What’s better than a loaded burrito? A fried loaded burrito. Beef chimichangas are a Tex-Mex favorite—packed with savory spiced ground beef, refried beans, fresh salsa, and melty cheese, all rolled up and pan-fried to crispy perfection. I love making these to spice up my weekly Mexican comfort food night. They’re easy to throw together with ingredients I always have on hand. Friends, family, and kids will love these.
Easy Beef Chimichangas Recipes
I was already a huge beef burrito fan but then I heard about chimichangas. Who knew it could get even better? Refried beans are one of my favorite ingredients, so I made sure to include plenty. I actually skipped the rice in these, but you can easily add it if you want to bulk them up. These are stuffed with perfectly spiced ground beef, melted shredded cheddar, and fresh salsa, then pan-fried until golden and crispy. It’s the kind of comfort food that hits every time!
Tips for Beginners
- I know it’s tempting to pack the tortillas to the brim, but I always leave a little space so I can roll them up without any spillages.
- If your tortillas are stiff, microwave them for 15–20 seconds to make them easier to fold without cracking.
- When wrapping, I like to fill just the bottom third of the tortilla. I pull the edge closest to me up and over the filling, then fold in the sides before gently rolling it up completely.
- To keep everything secure, I either pop a toothpick in or I whip up a quick flour paste. I brush the paste lightly around the edges and seams—it really acts like a little glue.
Beef Chimichangas
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces refried beans 1 can
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies 1 can
- 8 flour tortillas burrito size
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Toppings
- salsa
- extra shredded cheese
- shredded lettuce
- sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the onion and cook until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add in the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, and salt. Stir while browning the meat.1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 pound ground beef, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir in the refried beans and the diced tomatoes with green chilies.15 ounces refried beans, 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies
- Lay a tortilla flat on the counter. Add 1/2 cup of the beef mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese.8 flour tortillas, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fold the bottom half of the tortilla up over the filling. Tuck in the sides, and roll up. Repeat for the remaining filling and tortillas.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add 2-3 chimichangas add a time to the skillet, seam side down. Fry on each side until golden brown.2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towel. Repeat for the chimichangas.
- Top the chimichangas with salsa, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.salsa, extra shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream
Becky’s Tips
- Brush with a little oil and bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes or air fry at 380°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Cook Beef Chimichangas Step by Step
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together.
Cook the aromatics and beef: Add ½ tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and warm it over medium heat. Once hot, sauté ½ a chopped yellow onion until softened. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 1 lb ground beef, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp salt. Break up the meat and cook until it’s browned and fully cooked through.
Add refried beans and tomatoes: Once the meat is browned, add 1 (15oz) can refried beans (or homemade refried beans) and 1 can (10oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies.
Fill the tortillas: Place a tortilla flat on the counter. Spoon about ½ cup of the beef mixture into the center, then sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Make sure you don’t overfill the tortillas.
Wrap it: Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla up over the filling. Tuck in the sides, then roll it up tightly. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Fry until crispy: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully place 2–3 chimichangas in the pan, seam side down. Fry each side until golden brown and crispy.
Drain and repeat: Place the fried chimichangas on a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. Repeat until you’ve wrapped and fried all the tortillas.
Serve and enjoy: Serve warm on a bed of shredded lettuce and topped with salsa, more cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat
If I’m making a big batch of these, I always save a few for later—they’re perfect for meal prep and make awesome grab-and-go meals. Once they’ve cooled, I store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, I pop them in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes to get that crispiness back (microwave works too, but they’ll be softer).
If you want to make them ahead or freeze them, just wrap each chimichanga tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months. When I’m ready to eat, I reheat straight from frozen in the oven at 375°F until heated through—no need to thaw!
Variations on Protein
If I have any extra pulled meat, I’ll use it for chimichangas. Try swapping the ground beef for crockpot beef carnitas, pork carnitas, or BBQ chicken—whatever you have on hand. You can also make baked chicken chimichangas. I’ve even used beef birria for an extra rich, juicy twist. Just make sure your filling isn’t too wet, so the chimichangas stay nice and crispy.
Serving Suggestions
If I’m serving these to a crowd, it’s only right that I fill the table with other Mexican favorites. I like to add sides like Mexican rice, chips with guac or salsa, and street corn. A simple salad with lime vinaigrette balances things out, and if we’re feeling festive for Cinco de Mayo this year, make a margarita pitcher for all your friends.
