Beef Chimichangas

Total Time Prep: 25 min. Cook: 15 min.
Yield 1 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
Our beef chimichangas recipe is classic Tex-Mex comfort food. Think of them as deep-fried burritos stuffed with ground beef and refried beans for the ultimate protein-packed filling, then topped with spiced tomato sauce and cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 12 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed
  • 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
  • 1 can (4 ounces) chopped jalapeno peppers
  • Oil for deep-fat frying
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat, crumbling beef, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, onion, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic and cumin.
  2. Spoon about 1/3 cup of beef mixture off-center on each tortilla. Fold edge nearest filling up and over to cover. Fold in both sides and roll up. Fasten with toothpicks. In a large saucepan, combine the chiles, peppers and remaining tomato sauce; heat through.
  3. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry the chimichangas for 1-1/2-2 minutes on each side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 chimichanga: 626 calories, 41g fat (9g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 1094mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 19g protein.

My husband loves this beef chimichanga recipe! I often double the recipe and freeze the chimichangas individually to take out as needed. I serve them with shredded lettuce and sour cream. —Schelby Thompson, Camden Wyoming, Delaware
Recipe Creator

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