Smothered Burrito

Let’s be honest – regular burritos are great and all, but sometimes you need something that goes beyond “portable Mexican food” and ventures into “life-changing comfort experience” territory. Enter the Smothered Burrito, also known as a burrito mojado if you want to get fancy about it. This isn’t just a burrito with sauce on top – this is a fully loaded, sauce-drenched, cheese-covered masterpiece that requires a fork, a knife, and possibly a nap afterward.

I first encountered this beautiful mess at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place where the portions were so big they came with a construction permit. One bite and I was completely hooked. The combination of a perfectly stuffed burrito swimming in rich sauce and melted cheese is basically comfort food perfection. Now I make them at home whenever I need to feed a crowd or just want to treat myself to something ridiculously indulgent.

Why You’ll Love This Smothered Burrito

• Ultimate comfort food – Like getting a warm hug from your favorite Mexican restaurant • Feeds a family – One burrito is practically a meal for two (or one very hungry person) • Make-ahead friendly – Assemble earlier and just bake when ready to eat • Customizable fillings – Use whatever protein and beans you love most • Perfect for meal prep – Individual portions reheat beautifully throughout the week

Ingredients

For the Burrito Filling:

1½ lbs (680g) cooked protein (see options below)
2 cups cooked Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice
1 can (15 oz) refried beans or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (100g) shredded Mexican cheese blend
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 large flour tortillas (burrito size, 12-inch)

Protein Options:

Seasoned ground beef (1½ lbs browned with taco seasoning)
Shredded chicken (rotisserie works perfectly)
Carnitas or pulled pork
Seasoned ground turkey
Black beans and roasted vegetables (for vegetarian)

For the Smothering Sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of salt
2 cups (480ml) chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the Topping:

2 cups (200g) shredded Mexican cheese blend
½ cup (50g) shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup green onions, sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sour cream for serving
Diced avocado or guacamole

Equipment You’ll Need

9×13-inch baking dish
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Large spoon
Aluminum foil

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven. Set it to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Make the smothering sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Finish the sauce. Gradually whisk in the broth, making sure no lumps form. Add the tomato paste and apple cider vinegar, whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Prepare your fillings. Make sure your protein is seasoned and heated through, your rice is warm, and your beans are ready to go. Having everything at the right temperature makes assembly much easier.
Assemble the burritos. Lay a tortilla flat and add about ½ cup rice down the center, leaving space at the edges. Top with about ⅓ cup protein, ¼ cup beans, a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and some cilantro. Don’t overfill or you won’t be able to roll it properly.
Roll ’em up. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll tightly from bottom to top. Place seam-side down in your prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Smother away. Pour the warm sauce evenly over all the burritos, making sure they’re completely covered. Sprinkle with the Mexican cheese blend and cheddar cheese.
Bake to perfection. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Garnish and serve. Let rest for 5 minutes, then top with green onions and fresh cilantro. Serve with extra sour cream and diced avocado on the side.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour tortillas and replace the all-purpose flour in the sauce with cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water).

Dairy-Free: Skip the cheese and sour cream, or use dairy-free alternatives. The sauce will still be delicious on its own.

Different Sauce Styles:

Green Chile: Use green enchilada sauce instead of making red sauce
Mole Style: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a pinch of cinnamon to the sauce
White Sauce: Make a cheese sauce with butter, flour, milk, and lots of pepper jack

Regional Variations:

California Style: Add French fries inside the burrito (trust me on this one)
Breakfast Version: Use scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, hash browns, and cheese
Tex-Mex: Extra cumin in the sauce and lots of jalapeños

Pro Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t overfill the burritos. It’s tempting to stuff them full, but too much filling makes them impossible to roll and they’ll burst open during baking.

Warm your tortillas first. Cold tortillas crack when you try to roll them. Warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds wrapped in damp paper towels.

Make sure your sauce is the right consistency. It should be thick enough to coat the burritos but not so thick it doesn’t spread easily. Think gravy consistency.

Let them rest after baking. Those 5 minutes of cooling time help everything set up so the burritos don’t fall apart when you cut into them.

Use the right size dish. The burritos should fit snugly in the baking dish so the sauce doesn’t spread out too thin.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Make-Ahead: You can assemble these completely (except for the final cheese topping) up to 24 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then add the cheese and bake when ready. Add 5-10 extra minutes to the covered baking time.

Storage: Leftover smothered burritos keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce gets even better as it sits!

Freezing: These freeze beautifully! Wrap individual burritos (after they’re completely cooled) in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Individual portions can be microwaved for 2-3 minutes, but the oven method keeps the texture better.

Serving Suggestions

These smothered burritos are pretty much a complete meal, but they’re even better with some classic Mexican sides:

Mexican street corn salad – The bright, tangy flavors cut through all that rich sauce and cheese perfectly.

Simple black bean salad – Black beans, corn, tomatoes, and lime vinaigrette add freshness and crunch.

Chips and salsa – Because sometimes you just need something to crunch on between bites of burrito.

Pickled jalapeños – The acidity helps balance out all the richness.

Fresh fruit – Watermelon or pineapple with a squeeze of lime is surprisingly perfect with this heavy comfort food.

These are also incredible for feeding a crowd. Make a double batch and watch them disappear at your next potluck or game day gathering.

Approximate Nutrition (Per Serving, Makes 4 large servings)

Calories: 720
Protein: 35g
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fat: 32g
Fiber: 8g
Sodium: 1,240mg

Note: Nutrition values are estimates and will vary significantly based on protein choice and portion size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour? A: Flour tortillas work much better for burritos because they’re larger and more pliable. Corn tortillas tend to crack and don’t hold as much filling.

Q: What if I don’t have time to make the sauce from scratch? A: You can use good-quality canned enchilada sauce! Use about 2-3 cups and heat it up before pouring over the burritos. Not quite the same depth of flavor, but still delicious.

Q: My burritos keep coming apart during rolling. What am I doing wrong? A: Three things: warm the tortillas first, don’t overfill them, and make sure you roll them tightly. It takes a little practice to get the technique down.

Q: Can I make these in individual portions? A: Absolutely! Use smaller tortillas and individual baking dishes or ramekins. Adjust the baking time to about 15-20 minutes total.

Q: How do I prevent the bottom from getting soggy? A: Make sure your fillings aren’t too wet, and don’t let the assembled burritos sit too long before baking. The sauce will naturally soften the bottom, but that’s part of the charm!

Printable Recipe Card

Smothered Burrito

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Serves: 4

Sauce:

3 tbsp olive oil + 3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp oregano, pinch salt
2 cups broth, 6 oz tomato paste, 1 tbsp vinegar

Filling: 1½ lbs cooked protein, 2 cups rice, 1 can beans, 1 cup cheese, ½ cup sour cream, cilantro

Assembly: 4 large flour tortillas, 2 cups Mexican cheese for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), grease 9×13 dish
Make sauce: cook flour in oil 1 min, add spices 30 sec, whisk in broth, tomato paste, vinegar. Simmer 8-10 min
Warm tortillas, fill with rice, protein, beans, cheese, sour cream, cilantro
Roll tightly, place seam-side down in dish
Pour sauce over burritos, top with cheese
Bake covered 20 min, uncovered 10-15 min until bubbly
Rest 5 min, garnish with green onions and cilantro

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days, freeze up to 3 months

There you have it – the burrito that requires absolutely no apologies for being completely over-the-top! Ever wondered why anyone would put a perfectly good burrito under all that sauce and cheese? Because sometimes more is more, and this is one of those beautiful times. FYI, these have converted more than a few “I don’t need sauce on my burrito” people to the dark side.