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These large wet burritos are stuffed with juicy ground beef, creamy refried beans, and lots of melty cheese! Then smothered in a red enchilada sauce. Hearty, savory, and comforting! These easy smothered burritos will quickly become a favorite dinner!
All about these wet burritos…
- What is a wet burrito? A wet burrito is one that has been smothered and covered in a red enchilada sauce and melted cheese. It’s also called a smothered burrito.
- Completely customizable: this meal is a huge win when it comes to family dinner since you can make it your own. Swap out the fillings for you favorite meat/rice/beans and use your favorite red or green enchilada sauce.
- Great option for leftovers! If you have leftover meat from a meal this is a great easy dinner idea.
- Restaurant Quality: this meal comes together simply, but it is flavorful and filling, plus it always looks impressive just like a meal you would be served at your favorite Tex Mex restaurant.
Ingredients:
Notes on some ingredients..
- Ground Beef: substitute the meat for any kind of meat you prefer. Some ideas include carnitas, barbacoa, brisket, chicken, or use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option.
- Enchilada Sauce: use store bought or try my favorite homemade Tex Mex Chili Gravy.
- Taco Seasoning: store bought or make your own with my homemade taco seasoning recipe.
- Rice: use any kind of rice you prefer, white or brown. Or make some Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice.
How to make (step-by-step):
Step 1 & 2: Prepare fillings, the ground beef is cooked and then mixed with a homemade taco seasoning and some tomato sauce. Prepare the rice and refried beans. Have all of your filling ingredients warm, this helps with the baking time.
- Step 3: Fill the tortillas, layer the refried beans, meat, rice and cheese. Then roll and fold up the tortillas to create a burrito. Lay the burritos in a baking dish.
- Step 4: Smother the burritos with enchilada sauce, then top with shredded cheese.
- Step 5: Bake the burritos until all the cheese is melted. Serve
Expert Tips:
- Have all of your fillings warm when filling the wet burritos, this cuts down on the baking time and helps ensure that everything is heated throughout.
- Use a baking dish instead of a cookie sheet when baking, some enchilada sauces can be runny and this will prevent making a mess in your oven.
FAQ’s:
Yes, after filling and rolling the burritos wrap them in foil and place in a freezer safe container or bag. These can be frozen for 2-3 months.
Yes, you can use any enchilada sauce of your choice. Green sauce pairs wonderfully with a chicken filling.
You will want to use large burrito size tortillas, which are about 10 inches in diameter. You can make your own homemade or use store bought. One of my favorite options when short on time is to purchase the raw tortillas from the markets that can be cooked at home in a skillet.
More Tex Mex recipes:
Wet Burrito
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or Homemade Taco Seasoning)
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 can refried beans (or black or pinto beans)
- 1 cup Cilantro lime rice (or Mexican rice, white or brown rice)
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 2 cups enchilada sauce Homemade or store bought
- 4-6 flour tortillas burrito size
Optional Toppings
- shredded lettuce
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a large baking dish with non stick spray, set aside.
- Cook Meat: Prepare the ground beef by cooking in a large skillet over medium heat until completely cooked through, no longer pink. Drain the grease and return to stove over low heat.
- Season: Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Allow to cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
- Fold Burritos: Layer flour tortillas with ingredients slightly off center in the tortilla. Leave at least a 1 inch border to the edge of the tortilla. For each tortilla use 1/4 cup of meat, beans, rice, and sprinkle with cheese. Roll burrito tightly, folding the ends in, and place seam-side down in prepared baking dish. (leave space between the burritos, they shouldn't be touching)
- Bake: Bake burritos for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat Sauce: pour the enchilada sauce into a small saucepan and heat until warmed through over medium heat, until just starting to bubble along the edges of the pot. Remove from heat.
- Sauce: Spoon the warm sauce over the top of the burritos. Top with additional cheese.
- Bake: Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
- Top burrito with shredded lettuce, sour cream and pico de gallo.
Video
Notes
- Ground Beef: substitute the meat for any kind of meat you prefer. Some ideas include carnitas, barbacoa, brisket, shredded chicken, or use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option.
- Enchilada Sauce: use store bought or try my favorite homemade Tex Mex Chili Gravy.
- Taco Seasoning: store bought or make your own with my homemade taco seasoning recipe.
- Rice: use any kind of rice you prefer, white or brown. Or make some Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published on November 28, 2016. Updated August 6, 2021 with new images and information. Recipe remains unchanged.
Photography done by the talented @KJandCompany.co
Don’t usually make Mexican food as hubby isn’t a fan. Made these. Hubby loves them. Ate 2 in one sitting. May or may not be making them again. (Just made them last wkend) Thanks for an awesome recipe.
Hello-
Can the gravy be frozen for later use?
I’m making these today for the 3rd time. My husband and I just can’t get enough of them. The enchilada sauce is absolutely delicious. I can’t stop eating it right out of the pan.
Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful recipe.
Hi Serene! Do you think it would be okay to make the seasoned beef and chili gravy a day in advance, and then reheat, assemble and bake the following day? Thanks.
Yes absolutely! Reheat the sauce in a pan though and stir it while you reheat.
My husband really loves the Burrito Grande from the Cheesecake Factory, but we do not live in the US and don’t have the opportunity to visit one regularly. So, I decided to surprise him with this recipe. It was a hit! The only change I made was to sub out the re-fried beans (not a fan for me) with a can of mashed red kidney beans. Very tasty recipe.
Could this sauce get ANY BETTER? DELICIOUS! I did mix my homemade beans in with the beef. And I coated the burritos with a little oil. There in the oven first to get a little crispy on outside and the sauce is simmering. Will put that on in a few min and finish baking. YUM!
Thank you for this! I wasn’t sure how to make the sauce for smothering and this is just what I had in mind. Delicious.
These were really good. My picky husband and kid went back for seconds. I served with yellow rice on the side.
This was one of the yummiest dinners I have ever made. I got hugs and help with dishes without asking. Move over burritos, smothered is sooooo much more exciting! Thank you for this delicious recipe! Five stars!
This is a really good dish. I made it tonight and devoured it. The gravy is great as is but ,after a seasoning taste test I added one more item: 1 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. Gives it a deeper mole note. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Such a great idea Bob! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.