# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/41 "2026-05-17T17:06:54Z")
I live in Chicago, there aren’t more than a couple million Mexicans here. I am describing how I make delicious food in my kitchen, not applying for certification from the Mexican Culinary Institute for Prescriptivist Dorks. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/42 "2026-05-17T17:18:09Z")
I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. If any place, certified or not, served me “enchiladas” with salsa instead of enchilada sauce, I would ask for a refund. It would be akin to putting salsa on spaghetti and calling it marinara sauce. ---
**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 18, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/43 "2026-05-18T13:47:57Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > Those look good, but they aren’t enchiritos. They are closer to enchiladas. A real enchirito consists of seasoned taco meat and refried beans inside an already-heated flour tortilla, along with a sprinking of raw onions. Thanks for this. I’m planning to finally make these for dinner tonight, and I want to recreate as fully as possible the traditional original Taco Bell Enchirito. I checked [three](https://12tomatoes.com/beef-enchiritos-taco-bell-copycat/) [copycat](https://www.thecountrycook.net/taco-bell-enchiritos/) [enchirito](https://topsecretrecipes.com/taco-bell-enchirito-improved-copycat-recipe.html) recipes and they all call for refried beans and not sour cream, so that’s how I’m going to make mine. Oh, and I’m going to season the ground beef. I didn’t pick up any Old El Paso taco seasoning, just the enchilada sauce, so I’ll make my own taco seasoning. I should probably try to find a copycat recipe for Taco Bell style seasoning… ETA: I found three Taco Bell [copycat](https://www.food.com/recipe/taco-bell-meat-seasoning-158780) [seasoning](https://www.hercopperkitchen.com/cookbook/copycat-taco-bell-beef-filling?srsltid=AfmBOoplVxG5WezSwStgGwCqhvtFtS4da1fWXsu-GQbr_te1KtqsFsLG) [recipes](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/236257/taco-bell-seasoning-copycat/) online (I like to triangulate when I’m trying a copycat recipe). They are all pretty much the same, and not too different than how I would normally season my taco meat. Looks like all systems go for enchiritos. ---
**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 19, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/44 "2026-05-19T12:25:16Z")
So I made the enchiritos yesterday. Were they tasty? Sure. Were they reminiscent of the Taco Bell enchirito flavor I remember from days gone by? I…don’t think so. I think it may have been the Old El Paso enchilada sauce I used. I didn’t expect it to be like authentic enchilada sauce, I expected it to be similar to whatever Taco Bell used back in the day. But it was even more insipid and flavorless than I expected. I think whatever Taco Bell used for their sauce was, not exactly spicier, but.. a little-- zestier? I don’t know 🤷‍♂️ ---
**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 19, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/45 "2026-05-19T14:57:10Z")
OK, so here’s the last thing I’m going to say on enchiritos-- I had the leftovers for an early lunch just now, and, maybe overnight in the fridge to merge the flavors helped, or maybe I wasn’t judging with such high expectations of recreating a flavor of my youth, but I think, just now, it did taste more like my memory of an old fashioned Taco Bell enchirito. A little added hot sauce helped. And I think I was too hard on my judgement of the Old El Paso enchilada sauce in my last post-- it does kind of have the ‘taste of 1979’ as @AHunter3 put it so well. ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/46 "2026-05-21T02:34:04Z")
Thanks @AHunter3 ! I’m adding this recipe to my comfort food collection. I think it’s also the _perfect_ dish for potlucks! Anyhow, I don’t think I ever had an original TB enchirito, so I didn’t feel too much like a desecrator when I made a few modifications to your recipe. I had a pound of ground Italian sausage in the freezer, so I used that in place of ground beef. There was also a 1/2 a package of Southwest style vegetables in the same freezer, so I threw them in too, plus a small can of diced green chiles I found in the cupboard. The addition of these vegetables instantly converts TB junk food into A Healthy Meal, right?😁 Everything else was “by the book.” I had 1-1/2 enchiritos for dinner and froze the rest. They were very tasty! The sausage had a milder flavor than beef, and I think beef would have been better. But I’d really like to try shredded chicken (did TB offer a chicken version?) I used Old El Paso enchilada sauce, but it was a bit tame for my taste. Do other brands have a little more kick? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/47 "2026-05-21T02:39:25Z")
> [@solost](#): > > I should probably try to find a copycat recipe for Taco Bell style seasoning… You know, Taco Bell sells its seasoning in packets at the grocery store. [![](https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_b5d7bd4f-c429-43c1-80d1-af7d01f42e66) ](https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_b5d7bd4f-c429-43c1-80d1-af7d01f42e66) Anyway, on the topic of enchilada sauce, the kind I grew up eating at 'Berto’s style taco shops in San Diego was almost entirely red chiles and water thickened with roux, with little if any tomato in it. It’s got a consistency a little thinner than gravy and it tends to be a dark reddish-orange and slightly bitter. I’ve never found a good copycat recipe for it. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/48 "2026-05-21T03:07:32Z")
> [@bobsmom101](#): > > I used Old El Paso enchilada sauce, but it was a bit tame for my taste. Do other brands have a little more kick? Personally, I like the [Hatch enchilada sauce](https://www.hatchchileco.com/product-category/enchilada-sauces/). Not sure how widely available it is though. They offer a “medium” version of their red that has a lot more flavor than Old El Paso. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/49 "2026-05-21T03:12:14Z")
505 red enchilada sauce is my favorite brand, but the store I work at discontinued it a few years back and it’s hard to find around here. It’s good for making New Mexico-style enchiladas - the kind with soft-fried corn tortillas stacked three or four high, with cheese and onion (and optionally meat) in between, smothered in sauce, and topped with a fried egg. Planning on making one of those for dinner later tonight, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/50 "2026-06-23T20:37:32Z")
FTR, the enchirito is back at Taco Bell for a limited time. I just picked one up. Same delicious saucy cheesy junk as it ever was. [![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55352506192_6a53dab603_b.jpg) ](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55352506192_6a53dab603_b.jpg) ---
**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:** [June 23, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/51 "2026-06-23T20:41:54Z")
No olives! Taco Bell is cheaping out. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/52 "2026-06-23T21:53:02Z")
I don’t think they’ve had olives on anything in like 25+ years at this point. And I don’t like 'em anyway, so good riddance. ---
**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:** [June 23, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/53 "2026-06-23T22:07:14Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > FTR, the enchirito is back at Taco Bell for a limited time. I just picked one up. Same delicious saucy cheesy junk as it ever was. > [@silenus](#): > > No olives! Taco Bell is cheaping out. That was my first reaction to the pic too. It’s got to have black olives! I will have to either bring my own, or order takeout and add the olives at home. But thanks to Smapti for alerting us to the return of the enchirito. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/54 "2026-06-23T22:39:35Z")
Yeah, without black olives, it’s just not an enchirito, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/55 "2026-06-23T23:30:53Z")
Checking out Taco Bell’s online menu, it looks like the Mexican pizza is also back for a limited time. Judging by the picture on their website, it also appears to also lack olives. It used to have olives, too, right? I haven’t had one since college, but I remember them having olives. Darn it, now I quiero Taco Bell. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/56 "2026-06-26T20:06:45Z")
Ok, this post made me do it – I went to Taco Bell for lunch today. Got an Enchirito and a Cantina Veg Mexican Pizza. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55358928141_34d3e76fcd_b.jpg "Taco Bell") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/66423490@N08/55358928141/) The Enchirito was a big pile of gooey, cheesy goodness. Since I got it to-go I considered opening a can of olives, but I decided against it. The olives seemed like more of a garnish, anyway, and I don’t think it really needs them. But I don’t think I ever had the original version, so I don’t have any sort of nostalgia for them (We didn’t have Taco Bell in our area when I was a kid, so I never really ate there until I was in high school, at which point I’m guessing it was already gone from the menu). The Mexican Pizza, however, _is_ something I feel nostalgia for. This one was ok, but it was definitely _not_ the Mexican Pizza I remember from my college days. The old version, as I recall, had a layer of ground beef and refried beans. This version has a layer of black beans, and optionally chicken (which I did not get). This version is probably healthier, which is probably what they were going for, but I prefer the old version. Maybe I should have tried it with one of the sauce packets it came with. I just ate it without any sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/57 "2026-06-26T20:49:16Z")
I made Enchiritos, following more or less the original post. They were fine. I’m not sure I remember the real thing well enough to get real excited about it ---
**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:** [June 27, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/58 "2026-06-27T17:16:10Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Since I got it to-go I considered opening a can of olives, but I decided against it. The olives seemed like more of a garnish, anyway, and I don’t think it really needs them. How dare you 😏 > [@Disinfectus](#): > > Yeah, without black olives, it’s just not an enchirito, IMO. Now here’s someone who gets it! So I finally scored my own enchirito for lunch today. I was somewhat disappointed with the relative lack of cheesy saucy smothering, and the overall wimpy size of it, especially compared to the pics @Smapti and @WildaBeast shared. But I have to admit it was pretty tasty, and did ping the ol’ nostalgia meter just a little bit. And yes, I got it as takeout, took it home and added my own damn black olives! Shame on you, Taco Bell, for neglecting the olives! [![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55359505317_904cbc4199_b.jpg) ](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55359505317_904cbc4199_b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/59 "2026-06-27T17:24:31Z")
I hadn’t eaten at Taco Bell for a year or two, but I went a couple of days ago to get an enchirito and added my own olives. But mine was drenched in sauce and cheese. I would have sent the one in the picture above back and told them to try again. How pathetic. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824/60 "2026-06-27T17:26:25Z")
Yeah, I should have looked at it before I drove off. Oh well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-dinner-enchiritos/1029824.md?page=4)