Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsHidalgo Mexican Bar and GrillBurrito Clásico Recipe

Burrito Clásico Recipe

Time35m
Serves4

Flour tortilla stuffed with your choice of ground beef or pulled chicken. Topped with mild red sauce, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomato

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Ingredients

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Burrito Filling

Method

Burrito Filling

  1. 1

    If using shredded chicken: warm 1 lb of cooked shredded chicken in a skillet with 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chili powder, and 2 tbsp broth for 3–4 minutes until heated through. Skip the browning step below. If using ground beef, proceed with the following steps.

  2. 2

    Cook aromatics

    Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

  3. 3

    Brown the beef

    Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet. Break it up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.

  4. 4

    Season and simmer

    Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Pour in 1/4 cup broth (or water), reduce heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed and flavors meld, about 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Mild Red Sauce

  1. 5

    Sauté base

    In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds.

  2. 6

    Simmer sauce

    Add 1 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup diced tomatoes with juices to the pan. Stir in 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp mild chili powder, 1/4 tsp sugar (optional), and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Adjust salt to taste. Keep warm.

Toppings & Assembly

  1. 7

    Warm tortillas

    Warm the 4 flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds to make them pliable.

  2. 8

    Assemble burritos

    Lay a warmed tortilla flat. Spoon about 1/4 of the cooked filling (roughly 1/4 lb cooked meat) down the center of the tortilla. Spoon 2–3 tbsp of the warm mild red sauce over the filling. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese on top of the sauce.

  3. 9

    Fold burrito

    Fold the sides of the tortilla toward the center, then roll from the bottom up to enclose the filling, forming a tight burrito. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

  4. 10

    Top and serve

    Place each burrito on a plate. Top with a little extra mild red sauce (about 1–2 tbsp), a sprinkle of shredded lettuce (about 1/4 cup), 1–2 tbsp sour cream, and 2–3 tbsp diced tomato. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a lime wedge if desired. Serve immediately.

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