Wet Burritos

These wet burritos are full of juicy beef, and smothered in a spicy sauce and melted cheese. They’re easy, take only 35 minutes to make, and are just as good as what you’d order at a restaurant.

Everybody loves burritos. What’s not to love about beans, cheese, and meat, wrapped in a warm tortilla? My favorite kind of burritos are wet burritos. The rich, spicy sauce and gooey cheese take a burrito to the next level. This wet burrito recipe is a go-to meal for me. The burrito is packed with juicy ground beef that goes perfectly with the sauce.

This recipe is restaurant quality, but it only takes 35 minutes to make. It’s an easy dish that you can make on a weeknight for a fun midweek treat.

What is a Wet Burrito?

Wet burritos, also known as smothered burritos, are burritos that are covered in sauce. Unlike with normal burritos, you have to eat wet burritos with a fork, because they’re that saucy. The sauce is usually a variation of an enchilada sauce, and they often have cheese melted on top of them, too. Think of it like a cross between a burrito and an enchilada!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Beef Burritos

These smothered burritos are all kinds of fun and delicious. Here’s why I know you’ll love them.

• Easy. Most people only eat wet burritos at restaurants. It seems like a food that would be difficult to make at home. But this recipe is super easy! It doesn’t require much work, and the burritos will be finished in 35 minutes. 
• Timeless flavor combinations. The ingredients in this wet burrito go perfectly together. The inside is filled with beans, cheese, rice, and tender ground beef. The outside is topped with a spicy red enchilada sauce and cheese. Those flavors all go together so well. 
• Restaurant quality at home. This is one of those meals that you can make to impress your friends or family. If you make these wet burritos at home, everyone will think you ordered them from a restaurant. They’re also easy to make in a large quantity.

What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you need for making wet beef burritos at home. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact amounts.

• Ground beef – Use lean ground beef for the best results, you can also use ground turkey if desired.
• Taco seasoning
• Tortillas – Make sure to use burrito-sized tortillas. 
• Cooked rice – You can use plain white rice or seasoned rice.
• Refried beans
• Cheddar cheese – For best results, shred your own cheese.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter.
• Flour
• Beef broth – I like to use low sodium
• Enchilada sauce – I use red sauce for this recipe, but you can use green sauce if you prefer. You can even make your own homemade enchilada sauce and skip the store bought.
• Chili powder

What is Taco Seasoning?

Taco seasoning is a spice blend that is available at almost all supermarkets. It usually contains cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder. If you don’t have any taco seasoning, you can make this Homemade Taco Seasoning in just minutes.

How to Make Wet Burritos

Here’s how to make these juicy, saucy burritos. They only take 35 minutes!

• Prep. Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Cook the beef. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground beef. Cook until the beef is cooked all the way through, which should take 5-7 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan. 
• Season the beef. Add the taco seasoning and any water that the packet calls for. Stir it into the beef.
• Make the roux. Melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. 
• Finish the sauce. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and then the enchilada sauce. Add chili powder, and simmer until the sauce is thick.
• Assemble the burritos. Fill the burritos with beans, rice, beef, and some of the cheese. Fold in the sides and roll the burritos tightly. 
• Put the burritos in the tray. Spray a 13×9-inch baking tray with cooking spray. Place the burritos in it, seam side down.
• Smother the burritos. Pour the sauce over the burritos. Top with the remaining cheese.

• Bake. Place the burritos in the oven until the cheese is melted, and the burritos are heated through. This should take about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tricks for making these juicy beef burritos. 

• Warm the tortillas. Right before filling the burritos, warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds. Warm tortillas are easier to fold, and won’t rip when you make the burritos. 
• Add the liquid very slowly. When you add the beef broth to the sauce, pour it in very slowly. Drizzle in a few teaspoons of broth, and whisk until smooth. Then add a little bit more, and whisk until smooth. Each time add a little more liquid. After doing this a few times, you can pour in the liquid normally. Starting with small amounts of liquid ensures that the sauce will be smooth and thick.
• Use flavored rice. To add a little extra flavor, you can use flavored rice in this smothered burrito. I recommend my Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Spanish Rice.

Serving Suggestions 

I usually serve wet burritos with some of my favorite Mexican side dishes, and top them with sour cream or guacamole. Here are some recipes to make with these beef burritos.

• Mexican Skillet Potatoes
• Mexican Coleslaw
• Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing
• Chips with Pico de Gallo

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

You can store leftover wet burritos in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure to keep them in an airtight container. Reheat in a 350F oven for 10 minutes, or in the microwave on full power in 30-second increments. 

Can I Freeze Wet Burritos?

Yes! The best way to freeze wet burritos is to place the dry, unbaked burritos in an airtight container. Freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw or defrost them, then top them with the sauce and cheese. Then you can bake them.

More Easy Mexican Recipes

Want more restaurant-quality Mexican recipes that you can easily make at home? I’ve got you covered.

• Mexican Pizza
• Baked Mexican Cheese Dip
• Cheese Quesadilla
• Crockpot Fiesta Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas

Continue to Content

Yield: 5

Wet Burrito

Print

This wet burrito is full of juicy beef and topped with a spicy enchilada sauce and melted cheese. It's restaurant quality, and only takes 35 minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 5 burrito-sized tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (Spanish Rice, Cilantro-Lime Rice, or just white rice)
• 1 (15 ounce) can refried beans
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup beef broth (low sodium)
• 28 ounce can enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, break up, and cook for 5-7 minutes until it is fully cooked. Drain any fat in the pan. Add taco seasoning and the amount of water called for on the packet directions.
3. In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and enchilada sauce. Add chili powder and bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Arrange tortillas and fill with beans, rice, ground beef and about 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Fold the sides over and roll tightly.
5. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Place burritos seam side down in the dish.
6. Pour sauce over the burritos. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is hot.
8. Remove from the oven and serve.

Notes

• You can replace the beef in this recipe with any other type of meat.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.
• You can freeze the burritos in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Freeze the burritos dry, and when you're ready to serve them, add the sauce and cheese, and bake.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 539Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 80mgSodium 1794mgCarbohydrates 51gFiber 7gSugar 8gProtein 31g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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