Burritos de Chile Colorado (Red Chilli Beef Burritos)
Tender beef braised in a brick red chilli sauce, rolled up with refried beans and cheese in warm flour tortillas.
Made with Chile colorado sauce and Flour tortillas and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time3 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.15 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat. Brown the beef in two batches for 5 minutes each, then lift it out.
10 min - 2
Add the onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Return the beef and pour in 400 ml of your ready made chile colorado sauce (see the base recipe) and the water.
5 min - 3
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 2 hours, or in the oven at 150°C (130°C fan), until the beef falls apart when pressed with a spoon.
120 min - 4
Take off the lid and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat. Season with the salt. Warm your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) in a small pan.
10 min - 5
Warm the flour tortillas (see the base recipe) one at a time in a dry pan for 20 seconds a side so they bend without cracking.
0 min 40 s - 6
Spread a spoon of beans down the middle of each tortilla, add beef and a pinch of cheese. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
- 7
Fry the burritos seam side down in a dry pan for 2 minutes per side until lightly crisp, and serve with extra sauce from the pot.
4 min
Tips
- Cut the beef into big chunks. Small pieces dry out before the sauce has had time to soak in.
- Leave the burritos seam side down in the pan for the first minute so the seam seals shut.
- For a wet burrito, spoon a little extra sauce and some cheese over the top and grill for 3 minutes.
Storing and freezing
Keep the cooked beef in its sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Wrapped burritos keep 2 days in the fridge and should be reheated until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use pork instead of beef?
Yes. Use boneless pork shoulder cut into 3 cm chunks and cook it for the same 2 hours. Pork chile colorado is just as traditional and tastes slightly sweeter.
Can I make the filling in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and onion first, then cook with the sauce and water on low for 7 to 8 hours until tender. Reduce the sauce uncovered for 10 minutes at the end.
Can I freeze the burritos?
Yes. Wrap each cooled burrito in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then bake at 190C for 20 minutes until hot all the way through.
More made with chile colorado sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.