These fried ground beef burritos take classic burritos and give them a tasty twist with the addition of a creamy poblano sauce. These burritos are stuffed with a zesty ground beef mix, two kinds of cheese, and that creamy sauce. Then, they’re pan-fried until golden and crispy on both sides. It’s a great way to enjoy a classic!
We grew up in California, and we live in Texas now. So, we have always loved Mexican food. We especially love making our own. From classic beef tacos to tasty variations like breakfast burritos, we love anything Mexican or Mexican-inspired. Those bold flavors always seem to hit the spot. Now, we’ve added another delicious recipe to our Mexican rotation with these fried ground beef burritos. They’re bursting with flavor, thanks to their zesty seasoning and creamy poblano sauce, and their crispy tortilla adds so much texture. We love it, and we know you will, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Everything you need for this recipe can be found in your room or at your local grocery store.
- Easy: This is a simple recipe that only takes a few easy steps.
- Bold Flavor: The beef mixture is seasoned with a bold blend of spices, and the poblano sauce adds even more spicy, zesty flavor.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust this recipe to suit your tastes.
Ingredients
Ground Beef Mixture
- Lean Ground Beef: This recipe is so packed with seasonings, cheese, and sauce that you don’t need anything fattier than lean ground beef.
- Onion: Onion adds aromatic flavor with sweetness and a bit of bite.
- Jalapeno: Jalapeno adds a kick of heat.
- Seasoning: A blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes gives the meat a deep, earthy, bold flavor.
Poblano Cream Sauce
- Poblanos and Jalapenos: Roasted poblano and jalapeno peppers give the sauce its vegetal, spicy, slightly sweet flavor.
- Onions: Onions add classic aromatic flavor.
- Enchilada Sauce and Cream: Enchilada sauce and heavy cream create a thick, rich sauce with a pop of Mexican flavor.
Filling Ingredients
- Cheese: A blend of Colby Jack and pepper Jack cheeses adds cheesy flavor that stands up to the other flavors in the burritos.
- Optional: Refried Beans: Refried beans add texture and more flavor.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Ground Meat: These burritos can be made with ground beef, a mix of ground beef and ground turkey or ground beef and ground pork, or chorizo.
- Other Proteins: You can use grilled chicken, beef, or pork in place of the ground beef.
- Mild: Omit the red pepper flakes and use another poblano in place of the jalapeno for a mild version.
Instructions
Ground Beef
- Cook the ground beef, onions, jalapeno, and seasonings on medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the veggies are tender.
- Drain the mixture if necessary.
Poblano Cream Sauce
- Roast the poblano and jalapeno peppers over a medium flame until the skin is charred and blistered.
- Steam the peppers in a baggie or in a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap.
- Remove the stems and seeds and place them in a Vitamix or blender. Then, add the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend until creamy.
Burritos
- Heat a tortilla in a pan or over an open flame until warm and soft. Then, place it on a clean surface or plate.
- Add a layer of cheese and a couple of spoonfuls of meat. Then, add a tablespoon of poblano sauce followed by more cheese.
- Roll the tortilla up by folding in the sides first and then rolling the end over the mixture. Tuck in the edges if necessary.
- Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and folded.
- Fry two burritos in a pan or skillet in oil over medium heat until both sides are golden. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat until all the tortillas are fried. Enjoy!
Tips
- Wash your hands after handling hot peppers and never touch your face.
- We recommend draining your beef mixture even if you don’t see much oil. Beef renders fat, no matter how lean it is.
- Be sure your oil is hot and work in small batches for the best tortilla texture.
- It’s important to let the peppers steam for at least 10 minutes, so the skins can loosen fully.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Because the sauce is made with cream, we don’t recommend freezing.
To reheat the burritos, microwave them at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair these burritos with other Mexican favorites like Spanish rice and jalapeno salsa or guacamole with chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should drain lean ground beef after cooking it. Even lean ground beef will render some fat, so draining it will prevent a greasy burrito.
Poblano peppers can best be described as warm. They have about half the heat of jalapenos.
Although the addition of cream might seem like a distinctly American variation, poblano cream sauce is, in fact, authentic Mexican food.
Try These Fried Ground Beef Burritos
These fried ground beef burritos are full of flavor and easy to make. You really can’t beat that combination. With tons of zesty ground beef, a rich, creamy roasted poblano sauce, and a boatload of cheese, these fried burritos always have everyone coming back for more. Give them a try, and we know you’ll make them a permanent part of your recipe collection.
More Delicious Mexican Food Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Fried Ground Beef Burritos
Ingredients
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
- 2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups colby jack cheese
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese
- 10-12 flour tortillas, burrito size
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Poblano Cream Sauce
- 2 roasted poblanos, seeds removed, peeled
- 1 roasted jalapenos, seeds removed
- ½ cup onions, diced
- 8 ounce green enchilada sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Ground Beef Mixture
- In a large frying pan, add ground beef, onions, jalapeno, and all the seasonings for the meat mixture.
- Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and onions and peppers are tender.
- Drain any excess grease, if needed.
Poblano Cream Sauce
- Wash and dry the peppers.
- Using tongs, roast the poblano over a medium flame until the skin is charred and blistered.
- Place in a sealable baggie or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let steam for 10 minutes, then remove the skin of both peppers.
- Cut the stems off of the peppers, remove seeds, and place into a vitamix or blender.
- Add diced onions, enchilada sauce, heavy cream, and red pepper flakes into the vitamix and blend until creamy.
Making the Burritos
- Heat each tortilla on a pan or over the open flame until heated.
- Place on a clean surface or a plate and add a layer of cheese.
- Next, add a couple spoonfuls of meat mixture.
- Add a tablespoon of poblano sauce over the meat mixture followed by more cheese.
- Roll the tortilla up by folding in the sides first then take the end closest to you and fold over the mixture.
- Tuck in the edges if needed, and roll into a burrito.
- Set aside until all the tortillas are filled.
- In a frying pan or skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Place two burritos into the hot oil and cook until golden on both sides.
- Remove with tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve with your favorite toppings like, sour cream, salsa, more cheese, diced avocado, cilantro, and more poblano sauce.
Notes
- Wash your hands after handling hot peppers and never touch your face.
- We recommend draining your beef mixture even if you don’t see much oil. Beef renders fat, no matter how lean it is.
- Be sure your oil is hot and work in small batches for the best tortilla texture.
- It’s important to let the peppers steam for at least 10 minutes, so the skins can loosen fully.
These are so good! I made them last night for dinner. I can’t wait to make them again!
I made these last night with some Mexican rice, and we loved it so much. It’s so good!
I made these last night with some leftover steak. They were amazing! I love the flavors.
Such a great recipe. Frying makes everything better!
I made these and stored some in the freezer for during the week. So delicious and easy!
I made these for lunch and they were delicious. The outside fried up golden and crisp, and the filling was so flavorful.