Are you ready for the best-ever Wet Burritos? Smothered burritos are made with ground beef and refried beans and wrapped in large tortillas. They’re topped with red sauce and melted Mexican mix cheese.
Serve this tasty authentic Mexican dish with your favorite toppings, such as guacamole or sour cream, lettuce, and onion, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. These are often requests from friends and family.
You can freeze leftovers if you cook for two. Reheat the leftovers by allowing them to cool completely before heating up your oven to 400°F. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are heated through.
Wet Burritos Recipe
Ingredients
For the Beef and Bean Filling
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (4–5 oz) diced green chiles, drained
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) refried beans
For the Sauce
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chili without beans
- 1 can (10 oz / 283 g) red enchilada sauce
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) tomato sauce
For Assembly
- 6 large flour tortillas, 10–12 inches
- 3 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
For Serving
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped green onions
- Sour cream
- Guacamole, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking the meat apart, until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain off excess grease.
- Season the Filling: Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the Beans and Chiles: Stir in the diced green chiles and refried beans. Cook over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring until the mixture is hot and evenly combined. Remove from the heat.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate saucepan, combine the chili, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
- Fill the Burritos: Lay one tortilla on a clean work surface. Spoon about ⅙ of the beef and bean filling into the center and sprinkle with about ¼ cup shredded cheese.
- Roll: Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla inward over the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom into a burrito. Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Add the Sauce: Spoon enough warm sauce over the burritos to generously cover the tops and sides. You may not need every bit of sauce depending on the size of your baking dish.
- Add the Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is completely melted.
- Rest and Serve: Let the burritos rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, guacamole, or any other toppings you like.
Tips for Better Wet Burritos
- Don’t put lettuce inside before baking. Add it after the burritos come out of the oven so it stays crisp.
- Drain the beef well. Excess grease can make the filling heavy and cause the tortillas to become overly soft.
- Warm stiff tortillas first. If your tortillas crack when rolled, microwave them under a damp paper towel for about 20–30 seconds.
- Don’t overfill. Too much filling makes the burritos difficult to close and encourages them to split while baking.
- Use only as much sauce as you need. Wet burritos should be generously covered, but they don’t need to swim in sauce.
- Rest before serving. Five minutes gives the filling and melted cheese a chance to settle.
Did this recipe make your mouth water? Pin the image below to your Pinterest board so you can find these cheesy smothered burritos anytime—and share them with fellow comfort food lovers!
You can also check out this amazing California Burritos with Carne Asada Recipe!
Storage
Let leftover wet burritos cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Store for up to 3–4 days.
Because the tortillas absorb sauce as they sit, leftovers will be softer than freshly baked burritos.
Reheating
Cover the burritos loosely with foil and reheat at 350°F (175°C) for about 15–20 minutes, or until heated through.
For a single serving, the microwave works, but the tortilla will become softer.
Can You Freeze Wet Burritos?
Yes, but they freeze best before adding the sauce.
Assemble the burritos with the beef, bean, and cheese filling, wrap each one tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, arrange in a baking dish, add the warm sauce and cheese, then bake as directed.
You can freeze fully assembled wet burritos too, but the tortillas will be noticeably softer after thawing.
