Ground Beef Gorditas

Tender homemade beef gorditas stuffed with a flavorful ground beef made with onion, tomato, garlic, serrano chile and plenty of spices.

Beef gorditas remind me of my Mami. Warm masa cooked over a comal, stuffed with ground beef was her go-to after Sunday Mass.

My Mami would make a huge tray of gorditas on Sunday after church. Warm off the comal, she was a pro at slicing the gordita while still warm. She would stuff them with ground beef, lettuce and tomato and serve them with plenty of salsa.

To this day if she asks me what I want for Sunday dinner I always reply with ground beef gorditas.

Ground beef is always my go-to on busy weeknight meals and today I am thrilled to share with you an amazing recipe in collaboration with Beef Loving Texans.

Ground beef is so easy to cook with – simply brown, season and you ser set para tacos, pasta, enchiladas, tostadas the dinner options are endless.

Ground beef freezes beautifully, budget friendly and is perfect when feeding a crowd.

In South Texas you can find carne guisada, egg,beans, and cheese gorditas on the breakfast menu.

Gorditas stuffed with carne asada, guisados, barbacoa or pastor are available for lunch and dinner.

WHAT IS A GORDITA

A gordita is made from masa harina, warm water and salt and cooked over a hot comal; it’s then sliced while warm to create a pocket and stuffed with beans, meat, or veggies.

A gordita can be served as an antojito (appetizer) or be the star of the meal.

Gordita is thicker than a tortilla. Gordita translates to “chubby” in Mexico, and is thicker than a tortilla. The thicker masa of a gordita is perfect for absorbing the juices from the filling. A light crisp outer crust with a tender juicy interior.

Gorditas can be cooked on a comal or deep fried. I prefer to add just a tiny bit of oil to my comal to achieve that crispy crust.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

oil

onion

roma tomato

ground beef

garlic cloves

serrano chile

ground beef

salt

pepper

chili powder

ground cumin

oregano

masa harina, Maseca

warm water

salt

lettuce

tomato

salsa

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Fully cook your ground beef before cooking gorditas. You will want to stuff/serve your gorditas while still warm.

You can assemble your gorditas before cooking ground beef but place a moist/damp kitchen towel over them to prevent masa from drying out.

For safer slicing, use a butter knife to slice your gordita if this is your first time making it.

Feel free to swap out white for yellow onion.

If you do not have a comal you can use a large skillet to make the gorditas. Transfer the ground beef to an oven safe dish, place in a warm oven until the gorditas are ready to stuff. Wipe down the skillet and use it to cook your gorditas.

When making gordita dough, warm water makes for easier mixing. Quickly heat water in the microwave, warm to the touch, not boiling. 

MAS RECETAS CON BEEF LOVING TEXANS

Hibiscus Slow Cooker Brisket

Beef Molcajete {with Veggies} Made on the Grill

Carne Asada Chilaquiles Verdes

How to make Authentic Beef Tamales

Cumin Lime Ground Beef Tostadas

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Ground Beef Gordita

Tender homemade beef gorditas stuffed with a flavorful ground beef made with onion, tomato, garlic, serrano chile and plenty of spices.

Author: Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

• For ground beef:
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 small roma tomato diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 serrano chile sliced, stem removes and finely minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• For gorditas:
• 2 cups masa harina Maseca
• 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• oil
• For serving:
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Salsa

Instructions

1. For ground beef: In a skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, sauté until light and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic cloves and serrano chile. Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until beef is no longer pink and fully cooked. Reduce heat to low. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and oregano stir to combine and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
2. For gorditas: In a bowl add masa harina and salt. Slowly add warm water, begin mixing with your hands to create a dough. If the dough feels dry, add more warm water by mixing with your hands until the dough comes together.
3. Divide the dough evenly and hand shape into 8 balls. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a moist kitchen towel or moist paper towels, this helps prevent the dough from becoming dry.
4. Heat a comal or large skillet over medium-high heat. Line a tortilla press or large glass with plastic film. Place one masa ball in a tortilla press. Gently press to form your gordita or press down on glass to form a gordita. The gordita should be thicker than a corn tortilla, about 3-4 inches in diameter. Return the gordita to the baking sheet, cover with a moist towel and continue shaping remaining gorditas.
5. Drizzle comal or skillet with a 1 tablespoon oil and place gorditas on hot comal or skillet a few at a time. Cook about 2 minutes, flip, and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes, until light brown spots appear on the gordita.
6. Remove gorditas, place on a plate and cover with a towel. Continue cooking remaining gorditas, add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil if needed.
7. Carefully with a knife cut a slit down each warm gordita to create a pocket to add filling.
8. Fill with ground beef, lettuce, and tomato. Serve with salsa.