A Wet Burrito (or, Burrito Mojado) is a Tex-Mex favorite. It’s simply a burrito that has been drowned in Tex-Mex Chili Gravy and melted cheese.
The burrito can be stuffed with whatever you like, although seasoned ground beef is probably the most common. It’s what I generally use in my recipe unless I have leftover steak.
I think beef holds up better against the big flavor of chili gravy than pork or chicken.
If you want to make your own chili gravy, rather than using canned or packaged (I highly recommend making it), you can get the recipe here.
How to Make a Wet Burrito
Folding a burrito is easy. Lay the tortilla out on your work surface (the big burrito-sized tortillas are the best), then place the ingredients in the center. Don’t overfill it, though.
Once you’ve got your filling in the center of the tortilla, fold the bottom up, just enough to cover the ingredients, then fold the two sides over to almost the center.
Next, roll the burrito upwards, toward the top of the tortilla, using your fingers to keep the ingredients in place.
Since the burrito will be covered in sauce, it helps to lightly crisp the outside in a touch of oil. This will keep the tortilla from turning to mush.
Put a tablespoon of oil in a hot pan and swirl it around to coat. Place the completed burrito in the pan, seam side down, and toast until it starts to brown. Flip, then repeat the process on the other side.
- Try one of our 12 salsa recipes to help you master Taco Night.
It only takes a minute or so per side.
For a complete meal, add the following (recipes linked):
Tex-Mex Wet Burrito (Burrito Mojado)
Ingredients
- 6 tortillas - large burrito size
Ground Meat Filling
- 1 lb. ground beef chuck - 80% lean
- 1/4 large yellow onion - diced
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Other Fillings
- 1/2 15 oz. can black beans - well drained
- 1 cup Mexican red rice - or substitute steamed white rice
- 12 oz. Oaxaca or Monterrey Jack cheese - shredded, reserve 1/2 for topping
Toppings
- 2 cups Tex-Mex chili gravy - Make sure it's piping hot when you pour it over the burritos.
- 1 cup pico de gallo - (optional)
- 1 cup guacamole - (optional)
- 1 cup sour cream - (optional)
Instructions
- Make the chili gravy according to the recipe linked in the post, or heat up the canned or packaged chili gravy according to the instructions on the package (I highly recommend making it yourself). Be sure that your chili gravy is piping hot when you pour it over your burrito so that the cheese melts when you add it to the top.
Burrito Filling
- Cook the rice. Either make Mexican red rice (you can get the recipe by clicking the link in the post), or make white rice according to the directions on the package.
- Preheat a pan on medium-high, then add the oil and the diced onions. Saute until translucent. About 5 minutes. Scoop the onions out into a bowl, then add the ground beef by smashing it into the pan like a hamburger patty. Let sear for a couple of minutes, then flip and sear the other side for another couple of minutes. Add the onions back in, then break up the beef with a spatula. Pour off any excess oil, then add in the seasonings. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, mixing the seasonings in so that they are evenly distributed.
- Heat the beans in a saucepan or in a covered bowl in the microwave. Drain well through a colander or sieve.
Assembling Your Burritos
- Lay a tortilla out flat on your workspace. Put 1/2 cup of beef, 1/4 cup of black beans, and 1/4 cup of rice in the center. Top with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. Fold the bottom of the tortilla upwards, just over the ingredients, then fold the sides to the center. Using your fingers to hold the ingredients in, roll the tortilla up so that the burrito is seam side down and all of the ingredients are fully enclosed. Set aside. Finish rolling the rest of the burritos.
- Preheat a pan over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add 1 or 2 burritos, seam side down and cook until the tortilla is starting to brown, then flip and repeat on the other side.
- Place a burrito in the center of a plate, then pour the piping hot chili gravy over the top (it needs to be piping hot to melt the cheese). Add cheese to the top. Serve with pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole. Adding some of the leftover Mexican red rice as a side gets bonus points.
This was absolutely delicious. My husband thought he was eating at a restaurant. 😎😎 Thank you so much!!