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Copycat Taco Bell Chili Cheese Burrito
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- #80458
Copy the famous burrito from Taco Bell. Check out the reviews from others on how to dress it up even more!
serves/makes:
ready in:
1-2 hrs
1-2 hrs
18 reviews
4 comments
ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1/2 can (15 ounce size) refried beans
1 can (6 ounce size) tomato paste
3 cups water
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced dried onions
2 tablespoons canned jalapeno slices
2 pounds shredded cheddar cheese
8 flour burrito-sized tortillas
directions
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned and broken up to resemble coarse crumbs. Drain off any excess grease.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato paste, water, cayenne, chili powder, salt, cornstarch, vinegar, dried onion, and jalapenos. Mix until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and let cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the refried beans to the beef in the skillet and mix well. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce mixture and half of the cheese. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and let cook for 30 minutes.
To assemble the burrito, place about 3/4ths of a cup of the beef mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and spoon some of the tomato sauce mixture over each. Fold the sides of the tortilla over towards the middle then roll up the tortilla around the chili cheese filling.
Serve the chili cheese burrito immediately.
recipe tips
For a smoother tomato sauce mixture, try blending the jalapenos before adding them to the sauce.
If the chili cheese filling becomes too thick, add a little water or beef broth to adjust the consistency.
To prevent the tortillas from breaking when rolling, warm them slightly in the microwave or on a skillet (or as directed on the package).
When assembling the burritos, avoid overfilling so they can be rolled easily without spilling or breaking.
Want a crispy exterior? You can lightly pan-fry the assembled burritos in a bit of oil to crisp the tortillas.
For a healthier version, use low-fat cheese and lean ground meat.
If freezing the chili cheese filling, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and using it.
common recipe questions
Can I substitute the ground beef with another meat?
Yes, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or even a plant-based meat substitute for a vegetarian version.
Is it possible to make the chili cheese filling ahead of time?
Yes, the filling can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
How can I adjust the spiciness of the burrito?
Modify the amount of cayenne pepper and jalapenos as desired.
Can I use homemade refried beans instead of canned?
Homemade refried beans will work just fine in this recipe, just make sure they have the same consistency as canned beans.
Is there an alternate to cheddar cheese?
Any melty cheese should work, including blends.
Can I use whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas for this recipe?
Yes, whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas can be used as a healthier or dietary-specific alternative.
What else can I add to the burrito?
Consider adding toppings like sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, lettuce, or salsa.
nutrition data
929 calories, 59 grams fat, 54 grams carbohydrates, 47 grams protein per serving.
Please note:
This is a copy cat recipe submitted to CDKitchen by a third-party. This recipe is not an original recipe unless specifically stated and is considered only to be an acceptable "clone" to the original for the home cook to attempt to duplicate. Please also note that many nationwide restaurant chains vary their menus and ingredients by region so the version provided may not be similar to what you may have tried before. All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners.
In a cooking rut? Try one of these taste-tested, family-approved recipes using ground beef.
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reviews & comments
December 20, 2022
This is actually a good reproduction and a great chilli. I did reduce the water to about half. As a delicious variant, i added a hotdog to the burrito as well. It works great as a chilli cheese hotdog wrap.
Hi everyone. Back in the 90s I was a training manager for Taco Bell. While this recipe I'm sure would make a good burrito it is much more complicated than the actual chili cheese burrito (chilitos) was. The first ingredient was simple seasoned taco meat. 85/15. For home replication prepare two lbs of ground beef with taco seasoning. Then add 2 cups of water and a pack of chili seasoning and let it cook down. And that's it. It is done. Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Scoop out appropriate amount of chili according to size of tortilla and completely cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold one end of tortilla over about an inch then fold bottom half up to top and pull filling back then roll forward. Pop in microwave about 30 seconds to melt cheese and you are done. I just made them a few minutes ago and I was taken back 30 years. Taco meat chili seasoning water and cheddar cheese. That is all there is to it. You will get the absolute authentic taste of the chilito!!!
March 15, 2020
Chilitos variation of this is pretty damn close! bravo
September 8, 2019
So good and exactly like taco bells. I did follow chilitoheads changes they noted in their review.
May 27, 2019
Would recommend cutting the cayenne by half and only 2.5 cups of water. Otherwise, it was great.
May 2, 2017
I followed the tips from chilitoheads review to decrease water, cayenne, and salt and increase chili powder. I did not add the cheese to the mixture. Instead, we just added our personal desired amount of cheese when we prepared the burritos. We added sour cream and they were verrrry close to the way I remember Taco Bell's tasting.
Chilitoheads says 1/4 cup of chili powder from 1 1/2 tbsp. Is that correct?seems like a big change.
March 7, 2016
I tried Chilitohead's version for the first time yesterday. I could not believe how close it was to the real deal. Even if they bring the chili cheese burrito back, I won't need Taco Bell, I'll just make my own. Great recipe and definitely fills the void.
October 22, 2014
Loved It So Good!,,,,
September 28, 2014
Perfect!!!
There are no beans in a Taco Bell Chili Cheese Burrito.
April 25, 2014
Bad Bad Bad Taste like chile powder
November 6, 2013
I also followed the advice by CHILITOHEAD and it was awesome!! I recommend cooking it that way.
July 30, 2013
Followed Chilitohead's advice and these turned out great!!! Way better than Taco Bell.
March 2, 2013
I bought a large 12oz can of tomato paste and made a separate pot of sauce with the leftover 6oz.. But i left out the jalapeños in the extra sauce because I added them to the meat sauce mix. I also only used 2-1/2 cups of water. Great! Oh and I used a food ninja to chop up the browned meat!! Perfect! Great recipe for those craving a chili cheese burrito....
October 27, 2012
Chilitohead got it right!!! Reduce the water to 2-1/2, reduce the cheese to 1pd, add extra chili powder (about 3tbs), make beef mixture seperate from sauce but combine at the end and simmer low just 10 minutes to make quick chili cheese burritos that are far better than taco bells. For best results drain the fat off and dice the meat with a fork as fine as you can get it. This makes soo many burritos, it's impossible to say there are mearly 8 burritos, we were able to make about 30. Warms up easy as leftovers too.
What are "burrito tortilla shells"? I am familiar with Taco Shells and Tortillas. I've never heard of a Burito Shell. Are they new? Where would one purchase"Burrito Tortilla Shells"?
It probably is just referring to burrito size tortillas.
September 25, 2011
Followed some of the suggestions here to tweak this recipe to be more like Taco Bell's. Read the reviews and try it yourself, you'll be happy you did. It was really good. I did use fat free refried beans only because I seriously need to cut a few calories wherever I can :)
April 9, 2010
No need to head out late night to Taco Bell when the craving hits any more, this recipe is hands down awesome with just a couple of modifications (most of which are listed in the other reviews). My friends loved this.
July 13, 2009
You HAVE to follow these modifications to re-create the chilito, and only then does this recipe get 5 stars! For 8 servings (as originally written), use 1 lb of cheese instead of 2, 2 1/4 c. water instead of 3, <1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 c. chili powder, 2 tsp salt, and of course dissolve cornstarch in water before adding. Make the sauce separately as directed, but when it comes to combining the ingredients at the end, just put everything together and stir over low for 10 minutes, and it's ready to serve. After years, I finally satiated my craving for a chilito...
May 5, 2008
My family and I were very happy with this recipe. The only thing I would do differently, would to cut down on the water. I would only use 2-2 1/2 cups.It turned out well.
April 9, 2008
wow, taste just like taco bell. I used just plain store bought burrito shells, and microwaved them for a minute. I will make them again soon. thanks