Experience the perfect fusion of burrito and enchilada with this incredible Taco Bell Enchirito that combines the best of both worlds in one satisfying dish. This on-again, off-again menu item features seasoned beef and refried beans wrapped in a soft flour tortilla, then smothered in authentic red enchilada sauce and melted cheese. Initially introduced in the 1970s, this hearty creation has delighted Taco Bell fans for decades with its bold flavors and generous portions that satisfy even the largest appetites.
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Table of Contents
About the Taco Bell Enchirito
Taco Bell created the Enchirito in the 1970s as one of their original fusion menu items, combining a traditional burrito with enchilada-style preparation. This innovative dish has appeared and disappeared from menus multiple times over the decades, making it a sought-after item among fans who remember its unique appeal.
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to an authentic-tasting Enchirito lies in the carefully crafted spice blend that perfectly mimics Taco Bell’s signature seasoning. The masa harina acts as a natural thickener for the beef filling, while the homemade red sauce provides just the right amount of heat and flavor. This recipe delivers that iconic combination of textures and tastes that made the Enchirito a beloved menu item.
Enchirito Ingredients
The list of ingredients in the Taco Bell enchirito recipe may be long, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Most are likely already in your pantry or spice rack, and others are easy to find and typically affordable.
For the Seasoned Beef Filling:
- Ground chuck – Provides rich, beefy flavor and the right fat content for juicy filling
- Masa harina – Traditional Mexican corn flour that thickens and binds the seasoned beef
- Chili powder – Adds warmth and authentic Mexican flavor to the beef mixture
- Onion powder – Provides savory depth without texture pieces
- Garlic powder – Delivers aromatic garlic flavor throughout the filling
- Seasoned salt – Enhances all flavors and adds complexity to the meat
- Paprika – Contributes color and mild pepper flavor
- Ground cumin – Essential for authentic Mexican taste and earthy warmth
- Garlic salt – Reinforces garlic flavor while adding saltiness
- Sugar – Balances spices and reduces any bitter notes
- Dried minced onion – Adds texture and concentrated onion flavor
- Beef bouillon powder – Intensifies the meaty flavor of the ground beef
- Water – Helps distribute spices and creates proper consistency
For the Enchirito Sauce:
- Canned tomato sauce – Forms the base for the authentic red enchilada sauce
- Water – Thins the sauce to the proper consistency for coating
- Chili powder – The Primary spice that gives the sauce its signature flavor
- Cumin – Adds earthy depth and authenticity to the sauce
- Minced onion – Provides savory flavor and slight texture
- White vinegar – Adds tanginess and helps preserve the sauce
- Garlic powder – Essential for the signature Taco Bell sauce taste
- Garlic salt – Reinforces garlic flavor while seasoning the sauce
- Paprika – Contributes color and mild pepper notes
- Sugar – Balances acidity and rounds out the flavor profile
- Cayenne pepper – Provides a heat level that can be adjusted to taste
For Assembly:
- Soft flour tortillas – The wrap that holds everything together
- Refried beans – Creamy base layer that adds protein and texture
- Shredded cheddar cheese – Melts beautifully over the sauce for finishing
- White onion – Adds fresh crunch and sharp flavor as a topping
- Sliced black olives – Traditional garnish that adds color and briny flavor
Using fresh, high-quality spices is crucial for achieving the best results, as the seasoning blend does most of the heavy lifting in terms of flavor. Mixing the spice blends ahead of time can make the cooking process quicker and less stressful than in the moment.
How to Make Taco Bell Enchrito
The first step is making the seasoned beef filling:
- Add the spices and masa harina to a small bowl and stir until well combined.
- Brown the crumbled beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Drain the excess grease and rinse the cooked beef with water.
- Return the beef to the skillet and add the seasoning mix and water.
- Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, and then remove from the heat.
Then make the enchirito sauce:
- Place all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan or skillet. Stir to combine.
- Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Finally, all that’s left is to assemble the enchiritos:
- Warm the refried beans in a small pan over medium-low heat. When warmed, spread over the tortillas.
- Add a scoop of ground beef on top of the beans along the center of the tortillas.
- Roll up the burrito and place it seam-side-down in a baking dish.
- Spoon the enchilada red sauce over the burritos, and then sprinkle cheese, diced onion, and olive slices on top.
- Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Fun Toppings for Your Enchiritos
The preparation above is the most faithful to the way you’d find the enchirito at its home restaurant. But luckily, your home kitchen has more options than Taco Bell. Try these additions:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Green onions
What Goes Well with the Taco Bell Enchirito
Make it a true Taco Bell-inspired Mexican feast by pairing your enchirito with a Taco Bell Soft Taco or a double decker taco, with a soft outside surrounding a crunchy inside shell. Since you’ll already have some on hand, refried beans are an excellent choice for a side, as is Spanish rice or corn salsa.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store assembled enchiritos in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
- Reheating Method: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Cover with foil to prevent the food from drying out. Can be microwaved for 1-2 minutes if needed quickly.
- Freezing: Not recommended for assembled enchiritos, as tortillas become soggy. Freeze beef filling and sauce separately for up to 3 months.
Love Taco Bell? Be sure to check out these recipes
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- Taco Bell Mild Sauce
- Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
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Browse through my Mexican copycat recipes and easy main dish recipes to discover delicious meals you can make at home.
Taco Bell Enchirito Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Beef
- 1 1/2 tablespoons masa harina
- 4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
- 1 1/3 pounds ground chuck
Sauce
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Assembly
- 4 tortillas
- 1 cup refried beans heated
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped white onions
- sliced black olives optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the beef, except for the beef itself, and mix well.
- Crumble the ground chuck into a large skillet (preferably nonstick) and brown, stirring well. Remove from the heat and drain the grease from the beef.
- Return the beef to the pan and stir in the spice mix and 3/4 to 1 cup of water. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until most of the moisture has cooked away. Remove the pan from the heat before the meat is completely dry.
- To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and mix well. Simmer at a very low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To assemble the Enchirito, spread 1/4 of the heated refried beans onto a tortilla, followed by 1/4 of the ground beef. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in an ovenproof dish coated with non-stick spray. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cover with the prepared sauce, cheese, chopped onions, and black olives, if desired.
- Place the Enchiritos in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
as I remember them, the chopped onions go *inside* the Enchirito. should be beans then onions (press in with back of spoon) then beef, and rollup in that corn tortilla! I liked that chopped onion pressed into the bean so much that i do that everywhere! Source: me in the seventies monchin’ enchiritos on the daily!
You are completely right on this! Onions inside and CORN tortillas. 🤤 This was my sister’s favorite thing at Taco Bell.
Not a corn tortilla always flour.
1. There is something wrong with your video feed, it starts to play the Taco Bell Enchirito video and then moves to a different video.
2. The original enchirito used a corn tortilla.
Other than the flour tortilla this is pretty close
To watch the video, I believe you need to click on ‘Stay’ when it comes up, otherwise you get moved to another video. I think the original had a tortilla that was a mix of both flour and corn. Those style of tortillas are a little harder to find though.
Hubby said can sauce would be good. I said no, this recipe looks fantastic. So we made two batches- one with canned sauce, the other with this sauce. Hands down, this is what I remember of the Enchirio, and I bet I ate 100 of them!
I will thin the sauce next time, actually next week when I make it again, I followed the recipe and Taci Bell’s was more thin, but the taste is so true!
4 and a half teaspoons of chili powder ? Is that right ? Plus along with alllll the other spices seems like an awful lot!
I am sorry if you feel this is a lot, the recipe is correct as written from my side. I would suggest using McCormick’s chili powder, it isn’t spicy, it’s full of flavor.
Have a question. I made sauce & beef & will assemble & bake tomorrow. The ingredient wording that says “seasoning salt”; does that mean “ season with salt” or is there a special product I don’t know about? Will post again after my family weighs in.
Seasoning salt is a product like Seasonal, or other type of seasoned salt. I hope this helps.
Way too many ingredients. This seems to be a problem with copy cat recipes. Maybe it’s needed to mimic the taste, but I’d rather have less ingredients that are easy to remember. (That’s why I don’t watch Rachael Ray… too many ingredients.)
Thank you for letting me know. If you want something super easy, buy a couple of large bottles of Ortega sauce and use that for the sauce, and use your favorite taco seasoning. That would cut down a lot on the ingredients. I am sorry you didn’t like that I tried to shoot for more authentic food over making something easy.
Well, if there are too few ingredients, then it won’t taste similar to what you are trying to copy / duplicate. So, it’s important to have enough ingredients where you get the distinct and as-close-as-possible taste to the original. To me / us, we don’t mind a list of ingredients, because it sure won’t taste bland and might teach us a thing or two — as we learn from expert chefs like Ms. Copykat.
Thanks, Stephanie, for each and every recipe. We do learn from your experience.
This is actually as close of a recipe in taste as I’ve been able to find anywhere (and I’ve tried a LOT of other recipes). I think the problem here is not her recipe but possibly your lack of motivation? I have more ingredients in my homemade ramen seasoning than Stephanie has in this recipe so I would say this recipe isn’t too complicated overall and the outcome is fantastic! Thank you Stephanie, for all these different and inspiring recipes that have made our lives just a tad bit more enjoyable and much, much tastier! Keep it up, hun!
Thank you for this recipe! My husband really missed Taco Bell Enchirtio’s and he said this was really good. Easy to make and the sauce is delicious. Will definitely be a staple for us!
I made this before, for my husband, I used taco flavored beef, small corn tostada, jalapeno Velveeta cheese, melted, w/diced tomato and onion, he loved it !!!! Of course a large burrito tortilla.
Loved & missed Enchiritos
Put back on the menu !!!
The amount of ground beef you used was never mentioned. Should I assume a pound and have you ever tried it with ground turkey?
I mentioned 1 1/3 pounds of ground chuck, I have not tried it with ground turkey, I am not that fond of the texture of ground turkey.
Um, it’s in the ingredients list…1-1/3 ground chuck. Sure it’ll work with ground turkey, chicken, pork, ostrich, buffalo–customize it any way you want.
Hmmmm… ground ostrich? I’m curious as to what that tastes like. Is it more like chicken or turkey..? Hahaha
Made this a few times and love it. I believe it even better than the original.
I am making this tonight…can’t wait! Why couldn’t you just get bean burritos at taco bell open them up and put the meat mixture and onions in it. Wrap up and pour the sauce over it, add onions ,cheese and olives on top? Let ya know if it works
That should work.
Red sauce used on the food in their kitchen is NOT the same as taco sauce in the packets. Red sauce is milder and has a fuller texture and taste. It’s called enchilada sauce.
I just made your sausage. It was great, thank you for all your hard work. It’s easy to get one from Taco bell. order bean burrito, have them add beef to it, and order a side of their red sauce that they use in the burrito. Viola you have your self and enchirito
Can you use taco bell seasoning packet for the beef as a shortcut ?
Yes, you can.