Smothered Beef & Bean Burrito Bake (2024)

An easy Mexican-inspired casserole recipe made from flour tortillas stuffed with ground beef, cheese and refried beans smothered in a savory queso sauce that comes together right in the oven.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. THE DIFFERENCE IN BURRITOS VS ENCHILADAS
3. BEST CHEESE FOR QUESO AND MEXICAN RECIPES
4. WHAT TO SERVE WITH SMOTHERED BURRITOS

My men-folk are “meat & potato” guys and aren’t too fond of many vegetables. And even though one is 50 and the other is almost 15, I do just what I did when my kids were little: I hide, sneak and smuggle vegetables in everywhere I can.

I shred carrots into meatballs and meatloaf, I add finely diced mushrooms when I’m browning ground beef, I add fresh spinach to anything I can say “oh, it’s just herbs” when they ask “what’s this green stuff?”

I had this idea for a burrito bake where I wanted big, thick, beefy burritos to bake in this cheesy sauce (which is, btw, completely magical) but I didn’t want to have to use five pounds to meat to accomplish it.

And I didn’t want to add rice to the them because I always serveMexican Restaurant-Style Rice as a side dish with meals like this.

Hmmm…

So I decided to add refried beans and cheese to the filling and see what happened. What happened is I got six thick meaty burritos that were cheesy and delicious and two big boys who were none the wiser.

Mwaahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahhhhhh!!

OK, so you may have a few questions already and I’ll try to get in front of them.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE IN BURRITOS AND ENCHILADAS?

Two things set these two apart. Burritos are typically made with flour tortillas and enchiladas are usually made with corn tortillas. I prefer flour tortillas so I made these into burritos.

The other difference is that enchiladas are rolled with their ends left open and burritos are folded and rolled so that the ends are tucked in.

So, Mandy, why then did you use enchilada sauce in this recipe if you’re going to be so picky about recipe vocabulary? Well, because, dear, there’s no such thing as burrito sauce!

WHAT KIND OF CHEESE MELTS BEST FOR QUESO DIP AND MEXICAN RECIPES?

After trying (and failing) many times to make queso dip at home like they have at our favorite Mexican restaurant chain, I finally just asked what the secret was. Though they were a little sheepish in admitting it, the secret is white American cheese. It’s the only cheese that yields velvety, smooth cheese sauce without having to make a roux (which I’m not a fan of when it comes to cheese sauce).

I knew I could simply heat cream or half-and-half, add white American cheese and POOF! have silky, smooth cheese dip (yep, that’s all you gotta do) so I gambled here and hoped that by letting the cheese melt into to enchilada sauce, I’d create a cheesy, spicy sauce to smother these burritos in. And I was right!!

I’ve yet to find white American cheese anywhere other than the deli (though Kraft does make slices). If your deli attendant looks at you funny when say you need a pound of unsliced cheese, just tell him or her you need about two inches (providing you’re getting the standard square block of Land O’Lakes or Boar’s Head).

Seriously, I've yet to ask for it without a little hesitation from the deli. Most often I get two 1-inch thick slabs which, I think, is the thickest their deli slicer will go.

Meh, it's not rocket science. If you're a little over or a little under, it'll all turn out alright anyway. If you find that you have less than you need and want to add something else, add it in with the filling and leave the White American to work it's magic with the sauce.

DISHES TO SERVE WITH SMOTHERED BEEF & BEAN BURRITO BAKE

MEXICAN RESTAURANT-STYLE RICE - A simple recipe with just a few ingredients just like the rice at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

MEXICAN STREET CORN - Esquites served off the cob as a side dish or warm salad with Mexican crumbling cheese, a creamy spread, fresh cilantro and chili powder.

BORRACHO BEANS - Savory, saucy pinto beans cooked low and slow with pork, spices and beer. The perfect side dish recipe for your next Mexican feast!

SEMI-HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE - An unbelievably easy and inexpensive semi-homemade guacamole recipe using fresh avocado, cilantro, onion and garlic with prepared guacamole.

RESTAURANT-STYLE SALSA - The BEST restaurant-style salsa recipe made in a blender with canned tomatoes and fresh ingredients.

Recipe for Smothered Beef & Bean Burrito Bake