If you’re looking for a delicious and easy way to use up leftover chili, look no further than this chili cheese burrito. Hearty and satisfying, this burrito is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner and is incredibly simple to make.
There’s almost nothing we love more than homemade Mexican Food. If you love smothered burritos, be sure to try my recipe for smothered Green Chili Burritos.
This chili cheese burrito recipe was created simply as a way to use up leftover beef chili.
It’s a delicious combination of flavors. The filling is canned beans that are seasoned, fried and then rough mashed. Add a little bit of your favorite cheese and some leftover re-heated chili and you’re ready to build that burrito.
Whether using left over chili, or a can of your favorite chili, this is an easy way to enjoy a burrito.
And if you’re looking for some great chili recipes so you can have leftover chili, here re some very delicious ideas; Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico version would be great on this, or get boosy with this Bourbon Beef and Bean Chili. And our favorite, my Award Winning Beef and Bean Chili.
And of course if you really want to make a super easy chili burrito, pick up a couple cans of your favorite canned chili at the store. Move over Taco Bell, this is a simple and delicious way to enjoy an easy burrito.
This is by far one of my favorite easy peasy Mexican food recipes, along with this quick and easy Corn Tortilla Quesadillas.
Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cilantro
- Chili Soup: Either left over chili that you’ve made, or purchase a couple cans of your favorite chili.
- Canned Beans: Kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, black beans, beans in chili sauce, choose your favorite.
- Grated Cheese: Cheddar works well here, and don’t forget about Muenster cheese. Both are great melting cheeses.
- Rice: Cooked. A great way to use leftover rice.
- Lard: Lard is a traditional “fat” to fry beans for refried beans. You can also use Crisco, bacon grease or vegetable oil.
- Chile Powder: To add some pizzaz to those beans. Use New Mexico Chile Powder, Ancho Chile Powder, Smoky Chipotle Chile Powder, or Cayenne.
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy
Step 1: Make easy refried beans from canned beans. Heat lard, oil or bacon grease in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the lard is melted and hot, add the canned beans. Use a potato masher to rough smash them as they cook. Add the grated cheese then mix together until cheese is melted.
Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.
- Step 2: Warm flour tortillas in a microwave oven for about 15 seconds, or just long enough to render them soft and warm. Lay the tortillas flat and add a spoonful of the bean and cheese mixture to each tortilla.
- Step 3: Add a spoon full of cooked rice on top of the bean and cheese mixture.
- Step 4: Heat up the chili in a saucepan, roll the burritos. Top with the hot chili and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
If you use corn tortillas, you’re actually making an enchilada rather than a chili burrito. Stick with flour tortillas, they’re much easier to handle.
Variations and Tips For Success
- I highly urge you to top those chili burritos with a spoon full of sour cream and better yet Mexican Crema. Mexican crema is a thinner product than our American sour cream and a bit tangier. That little addition of creaminess is a great compliment to the chili burrito.
- Rice: This is a great way to use leftover rice, or make a quick batch of minute rice for a quick fix burrito.
- Additional Toppings: Fresh chopped or sliced avocado is a perfect topping, as is a dollop of homemade guacamole. Try chopped fresh onions. Pico de gallo or Salsa would work well here. And we love fresh sliced jalapeno peppers on about anything.
- Cheese: Any type of good melting cheese will work. Try Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack or Muenster cheese.
- Want to make these even beefier? Substitute canned beans with cooked ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning or chili powder .
- Beverage: Try these chili burritos with an ice cold Michelada. You’ll be glad you did.
In Conclusion
This chili cheese burrito is a versatile and tasty way to use up leftover chili, and it’s sure to become a favorite in your household. So before you freeze that left over chili, make a burrito! Give it a try and enjoy!
Related Recipes
And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, don’t miss my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili Colorado Style and this recipe for Easy Ground Chicken Taco Casserole.
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Chili Cheese Burrito
Ingredients
- For the Filling:
- 15 ounce pinto beans canned, undrained
- 15 ounce red kidney beans canned, undrained
- 1 teaspoon bacon grease lard or Crisco
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded, or Monterey Jack, Cheddar Jack. or Muenster cheese.
- 2 cups Chile Leftover or canned
Instructions
- Heat lard, oil or bacon grease in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the lard is melted and hot, add the canned beans. Use a potato masher to rough smash them as they cook. Add the grated cheese then mix together until cheese is melted.
- Warm flour tortillas in a microwave oven for about 15 seconds, or just long enough to render them soft and warm. Lay the tortillas flat and add a spoonful of the bean and cheese mixture to each tortilla.
- Top with a spoonful of cooked rice.
- Roll the tortillas and then top with hot chili. Garnish with sour cream, avocado and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- I highly urge you to top those chili burritos with a spoon full of sour cream and better yet Mexican Crema. Mexican crema is a thinner product than our American sour cream and a bit tangier. That little addition of creaminess is a great compliment to the burrito.
- Rice: This is a great way to use leftover rice, or make a quick batch of minute rice for a quick fix burrito.
- Additional Toppings: Fresh chopped or sliced avocado is a perfect topping, as is a dollop of homemade guacamole. Try chopped fresh onions. Pico de gallo would work well here. And we love fresh sliced jalapeno peppers on about anything.
- Cheese: Any type of good melting cheese will work. Try Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack or Muenster cheese.
Nutrition
Chili Cheese Burritos …It’s What’s for Dinner.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
Oh heaven chili burritos…. I lived off these in college, after late night study sessions (wink,wink) we would go out for burritos. thanks for the tasty flashback!
OMG my mouth won’t stop watering. When I lived in the states I used to indulge in chili burritos from a hole in the wall restaurant. Gosh I haven’t had one in years. Thanks so much for sharing this, I’m going to make them over the weekend:)
Hope you had a lovely 4th!
Gosh, and I thought they were an original from my hole in the wall kitchen. 🙂 They’re so simple good Nancy, enjoy a blast from the past.
That looks so delicious but Ebby steals the show 🙂
Ebby was a little punkin.
Ebby is soooo adorable and probably more comfortable after a summer hair cut. I’ve been craving Mexican food and I think your burrito recipe will satisfy that.
And with some of that Mexican rice you made… mmmm
Ebby is very cute. And burritos … yum!!!!!
Thanks Jane.
If anyone knows how to mix seasonings, it’s Larry. So glad you won some. Those burritos look delicious. Your pup is adorable and I bet he is a big hit everywhere he goes.
Still think of you out there with the fires.
Sam
Ebby is not mine. Just a dog at the Farmer’s Market. But, I’ve got a couple of cute pups that draw attention where ever they go. And thanks Sam, those fires have just been horrific. We’ve had a bit of a break for a few days. We’re crossing our fingers for rain on Friday.
hey Lea Ann, so nice to find you too… love your burritos and you are right, Larry’s chili mix is perfect for this kind of cookery … I used it also with some pinto beans and wow, what flavor it added…
now to answer your BBQ questions, see my post on pork shoulder roasts for grilling, it tells all about why I also call it Boston Butt…
http://dricksramblingcafe.blogspot.com/2011/06/barbecued-pork-shoulder-roast.html
I’m loving that idea for Pinto Beans. Thanks, I’m heading over to your link right now.
No wonder this is a popular meal. It looks so good. Ebby is a darling.
Thanks Karen. It was a hit back in the simpler days.
I soooo wanted to win Larry’s giveaway!! Congrats to you.. seems as if you used it in the perfect dish!! This looks amazing!!! And how adorable is Ebby?????
I thought Ebby was incredibly adorable. 🙂
Those chili smothered burritos look delicious! I have missed reading all the blogs, so I had no idea Larry had his own seasoning – very cool! And OMG – Ebby is the cutest thing ever. I am in love with his little name, too. 🙂
I think his seasoning is perfect! Make him bring you some. 🙂
Those are some great looking burritos.
Thanks Chris.
It looks delicious Lea Ann and thanks for the kind words. The puppy is really cute.
Larry, thank you for the Chili Seasoning. It’s truly the best I’ve ever had.
Thanks to that Chili Seasoning, it was extra delicious.
A ‘bean & bean’ burrito! I’m all for it and Ebby is a darling!
It’s easy and tasty Karen.
Thanks Karen.