Beltline Bar Wet Burrito. Seasoned ground beef and beans wrapped in a flour tortilla, then it’s topped with a very mild and flavorful sauce and lots of cheese. This is a great alternative for those that don’t like the strong flavor of enchilada sauce.
There’s a restaurant/bar called Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids, MI, that is famous for their “Wet Burrito“. If you’re familiar with the area then you definitely know what I’m talking about.
I was introduced to these amazing wet burritos, when we first moved to Michigan from California. My family and I had tried various Mexican restaurants around the area, and walked away very disappointed. It wasn’t that the food was bad, we were just used to California Mexican, which in my opinion the mid-west cannot match.
When some friends of ours heard our complaints about the Mexican food they pointed us in the direction of the Beltline Bar, in particular their wet burritos, so of course we had to check it out. The restaurant wasn’t anything real fancy, minimal Mexican decor (yay!) and the menu had items that you’d expect to find at a Mexican restaurant with the exception of wet burritos.
When reading the description of these “famous” wet burritos it sounded like they were describing enchiladas. Now I have to say I’m not a big fan of enchiladas, they’re a little over the top in spices in my opinion. However, I had to try it, just for the sake of saying that I had and much to my surprise I was amazed. They were HUGE and enchilada like, but the sauce was very mild and didn’t overpower the burrito. They were delicious!
Recently, I was flipping through some old recipe books and I found the Beltline Bar Wet Burrito recipe. It was in a recipe book that the local teachers had distributed for a fundraiser. Of course, being that it had been years since I had my last wet burrito I made them. They were everything that I remembered them being and my kids, who hate enchiladas, loved them.
Ingredients Needed:
3 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 (10 ounce) cans enchilada sauce
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 jars (12 oz) Heinz beef gravy
16 small flour tortillas
2 pounds Mexican blend cheese, grated
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, diced
Reduce Fluster with the Right Tools:
large skillet
rubber spatula
measuring spoons
knife
cutting board
can opener
sauce pan
ladle
large baking dish
spatula
Beltline Bar Wet Burrito
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a saucepan, over low heat, combine the enchilada sauce, tomato sauce and gravy, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce is heating, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain, then stir in the onions and spices. Continue cooking until the onions begin to become translucent.
While the meat is still hot, combine the meat with a can of refried beans.
Warm the tortilla in a pan or in the microwave so that they are pliable enough for folding.
Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture on a tortilla, top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.
Fold the tortilla and place it in a baking dish.
Pour the sauce over the burritos and top with lots of cheese.
Bake, uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes. Serve with beans and rice.
Adding beef gravy to the sauce tones down the spiciness of enchilada sauce. Do you have any tips to make foods more mild so that your kids will eat them?
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Beltline Bar Wet Burrito
Ingredients
- 2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
- 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 3 jars Heinz beef gravy
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
- 16 small flour tortillas
- 2 pounds Mexican blended cheese grated
- lettuce shredded
- tomatoes diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a saucepan, over low heat, combine the enchilada sauce, tomato sauce and gravy, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is heating, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain, then stir in the onions and spices. Continue cooking until the onions begin to become translucent. While the meat is still hot, combine the meat with a can of refried beans.
- Warm the tortilla in a pan or in the microwave so that they are pliable enough for folding.
- Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture on a tortilla, top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Fold the tortilla and place it in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the burritos and top with lots of cheese.
- Bake, uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes.
These look delicious! They are sure to be a hit with my gang!
My kids love them because they more mild than enchiladas.
This recipe is SOOOO great!!!
We have always loved Beltline Bar but now live in Florida. Now we don’t have to wait to go home for a visit! We make these frequently!!
They are one of a kind!
Oh Nancy, how I know and miss my Beltline Bar Burrito’s !!
We too now live in Florida and no one even comes close to a Beltline Bar burrito.
Every time we’re back in GR we have to visit BB for my fix.
I will try their recipe and have to freeze a few since it’s just my wife and I down here now !!
Thanks for your comments !!
A Kindred Spirit !!
I’ve lived in Grand Rapids my whole life. I love these burritos mode than anything. Well done on the recipe.
It’s spot on.
OMG! When I saw the name of your recipe I knew it was from Grand Rapids Michigan I’ve had this burrito and it’s delicious I’ve since moved to Anaheim California thank you for the recipe I’m definitely gonna try it out on my husband
Once you’ve had them, they are definitely hard to forget.
Love wet burritos!! This recipe looks like a keeper! Pinned & Sharing on FB! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Have a great week!
Kim
From the age of 10 to about 17 I lived in Grand Rapids actually the NW corner of the city. But even to this day I remember the wet burritos from Belt line Bar. This was my mother’s favorite place.to eat 😎. I won’t make burritos any other way. I love these and. Want them all the time 😁😁 We lived in Walker and I went to Cover elementary attended Oak Hill middle school and union hs. I was on the swim team for the Elks Lodge and.my first 2 yrs of Union HS.
They were my moms favorite as well. It was always a treat when we were able to go. We lived in Ada and I went to high school at Forest Hills Central.
I live in Belding Michigan. I moved here from Garden Grove California about 5 years ago and I’m about to make these for the first time 😋
Having lived in Ada and went to FHN for middle and high school this is a taste of home for me. I moved to coastal NC in 2000 and missed the BLB. My dads office was the next exit off the belt line so we used to eat there often. Made these for my girlfriend and roommates and they went nuts! They are now a house favorite. Thanks for recipe and giving me a taste of home.
Brad
I’m glad that you liked them, they are definitely a classic that cannot be found anywhere else.
I went to Forest Hills Northern!
I went to Forest Hills Central!
Huge fan of BB. They hands down have the best wet burritos. I am trying this recipe for dinner tomorrow. I’ll be back with a better review of this recipe
YUM!!! I am from California too and live in Texas now. The two types of Mexican food from here to there are soooooo different! I like CA better so this looks really tasty. Thanks.
It’s really amazing how different Mexican food is as you move throughout the country. I agree with you, CA is so much better.
Oh my goodness! It’s been forever since we had a Beltline Bar Wet Burrito! And they were sooo good.
I’m pinning this to try. We’ve been away from West Michigan for 20 years and recently moved back. Thanks for the reminder… we’ll have to stop there for sure… but in the meantime, I can’t wait to make your recipe.
Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at Project Inspire{d}!!
I’ve been away from West Michigan for about the same amount of time. The only way I’ll be going back is for a class reunion or a wet burrito, it’s just to cold for me.
Sounds so good! I would love it if you shared these at the Taco Tuesday link up!
Lazy Gastronome
Thanks for sharing this at our party – it makes me hungry every time I look at it!!
They’re delicious, that’s for sure.
Live in West Michigan and love it! Great place to eat. I’m gluten free but find yummy things to eat
Beltline Bar is really a great place to eat! Every time I visit West Michigan it’s one of the places that I like to go.
This burrito is calling my name! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
I just pinned your fabulous Beltline Bar Wet Burrito and can’t wait to taste it! We always love your recipes at Full Plate Thursday, thanks so much for sharing them with us!
Miz Helen
We went to the Beltline Bar today for dinner., it was delicious.
Wish I was with you!
Mom and I would love it.
HI ma’am! Can you tell me how many ounces of gravy? I got two 18 oz jars
Each jar is 12 ounces, so the two 18 ounce jars ought to cover it.
OMGee… these were seriously EXACTLY like the Beltline Bar. Even down to the smell. We enjoyed them SO much. Thank you for passing on this recipe. I will be making these a ton (even if I just live down the road from there still)
I’m thrilled that you love them. Whenever I need a taste of home, I make Beltline Bar Wet Burrito’s
My husband loves wet burrito’s. When I moved to west Michigan from a Detroit suburb, I had never even heard of a wet burrito. This recipes is always a hit in our house AND we serve it often.
Hi ! What size tortillas ?
I use the large ones!
In your recipe you state small ones
You can use bigger ones if you like. Sometimes I’ll use the smaller ones because of how filling they are.
making these tonite. do you put the lettuce and tomato on before you cook in oven???
Yes, wrap the tomatoes and lettuce before baking.
Made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious! I’m from Kalamazoo, MI and we have made the short trip to Grand Rapids for a Beltline Bar wet burrito several times so I was super stoked to see this recipe. I did put the lettuce and tomato on top after cooking since I’ve developed this weird thing about hot lettuce. But the taste was still wonderful and I will definitely be making these again and again! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them! I completely understand about the hot lettuce, I used to be the same way until my son graduated from culinary school and introduced me to some wonderful recipes that have hot lettuce.
Lettuce and tomato on top, fresh, always!
What enchilada sauce do you use?
I usually make my own enchilada sauce, but I have used Old El Paso.
We love the Beltline Bar!! I was so excited to find this recipe yesterday!! I made these last night and my boyfriend was amazed that it tasted exactly like the bar’s! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thanks for this recipe. I live 10 miles from the Beltline Bar and have been going there for decades. I can’t eat spicy hot foods. I’m so glad that their burrito is delicious to me.
Whenever I get back there one of my first stops is the Beltline bar for their wet burrito.
I want to try these! I am pretty sure Beltline Bar uses Colby cheese, though..
You can definitely use whatever cheese you like. I had a little birdie give me the inside scoop on the recipe. 😊
Definitely a keeper! Changed it up as my girlfriend doesn’t eat beef. I cut the recipe in half and substituted in the Heinz Turkey gravy and used ground turkey meat. Still produced a large 8x13in pan of food for 5-6 people. Thanks for the recipe!
Ooh, I’ll have to try it with turkey, sounds like a tasty option!
OMG. I havent had a beltline bar wet burrito in decades! I think i had my first Bb WB in the 70s. Nice to hear that the place is still around. I moved away from West Michigan a very long time ago but if Im ever in the neighborhood again, I’ll have to see if the place is still there. Loved Beltline on the east side, Little Mexico Cafe downtown and Amalatina (sp) back in the day. The large migrant influence made for great mexican restaurants all over west mi. thanks for the memories and the recipe. Ill have to try it soon!
Friends of mine who are still in W. MI, say it is still there! I hope you enjoy the recipe and that it brings back fond memories.
Oh… The Beltline Bar is still here and still serving their famous Wet Burrito’s. I have lived in West Michigan nearly all my life. I did live in WI for several years, but fortunately I had worked at, the former, Pour Aurthers (in Wyoming), the cook shared the sauce recipe with me. Their Wet Burrito’s made the top 3, along with Beltline Bar and The Dungeon, back in the day. When I first invited my WI friends over for Wet Burrito’s, they were too kind to decline as they were afraid I was serving Burrito’s dipped in water. Boy, were they surprised when the had their first taste of a West Michigan Wet Burrito.
They are definitely iconic! I’ve had people question what exactly I was serving them too, but once they tried them they were hooked.
Oh my! I’m from Grand Rapids moved away in 2010 to Maryland. The belt line bar was a weekly stop every Thursday night. And you’re right Mexican food differs from state to state. Any way thank you so much for this classic recipe. Going to make this week end.
It’s been about 29 or 30 years since I live in Grand Rapids. After work, friends and I used to go to the Beltline for wet burritos and drinks. The burritos were sooo delicious. I love in South Carolina now and was thinking about the yummy burritos at the Beltline so I googled and now I have the recipe. Thank you!!! My friends here in the south are in for a real treat, I can’t wait to make them .
What a great memory! I’m happy that I could help you to create new memories around the Beltline burritos.
Have you ever made them the night before then wait to bake the next night? I’d leave out the lettuce and tomato (adding to the top) if doing it. Wondered if you have tried it. I’ve made this several times – just not the night before.
I’ve never tried making them the night before. I’d try it though, besides leaving out the lettuce and tomatoes, I’d hold off on the sauce until they’re ready to be baked.
I grew up in Grand Rapids and moved away after high school in 1989. My mom made essentially this recipe all the way back then and still thinks she made up the sauce recipe with the gravy in it! I can’t imagine two people had that idea, so either she’s misremembering or her recipe has become (semi) famous (at least among those with good taste)!
Now if I could just get a good recipe for Rockford Corner Bar chili dog sauce I’d be able to die now in peace!
I’d just let your mom think that she made the gravy enchilada sauce famous. As for the Corner Bar, I ate many of there famous chili dogs, but not enough to get my name on the wall. I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on their recipe.
I’ve made these before from your recipe and they are AMAZING!!! But my hubbie & I don’t eat red meat during the week now. (only on “cheat” days! Haha) Could you sub shredded chicken?
I’ve used chicken before, it’s good, but the ground beef is better.
Can u use packaged gravy?
I’ve never used it, but I’m sure it will work!
Beltline bar was broken into, and they are very thankful that the crooks didn’t get their hands on their famous “Wet Burrito” recipe. If they really wanted the recipe all they had to do was visit our recipe. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4099895716703636&id=100000497449858
I saw Beltline the other night on the food channel and immediately looked up recipe online and found this one. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Enjoy! It’s a really delicious recipe.
While these maybe good, they are NOWHERE near the enchilada sauce of Beltline Bar.
You’ll have to try it, it’s really close to Beltline Bar’s enchilada sauce.
Hi Robin – great recipe! Belt line is my favorite for WB’s.
I did try a variation on the gravy portion as I’ve never been a fan of packaged gravy. I used 3 TBLS of Better than bullion roast beef flavor and 2 cups of water and heated it. In a separate sauce pan I melted 3 TBLS butter and wisked In 3 TBLS of flour for 1 min. I added the bullion mixture and brought to a boil. I added all the other ingredients for the sauce and it was perfection!
That’s fantastic! Homemade is always tastier than packaged.
Hi from Abu Dhabi, UAE! My mom sent me a photo of her and my dad eating wet burritos at Beltline Bar yesterday and I was so jealous since I haven’t had one in years. But guess what!?! Thanks to your recipe I intend to change that this week. Wish me luck. My only concern is finding the gravy here, but thanks to the last comment I know I can make my own version if I can’t find pre-made. How did we ever exist before the Internet??? : ) I’m so excited!!!!
I’m excited for you to try them! There’s nothing worse then missing the flavors of home when you are far away.
I don’t know… I am craving a Beltline Bar Wet Burrito. I don’t recall there being brown sauce around it. I just remember there was a sauce on top and cheese on top of that… It has been many years. I hope I get back there some time. I’m sure they still make them the same.
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Beltline Bar, they do still make it the same. Best Burrito!!
Close… but to much gravy… removes the texmex flavor. Cutting gravy in half next time, maybe more.
I’m sure cutting the gravy will taste good, however, it will make it taste less like the Beltline Bar version. What makes this different than other wet burritos (enchiladas) is the gravy. The gravy is meant to make the enchilada sauce milder while adding an unexpected layer of flavoring.
Can you make these ahead and freeze these? My son loves these for his birthday dinner but I’m having surgery close to his birthday and won’t be able to get around to make them.
I’ve never tried freezing them, but I guess you could. I would eliminate adding the lettuce and tomatoes when folding them up and I would hold off making the sauce until I was going to bake them. Not sure how long it would take to cook them if they were frozen, so I’d probably let them thaw before cooking.
Suggestion for a better taste don’t use enchilada sauce use oretega taco sauce instead tastes much better
When you mix the enchilada sauce with the beef gravy, it has a unique and distinct flavor, it’s much better tasting than topping it with a taco sauce.
This is such a great recipe! The flavor just can’t be beaten! I’ve lived in Michigan since I was a kid, but I haven’t been fortunate enough to visit Beltline Bar. You brought the taste of Beltline Bar to my home!! I like to use venison burger, as a substitute for ground beef, but my family loves it both ways! Since venison is a leaner meat, little to no grease needs to be drained. I added this recipe to our family meals as an alternative to the mundane taco nights! Thank you so much!!
I love that you are using venison, I’m going to give it a try next time we make Beltline Burritos.
Does anybody remember Lenny’s (sp?) over in 36th and Clyde Park? It’s long since closed down but my dad used to take me there the first Tuesday of every month for a wet burrito. We switched to Beltline Bar after they closed down but their burritos are both the same! I live in Detroit now but discovered this recipe long ago and make it regularly. I always brag to people about my wet burritos being the best (they’re ALWAYS better the next day!!) and anyone who has tried them agrees! Thank you for your amazing recipes! I love them!
Thank you Robin. Fantastic recipe. Even though I can just drive to the BLB, I love being able to make them at home.
I really miss BLB burritos. I may just have to make a trip there soon.
I will let you know how it is, but I have to say I’m dumbfounded I found this recipe! I was raised in Grand Rapids and this was THE place to get the wet burrito! I just came here to find a decent recipe because my son was recently introduced to them and loves them, but he hasn’t had a really great one…..yet. I will keep you posted. Thank you so much for this! I’m excited to try it!
Yes, please keep me posted.
Have been going to the Beltline Bar for their burritos since I moved to Grand Rapids in ’78. Love them. It has been my pleasure to introduce a whole lot of people to the restaurant and these burritos – they are always amazed at how good they are — and I never cease to be amazed by them. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow, that’s amazing! It sounds like you have so many wonderful memories tied to the Beltline Bar and their famous burritos. How fun that you’ve been able to introduce so many people to them! I hope this recipe brings a little taste of that experience to your kitchen. Thanks for sharing your story!