Beef Chimichangas filled with a ground beef/refried bean mixture seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and oregano, rolled up and fried until crispy, and covered with cheese and jalapeno tomato sauce tastes so much better than restaurant chimichangas. They are sure to be a family favorite.
In fact, this is the recipe my son requests more than any other. I don’t make these Beef Chimichangas often since they are fried, but every now and then I’ll make them when we are craving some Mexican food, but it’s not a convenient night to go out to eat.
Plus, cooking chimichangas at home is much more economical than going out to eat.
Beef Chimichangas Recipe Tips:
Sometimes I make the filling and sauce ahead of time and then all that is left to do is roll them up and fry them. Super easy meal.
If you don’t want to deep-fry these chimichangas, spray them with oil and air fry them until golden and crispy or you can bake them at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Serve with this Mexican Rice for a meal that rivals any Mexican restaurant.
For more amazing Mexican-Style Recipes follow Spicy Southern Kitchen’s Cinco de Mayo Pinterest Board.
Try These Other Mexican Favorites:
Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is to make.
Beef Chimichangas
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 garlic clove,, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can green chilies
- 1 jalapeno,, minced
- 8 (10-inch) tortillas
- wooden toothpicks
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese or Colby Jack
- Vegetable oil
- Cilantro and sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a nonstick skillet. breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. When it is about halfway cooked, add onion.
- Once onion is softened and beef is cooked, add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir to mix and cook 30 seconds.
- Add refried beans and 1/2 cup tomato sauce from the 8-ounce can. Save leftover tomato sauce to add to sauce.
- Stir to mix and remove from heat.
- In a medium saucepan, combine remaining tomato sauce from 8-ounce can plus the 15-ounce tomato sauce. Add the green chilies and jalapeno. Place over medium heat to warm.
- If tortillas are not very pliable, heat in microwave for about 20 seconds covered with a damp paper towel.
- Place about 1/3 cup filling towards one side of a tortilla. Fold over the side nearest the filling to cover the filling. Fold in the two sides and roll up. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a Dutch oven (or whatever type of pan you like to fry in).
- Fry 2 chimichangas at a time, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Top chimichangas with cheese, sauce, sour cream,and cilantro.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published Sept 16, 2014
Pinned! I love Mexican food Christin, so I can imagine loving these. And, Mexican food has gotten really expensive lately, so it’s awesome that we can make them at home!
My husband and son love Beef Chimichangas, we have a local fast food restaurant and they stop every Saturday. Now we can make our own during the week.
I love chimichangas especially with a strawberry maragarita! I can never seem to finish them whenever I’m at a Mexican restaurant. Must be all those chips. 🙂
These look delicious! I love when you can premake the filling and then assemble when you get home from work. Great photos!
Yes yes yes! Oh my, it’s breakfast time and I would still eat a plate of this right now! haha along with some of that mexican rice! This looks sooo good.
Oh my heavens! I thought I was full…but now I’ve seen these and I want a big plate of Mexican food.
Talk about the ultimate comfort food! I love chimichangas, especially with beef. Pinning!
Oh this looks good!
These look like the ultimate chimichangas, Christin! And I love that you can make the filling ahead of time. I’ve never tried to make my own before, so I can’t wait to test out this recipe! Pinned!
I have been craving a chimichanga from my favorite Mexican restaurant, but I’ve been trying to be so good about eating out. Now I can be good AND still have a chimichanga! 😀 Christin you are awesome I am pinning this right now.