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
This recipe is a keeper! I made it for my hubby tonight and without even telling him about this recipe, he said these were restaurant quality! The only thing different I did was add a little cumin, chili powder and about 1/2 c beef broth to the sauce that goes on top of the burritos. I also brushed them with avocado oil and cooked for 8 minutes in the air fryer turning once 1/2 way through! So yummy!!
Loved it
I like to put the sauce on the plate and set the chimi on top of it. This keeps the crispiness of the tortilla. Then I garnish with something drier on top.
Looks delicious! Are you using flour or corn tortillas?
I’m using flour tortillas.
Thanks for your answer on using flour instead of corn tortillas!
I’ve been looking around for a nice recipe like this…could you possibly use enchilada sauce instead of tomato…its way too bland for my liking…or are there other spicy substitutes for the tomato sauce. Thank you!
You can use what ever sauce you want…the skys the limit. You can substitute chicken, left over steak sliced or shreaded, you can add cheese inside before frying b when you pour sauce over a chimi, its called a smothered or wet chimi. I top mine with pico, sour cream, guacamole. Go crazy & have fun!
You can use spicy v8.
This looks incredibly delicious. Yum!
Why do people who have not made the recipe comment about it?
Since the beginning of time, I’ve asked this very question. Worse, though, is a five star rating to accompany the comment.
These look delish! Just wondering.. what do you think they would turn out like in an air fryer? Gonna try it I think..
I don’t have an air fryer Christine, but I’ve been wanting one for a long time. Which one do you have? I think I’m going to get one and I’ll give the chicmichangas a try in it.
Can you bake instead of frying
Yes. I would spray them with some cooking spray before baking.
I was looking around for recipes that I have never made before and came accross this one. It is amazing! My husband is not very fond of re-fried beans but he loved them in this Chimichanga. Afterwords he told me that Chimi’s are the only mexican he likes, and he thought these were better than restaurants! Thank you so much for introducing me to something new that I can make again! Made the rice to and it is great! I will be visiting your site often!
That makes me so happy that you and your husband enjoyed the chimichangas so much Holly! My son is always asking me to make these. I think the refried beans are just perfect in them. They make the chimichangas taste a little creamy. Hope you enjoy many more of my recipes!
Just made these and not sure what all the sauce is for? I just put it in the fridge, we will have spaghetti tomorrow but it tasted good otherwise! Thanks for the recipe!