Chile Colorado Burritos
Easy crockpot Chile Colorado burritos with slow-cooked beef, red enchilada sauce, green chiles, and bold Tex-Mex flavors.
These smothered Chile Colorado Burritos will become your new go-to weeknight dinner. It’s a simple set-it-and-forget-it meal that slowly fills your kitchen with incredible aroma and delivers rich flavor in every bite. The sauce is so good it almost steals the show, and I would actually argue that these chile burritos taste even better the following days as everything soaks and melds together.
CHILE COLORADO BURRITOS
Traditional Chile Colorado Burritos are rooted in Mexican cuisine and feature tender beef (often stew meat) simmered in a rich red chile sauce made from dried red chiles. Despite the name, they are not typically made with green chiles; that ingredient is more commonly associated with chile verde dishes. In many Tex-Mex recipes, like this one, you can think of it as a slow-cooker Tex-Mex shredded beef burrito with chile colorado-inspired flavors. While this recipe does take about 9 hours to cook, the payoff is well worth the wait; your whole family will be going back for seconds.
Find my expert tips on how to make homemade chile colorado burritos from scratch below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s stay connected. ❤️
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chile Colorado Burritos Recipe:
- Set It & Forget It Meal: This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or low-effort meal prep.
- Rich & Savory: The slow-cooked beef and the red chile-inspired sauce that deepens as it simmers make every spoonful full of flavor.
- Restaurant-Quality At Home: Warm, cheesy, and deeply satisfying.
- Great For Leftovers: Easy to reheat for quick lunches or dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat or other cubed beef
- 1 can (28 ounces) mild red enchilada sauce (I only use about 3/4 of the can)
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilis
- 2 beef bullion cubes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 7 burrito-size flour tortillas
Instructions
Spray the inside of the crock pot with non-stick spray. Add in the stew meat, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and beef bullion cubes. Cover with a lid and turn on low heat. Cook for 8 to 9 hours.
After 8 or 9 hours, remove the lid from the crock pot and stir the mixture together. The meat is ready if it easily breaks apart. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into the center of one tortilla. Roll up burrito-style and place into a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas.
Spoon the remaining sauce over the tops of burritos, and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Place under the broiler in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve burritos with all your favorite toppings. (Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.) Enjoy!
Servings
Serves 7.
Storage and Reheating
To store Chile Colorado burritos, allow them to cool completely before wrapping each burrito tightly in foil or plastic wrap and placing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2-3 months for longer storage. For best results, store any extra sauce separately to help prevent sogginess. Reheat refrigerated burritos in the microwave or oven until warmed through, or thaw frozen burritos overnight in the fridge before reheating. Save a little sauce for serving on top after reheating.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Chile Colorado Burritos Recipe:
- Use High-Quality Beef: Trim excess fat if you prefer a leaner finish, but leave some for flavor.
- Use High-Quality Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought red enchilada sauce or make homemade red chile sauce if possible.
- Cook Low & Slow: Slow cooking for 8-9 hours is key for tender, fall-apart beef.
- Avoid Overfilling Burritos: Use about 1/2 cup of filling per tortilla to avoid tearing, and roll tightly to seal burritos.
- Before Baking: Spoon extra sauce over the burritos before baking for maximum flavor. Let the sauce shine; it’s the star of this recipe!
- Don’t Skip The Broiler: Broil just until the cheese is melted and bubbly; watch closely to prevent burning.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely. The beef mixture can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. In fact, the flavors often deepen and taste even better the next day.
Yes. While stew meat works well, you can also use chuck roast for extra tenderness. Just cut it into chunks before slow cooking so it becomes fork-tender and shreds easily.
This version is generally mild to medium in heat. The red enchilada sauce and diced green chiles add flavor more than spice, but you can increase heat by adding hot enchilada sauce, jalapeños, or chili powder.
Popular toppings include sour cream, guacamole, salsa, diced onions, cilantro, and extra cheese. These add freshness and balance the rich, savory beef filling.
To make Chile Colorado burritos gluten-free, use a certified gluten-free red enchilada sauce, since many store-bought versions contain wheat-based thickeners. Double-check that your beef bouillon cubes are gluten-free, or substitute with a gluten-free broth or stock for flavor. Swap the flour tortillas for certified gluten-free tortillas, such as corn, almond flour, or gluten-free blend tortillas that can hold up to filling.
Similar Recipes
Craving something similar? Make Green Chile and Pepper Jack Cheese Chicken Enchiladas.
Wanting something a little different? Try my comforting Baked Burrito Casserole.
Looking for more Tex-Mex recipes? Make these highly-rated favorites: Tex-Mex Chicken Chopped Salad, Mexican Pizza, and Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad.
Have you made this Chile Colorado Burritos recipe? 🌯
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #ChileColoradoBurritos #LifeInTheLofthouse
Chile Colorado Burritos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat or other cubed beef
- 1 can (28 ounces) mild red enchilada sauce ( I only use about 3/4 of the can)
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilis
- 2 beef bullion cubes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 7 burrito-size flour tortillas
Instructions
- Spray inside of crock pot with non-stick spray. Add in the stew meat, enchilada sauce, green chiles and beef bullion cubes. Cover with lid and turn on low heat. Cook for 8 to 9 hours.
- After 8 or 9 hours, remove lid from crock pot and stir mixture together. The meat is ready, if it easily breaks apart. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup of meat mixture into the center of one tortilla. Roll up burrito-style and place into a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the tops of burritos, and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Place under broiler in the oven, for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve burritos with all your favorite toppings. (Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc) Enjoy!
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Was just wondering if I could add some fresh spinach to this recipe. If so when would you suggest putting it into the crock pot. I have some that I have to use. If it won’t work in this recipe just let me know.
Janet I wouldn’t add the spinach to the crock pot when the beef is cooking. I would add it when you are rolling the meat up into burritos. Then bake as directed. I think it’ll be really yummy with the spinach 🙂