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Wet Burrito

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Seasoned ground beef is stuffed into a tortilla shell with refried beans and black beans, topped with red enchilada sauce and melty cheese to make this amazing wet burrito that you’re sure to add to your weekly rotation.

Wet burrito on a plate, covered in red sauce and melted cheese, topped with a dollop of sour cream.

If you’ve been around any time at all, you know that taco Tuesday is a thing in our family. We eat some sort of Mexican food just about every Tuesday without fail.

While we often eat venison enchiladas, chimichangas, or venison tacos my absolute favorite is this easy recipe for wet burritos.

This delicious recipe is definitely a family favorite. While I’ve had a few good wet burritos at a local Mexican restaurant, this is wet burrito recipe is my own version and by far my favorite. It’s super simple and full of flavor without being so spicy the kids won’t eat it.

What is a Wet Burrito?

A wet burrito takes everything you love about a regular burrito, seasoned meat, beans, and cheese, and smothers it in a delicious homemade sauce. So, so good.

Of course, unlike a typical burrito, this one isn’t wrapped and foil and handheld. Instead, you’re going to eat it with a fork. Unless you want a stupendous mess on your hands.

Wet Burrito VS Enchiladas

Sheet pan with smothered, wet burritos.

Yes, this smothered burrito is similar to enchiladas. However, there are a few differences.

First, wet burritos are always folded so both ends are closed, just like a typical burrito. Enchiladas are just rolled and left open on the ends.

Next, enchiladas have some of the sauce mixed in with the filling before the tortillas are stuffed.

And lastly, while I usually wind up using flour tortillas because that’s what my children prefer, traditionally enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. Burritos are always made with a large flour tortilla.

Wet Burrito Ingredients

Ingredients for wet burritos laid out on a counter and labeled.
  • Flour tortillas – if you’ve got the time to make homemade tortillas, awesome. If not any burrito-sized flour tortilla will work just fine.
  • Ground beef – this recipe calls for ground beef, or ground venison. However, you can skip these and use your own choice of meat such as shredded pork, shredded chicken, or shredded beef and season it accordingly.
  • Onion – diced up to add a little flavor to the meat.
  • Beans – a can of refried beans, or homemade, and a can of black beans. I usually have jars of pinto and black beans in the pantry from canning dry beans in the winter for easier meal prep. But, purchased is just fine as well.
  • Cheese – Queso Asadero works really well here. Mexican cheese blend is another tasty cheese.
  • Red enchilada sauce – homemade is absolutely the best and it takes less than 5 minutes to make, worth the effort, but if you’re really pressed for time store bought will work.
  • Beef gravy – purchased or homemade, whatever works for you. We usually have jars of heinz beef gravy on hand and that’s what I use.
  • Taco seasoning – it’s pretty easy to make your own homemade taco seasoning, or you can purchase it. Be mindful it takes a decent amount of purchased seasoning to make these.
  • Beef broth – this helps add some flavor to the meat when you put the seasoning in. Use homemade broth or store bought.

How to Make Wet Burritos

Skillet with browned ground beef and onion surrounded by refried beans, black beans, taco seasoning, and beef broth to make wet burritos.

Brown beef – in a large skillet brown ground beef and onions over medium-high heat. Once cooked through, drain grease and return to pan.

Season – add taco seasoning and beef broth to the drained beef. Heat over medium heat and stir to combine until mixture begins to thicken.

Add beans – stir in prepared refried beans and rinsed and drained black beans into the meat mixture, heat through over medium-low heat.

Folding the ends of a burrito shell in to make wet burritos

Assemble burritos. Place about 1 cup of the ground beef mixture into the center of a large tortilla shell. Top with a generous helping of cheese. Bring in both edges of the shell and fold over to close the burrito.

Bake. Once all of the burritos are assembled, place seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place in a preheated oven at 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the enchilada sauce.

Make enchilada sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine olive oil, flour, and seasoning over low heat. Slowly pour in chicken broth, allowing the mixture to thicken between each addition. Pour in tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Next, pour in a jar of prepared beef gravy and stir once more. Heat through.

Topping burritos with sauce and cheese to make smothered, wet burritos

Top burritos. Pull baked burritos out of the oven and pour prepared enchilada sauce over the top of them, smothering them completely. Sprinkle cheese on top of smothered burritos. Place back in 350°F oven for 10 additional minutes or until cheese is melty.

Top. Before serving, top the burritos with your favorite toppings such as shredded lettuce, tomato, green onions, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

Storing & Freezing Wet Burritos

This recipe can be made in advance, baked, and refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, uncovering the last 5 minutes of cook time.

This is also a great recipe to double so you can freeze one batch for later. Simply bake the recipe as described, cool, and freeze for up to 6 months in an airtight container. Reheat, covered, in a 375°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, removing foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Wet burrito on a plate, covered in red sauce and melted cheese, topped with a dollop of sour cream.
Yield: Serves 6

Wet Burrito

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Seasoned ground beef, refried, and black beans, topped with homemade red sauce and melty cheese, make this wet burrito recipe the best you'll ever try.

Ingredients

Enchilada Sauce

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 Tbsp Flour
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 Cup Chicken Stock or Broth
  • 1 Cup Tomato Sauce
  • 1 Cup Prepared Beef Gravy

  • 1.5 Lbs Ground Beef
  • 1/3 Cup Taco Seasoning
  • 2/3 Cup Beef Broth or Stock
  • 15 Oz Refried Beans
  • 15 Oz Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 2 Cups Cheese
  • 6 Burrito Flour Tortillas
  • 1 Medium Onion (diced)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet brown ground beef with onion over medium-high heat.
  2. Drain beef well. Add taco seasoning and beef broth. Mix well to incorporate. Simmer over low heat until thickened.
  3. Add refried beans and black beans to the seasoned beef. Heat over low heat until warm.
  4. Place beef mixture into the center of a tortilla. Top with a generous amount of cheese. Fold in the ends and roll to close.
  5. Place prepared burritos on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake burritos for 10 minutes at 350°F. Meanwhile, make the enchilada sauce.
  6. Combine flour and seasonings in a small bowl. Heat olive oil over low heat, add flour and seasonings and mix well to create a roux.
  7. Slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring and allowing the mixture to thicken slightly between each addition.
  8. Pour in tomato sauce and allow the mixture to thicken slightly before the addition of the gravy.
  9. Remove burritos from the oven, and top with prepared enchilada sauce, completely covering the burritos. Top with a large amount of cheese.
  10. Bake burritos at 350°F for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  11. Serve hot topped with your favorite burrito toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, salsa, or pico de gallo.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1276Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 3191mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 20gSugar: 11gProtein: 74g

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Jessie @ This Country Home

Wednesday 4th of April 2018

These look delicious! We also love Mexican food and I'm very excited to try out this recipe- I may substitute some wild game & add homemade green chili too ☺. Thank you for an inspiring recipe!

Danielle McCoy

Wednesday 4th of April 2018

Oooh, wild game would be amazing in these. We often use ground venison!

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