Enchiladas and burritos are two popular Mexican dishes. One is smothered in sauce, while the other wraps all your ingredients in an easy-to-hold, delectable meal. The exact ingredients you use are up to you but there are some classic recipes you can try. Learn more about enchiladas vs. burritos, including everything that sets them apart from one another. Below, we discuss the basic ingredients, tortilla types, preparation, presentation, nutritional value, and flavor of each meal!
| Enchilada | Burrito | |
|---|---|---|
| Tortilla Type | Corn | Flour |
| Ingredients | Cheese, meats, and vegetables | Rice, meats, vegetables, beans, and cheese |
| Preparation | Stuffed, rolled, smothered, and baked | Stuffed and rolled |
| Presentation | Served in rolled-up fashion, typically two to three with sauce poured on top (sometimes with rice and beans on the plate) | Presented as to-go food, typically wrapped in aluminum foil for easy on-the-go eating |
| Nutritional Value | 320 calories for a single enchilada; nutrients vary based on ingredients | 520 calories for a single burrito; nutrients vary based on ingredients |
| Flavor | Hearty, traditional, and savory; the exact flavor is dependent on the ingredients used | Hearty and savory fillings can be spruced with tangy salsas and made creamy with guacamole |
Enchilada vs. Burrito: Tortilla Type
The type of tortilla you use makes a difference in flavor, texture, and meal size. Enchiladas are smaller and thinner in shape than burritos. They’re rolled in a way that leaves the top and bottom open. With enchiladas, you typically use corn tortillas. Burritos are heftier meals and require more space for the fillings, so larger flour tortillas are used. Whereas corn tortillas have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor, flour tortillas have more of a neutral flavor profile, which allows all the yummy ingredients to take center stage.
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Enchilada vs. Burrito: Ingredients
Both enchiladas and burritos can be adapted to any diet. If you’re vegetarian, you can make veggie-only enchiladas and burritos and if you love beef and chicken, you can also come up with your own unique creations. Some of the ingredients often used in enchiladas include meats, cheese, and vegetables inside and they’re often served with rice and beans on the side. Burritos pack a whole meal into a tortilla, typically including rice, beans, meats, cheese, and vegetables. With burritos, you also have the option of adding sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to enhance the flavor experience.
Enchilada vs. Burrito: Preparation
Enchiladas are stuffed, rolled, and placed side by side on a baking dish. Then, you smother them in enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. You pop them into the oven to bake. With burritos, you first cook your meat and prepare it, adding any other veggies you want to include. With a large flour tortilla, you have plenty of room to include rice, beans, your meat of choice, veggies, and cheese. Add guacamole or sour cream for more of a flavor explosion. Folding a burrito may take a little practice but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze.
Enchilada vs. Burrito: Presentation
When serving enchiladas, you have the option to have them be the only food item on the plate or you can set them alongside rice and beans. You may even add a simple salad to the plate. Make them extra saucy by adding some of the sauce left in the baking dish. You can garnish enchiladas with chopped cilantro as well. With burritos, you can set them on a plate whole or cut them in half. You could add chips and salsa on the side. Or wrap them in aluminum foil to be enjoyed on the go. If you’re enjoying these at home with your family, you can set out toppings like diced tomatoes, sour cream, guac, and salsa so everyone can decide how to customize their own burrito.
Enchilada vs. Burrito: Nutritional Value
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The nutritional value of enchiladas and burritos will differ depending on the recipe you follow. However, generally speaking, you can expect burritos to be more calorie-dense than a single enchilada. On average, burritos have 520 calories while an enchilada has 320 calories. Typically, burritos have more protein at 24 grams versus enchiladas, which have 17 grams of protein. Burritos have more carbs than enchiladas, yet both are within a similar range when it comes to saturated fat. Burritos are higher in cholesterol and contain more zinc and vitamin B12. To change the nutritional profile of either, try low-carb tortillas, lean meat substitutions like ground turkey, and limit cheese and extra toppings.
Enchilada vs. Burrito: Flavor
Since both foods are made using similar ingredients, you might think that they taste the same. But each creation has its own appeal. With enchiladas, it’s ultimately the enchilada sauce that gives it a unique flavor experience. Smothered across the corn tortillas, you’re experiencing different levels of flavor with each bite. Burritos are more straightforward, giving you a taste of all ingredients with a single bite. You can also add sour cream and salsa to further elevate the flavor of burritos. This is especially helpful for those of you who don’t like your food to be too dry.
Enchilada Recipe
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You can make chicken enchiladas at home with a few main ingredients. Below is a basic recipe that you can adapt to your liking.
For the filling:
- Shredded chicken
- Mexican blend cheese
- Diced onions
- Diced bell peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper
- Cumin
- Chili powder
You can certainly buy a ready-made enchilada sauce from the grocery store but if you want to try making your own, you’ll need the following:
- Chicken broth
- Vegetable oil
- All-purpose flour
- Tomato paste
- Dried oregano
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Additionally, you’ll need:
- Corn tortillas
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro (chopped)
Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Prepare the enchilada sauce in a saucepan. Warm your corn tortillas, then stuff and roll them, placing them next to each other in a baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese on top as well. Pop them into your preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving alone or with rice and beans.
Burrito Recipe
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Burritos are convenient because you can wrap them up and head out with them in hand or pop them into your kiddos’ school lunches. As with any recipe, you can adapt it to your liking. Below is a basic recipe to get your gears turning.
For the filling:
- Ground beef
- Chopped onion
- Garlic cloves
- Cooked rice
- Black beans
- Mexican blend cheese
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt and pepper
Additionally, you’ll need:
- Flour tortillas
- Sour cream
- Diced tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Salsa
Start by cooking the ground beef along with the onions, garlic, and spices. Once cooked, add in the black beans. Prepare to assemble your burritos by first warming the flour tortillas. This prevents them from ripping apart. Add your fillings, including any extras like sour cream, cheese, and salsa. Fold your tortilla in the form of a burrito. Serve on a plate or wrap it in aluminum for an on-the-go meal!
Recipe Card
Looking for another delicious recipe? Try this easy sour cream and chicken enchilada recipe. Enjoy!
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Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas
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- Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 boneless chicken breasts
- 8 flour tortillas
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 jar Picante sauce
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Boil chicken breasts. Cut into slices. (If using pre-sliced stir-fry chicken, cook slices in a skillet until done)
- Simmer chicken in picante sauce.
- Lightly spread butter on flour tortillas. Stuff tortillas with chicken mixture.
- Lay open side face down in casserole dish. Cut slices on top of tortillas.
- Spread sour cream, then cheese on top of tortillas.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex