfect Pairings
You can serve these smothered beef burritos with just about anything you serve other mexican favorites with. I like to serve mine with refried beans or refried black beans. Spanish rice is also a great option.
You can never go wrong with guacamole and salsa with tortilla chips. And the toppings are always endless too; sour cream, avocado slices and corn are some of my favorites.
More Mexican Favorites
While I love going out for Mexican, making my favorites at home is great too!
Smothered Beef Burritos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Burritos:
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup white onion , chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper , chopped
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese ,freshly shredded and divided
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- Desired Toppings: avocado slices, cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set side.
- Heat the 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 pound ground beef, breaking it apart as it browns for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chopped ½ cup white onion and ½ cup bell pepper. Continue to cook and brown for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the 2 tablespoons taco seasoning. Remove from the heat.
- Reserve 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese for topping.
- Place one of the large flour tortillas on a work space, fill with approximately 1/2 cup of the filling, then top with part of the remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Roll it up and carefully place it into the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Continue with the rest of the tortillas so they fit snugly into the baking dish.
- Pour the 1 cup enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled burritos. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and top with the reserved 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove and top with desired toppings.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how you liked the recipe in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
This sounds so good, but I have A1C. If possible, will you please tell me how to make this low carb and sugar.
I would be really grate if your recipes had alternative ingredients for us diabetics.
Hi Dan, unfortunately we don’t have the ability to make alternatives for all dietary needs and I am not a dietitian. My advice would be to swap out the tortillas for a carb balance version or whole wheat- the majority of the carbs are coming from that. By making your own enchilada sauce, you can make it sugar-free (mine version is sugar-free except naturally occurring sugars in the tomato paste).
These smothered beef burritos look just like my favorite dish at the local Mexican restaurant. I love the idea of making them at home!
These burritos are amazing! Perfect for making a double batch and freezing some.
These look amazing, and I totally agree about using ground beef – so economical and such a time-saver!
I have a Mexican food inspired night once a week and this recipe was a hit on that night with the whole family! Thank you