# Tonight's Dinner: Enchiritos! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [May 6, 2026, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824 "2026-05-06T02:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/1 "2026-05-06T02:23:47Z")
On [this older thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-bells-original-menu/368312/53) about Taco Bell’s original menu, several of us who participated expressed wistful memories of the long-departed enchirito, especially back when it came with black olives. Well, at some point last summer I saw a recipe for recreating the enchirito and saved the recipe to Desktop. Where of course it sat there for months and months. But hey it’s Cinco de Mayo and time to give it a whirl. (Recipe provided in first comment). Browning ground beef and onions in the frying pan [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6201.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6201.jpg) After lifting the beef and onions mixture out of the ~~tallow~~ beef grease, enchilada sauce is added [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6202.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6202.jpg) [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6203.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6203.jpg) the mixture is returned to the cleaned frying pan to let the tastes meld for a bit. Then flour tortillas are laid out, the meat mixture is distributed, and then topped with Mexican cheese blend [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6204.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6204.jpg) then a dollop of sour cream [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6205.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6205.jpg) Then they each get rolled and placed in an oiled baking dish [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6207.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6207.jpg) The remaining enchilada sauce and cheese are distributed on top [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6208.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6208.jpg) While that’s cooking 20+ minutes in a 350° oven, I prepare black olives and green onions which will garnish the top [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6209.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6209.jpg) Checking to see if they’re melty enough…ooh that’s looking nice [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6210.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6210.jpg) Ready to serve! [![](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6211.jpg) ](https://www.genderkitten.com/WS4/Upload_Download/enchiritos/IMG_6211.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/2 "2026-05-06T02:24:20Z")
**Taco Bell Enchirito Recipe** **Ingredients** - **• 1 lb (450g)** ground beef - • **1/2 cup (85g)** onion, chopped - **• 1 cup (240ml)** enchilada sauce - **• 8 large** flour tortillas - **• 1 cup (120g)** shredded cheese (cheddar or a Mexican blend) - **• 1/4 cup (60ml)** sour cream - **• 1/2 cup (40g)** green onions, sliced - **• 1/2 cup (70g)** black olives, sliced (optional) - • In a skillet, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until the beef is browned and fully cooked. - • Drain any excess fat from the skillet. - • - • In a skillet, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until the beef is browned and fully cooked. - • Drain any excess fat from the skillet. **2. Add Sauce** - • Stir in **half of the enchilada sauce** into the beef mixture. - • Heat it through, allowing the flavors to meld. **3. Assemble the Tortillas** - • Lay each flour tortilla flat on a clean surface. - • Spoon the beef mixture onto the center of each tortilla. - • Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream to each tortilla. - • Roll each tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in a greased baking dish. **4. Top & Bake** - • Pour the **remaining enchilada sauce** evenly over the rolled tortillas in the baking dish. - • Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. **5. Bake** - • Preheat your oven to **350°F (175°C)**. - • Bake the dish for **20 minutes** , or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden. **6. Garnish & Serve** - • Remove from the oven and top with **sliced green onions** and **black olives** (optional). - • Serve warm and enjoy the nostalgic flavors of the classic Enchirito. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/3 "2026-05-06T03:04:16Z")
Nice! How were they? We had wet burritos made almost exactly the same way. (My daughter makes her own enchilada red sauce, tho’) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/4 "2026-05-06T03:05:55Z")
We very much enjoyed them. Not the most fantastical Mexican food recipe ever or anything but the recipe gets additional points for not being particularly futzy. Good cozy yumminess. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/5 "2026-05-06T03:09:13Z")
Personally I like foods that make sense. I’m not gonna jump thru 100 hoops to make something that may be panned by my own personal peanut gallery (grand kids). I’m sorry, I’m a cheapskate, Taco Bell makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/6 "2026-05-06T05:15:20Z")
But the whole point of the exercise was to recreate something Taco Bell no longer offers so TB is not an option. I was fond of the enchirito but man do those look fancier. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/7 "2026-05-06T05:32:45Z")
I saw that you used purple onions. Are those the preferred variety for this dish, or is it just what you had on hand? Those sound yummy, and not hard to make. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/8 "2026-05-06T12:40:10Z")
Thanks! I’m another who misses the Taco Bell Enchirito-- I missed the couple brief windows over the last 5 years or so when TB brought it back. I will definitely try making these at some point-- probably this weekend. > [@AHunter3](#): > > We very much enjoyed them. Not the most fantastical Mexican food recipe ever or anything but the recipe gets additional points for not being particularly futzy. Good cozy yumminess. Were they reminiscent of the enchiritos you remember? I can still taste in my mind what they’re supposed to taste like. I think the enchilada sauce is the key. I’ve looked at different recipes for enchilada sauce online, and they’ve varied widely and not seemed exactly right. I’m thinking there’s some quality to that Old El Paso brand red enchilada sauce that might convey that ‘Taco Bell’ enchirito flavor. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/9 "2026-05-06T13:21:57Z")
I can’t do sour cream. But aside from that they look super yummy! I once saved a youtube video of someone making an at-home version of KFC potato wedges, and those looked awesome, too. I wonder if I still have it. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/10 "2026-05-06T13:52:36Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I saw that you used purple onions. Are those the preferred variety for this dish, or is it just what you had on hand? Just what I had on hand, but all from the same large onion that happened to be nicely pungent and faintly sweet. > [@solost](#): > > I can still taste in my mind what they’re supposed to taste like. I think the enchilada sauce is the key. I’ve looked at different recipes for enchilada sauce online, and they’ve varied widely and not seemed exactly right. I’m thinking there’s some quality to that Old El Paso brand red enchilada sauce that might convey that ‘Taco Bell’ enchirito flavor. Yeah, it’s a long-established brand that kind of tastes like 1979 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/11 "2026-05-06T14:16:32Z")
I never had an enchirito from Taco Bell. That looks essentially like an enchilada using a flour tortilla instead of a corn one. Is that basically the idea? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/12 "2026-05-06T14:24:50Z")
The enchirito is entirely a Taco Bell invention; from the name, it’s a hybrid / portmanteau of enchilada and burrito. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/13 "2026-05-06T15:26:06Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > > > I saw that you used purple onions. Are those the preferred variety for this dish, or is it just what you had on hand? > > Just what I had on hand, but all from the same large onion that happened to be nicely pungent and faintly sweet. I’ve started using red / purple onions almost exclusively (well, besides green onions, which I consider a different vegetable for different uses). They pack more vitamins and antioxidants than yellow or white onions. Also they seem (at least to me) to be slightly milder for use raw, while being perfectly fine for cooking / sauteeing. So a healthy and versatile onion. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/14 "2026-05-06T16:00:18Z")
You need to make them in a disposable aluminum tray for true authenticity. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/15 "2026-05-06T17:08:26Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > the name, it’s a hybrid / portmanteau of enchilada and burrito. They should have called it enchirrito then, with two “r”. Interesting insight into Mexican cuisine through the filter of the USA. Two questions pop into my mind: Where are the _fríjoles_ (beans)? And how do you eat those? With your hands? Or with a knife and fork? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/16 "2026-05-06T17:11:49Z")
No beans, and you use the spork that comes with it. **AHunter3** , you _did_ use a spork, right? **P-L** - That isn’t Mexican. It’s _Taco Bell_. Whole 'nother thing. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/17 "2026-05-06T17:19:51Z")
However warped, the origin is inspired in Mexican cuisine, is it not? The filter I mentioned is obviously a powerful one of the distorting kind. A spork? I did not think of that option, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/18 "2026-05-06T17:24:11Z")
Taco Bell’s beans come in a burrito. I think you can also get them as a side. Probably with a plastic spoon, or a fork. (I’m guessing at that, because I get my Tao Bell frijoles wrapped in a flour tortilla.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/19 "2026-05-06T17:26:27Z")
It isn’t an “American” filter so much as a “Glen Bell” filter. Taco Bell also had the BellBeefer, which was taco innards on a hamburger bun. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/20 "2026-05-06T17:40:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That isn’t Mexican. It’s _Taco Bell_. Whole 'nother thing. I live in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood. There’s a taqueria, sometimes two, on every corner and a restaurant every couple blocks. There are also a couple Taco Bells because sometimes you just feel like TB. Ditto for Panda Express. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824.md?page=2)