I worked for Otis Trujillo half owner with George Pappas of the Holly Inns and also the creator of the Tacorito. I worked at both the Holly Inn which later became La Fondas in Eagan, Mn and the Holly North in Denver, Co.
These recipes you are posting may taste good but they are not even close to the original recipe of the Tacorito or the famed Colorado Sauce that made them so unique and popular.

Since several say the original recipe has no soups - how about instead... (to enhance the beef flavor)... - use 1 cup of beef broth mixed with one pack of beef bouillon. All the herbs/spices in addition to those - should make this a rich recipe. Might not be original - but can't be bad.

Well - we know everyone's work history. PLEASE - take this recipe and adjust to your taste - or as close as you can remember the original recipe. Todd Wilbur - where are you when we need you.

I don't know about you, but I'm into "taste" rather than the clout that cones along with knowing the "secret" recipe! This may or may not be the real recipe., but it certainly tastes pretty darn close. I didn't work there or know the owners brothers sister or anything. I was just a devout customer. I grew up eating tacoritos because I lived a block away from Holly Inn, Colorado Springs. I continued to patronize the Holly Inn once moving to Denver. Since you can't eat or taste "clout", take a risk in life and give an imposter a try. You'll find this is pretty darn close to the real thing, if not on point. Although this recipe calls for different ingredients, the reasoning behind choosing these ingredients could simply be due product availability, cost, item was easier to use in kitchen, etc. I do know I'm not willing to sacrifice the chance to taste something phenomenal just because someone claims the above recipe isn't real. After being familiar with that authentic tacorito taste for 30 years, this recipe, if not authentic, sure could've fooled me! If there was a game show where contestants had to taste the food and guess the original recipe, I would think even the chef would have a difficult tine choosing his recipe! This recipe is super easy, super quick and super yummy! You won't be disappointed! Besides, you can't go out and get a real tacorito just anywhere!

Where can you get the real Tacorito??

Always loved Holly North on 104th, when it was sold we were devastated but the new owners named it Lobos and they kept the original recipe of the Tacorito but renamed it a Loborito... Nothing compares to the taste of these amazing dishes. Would love to have the original recipe :)

We should honor George and his family and share the recipe so others can understand how amazing their food was. I grew up going to Holly West. My first job was washing dishes and I remember how nice everyone was. Unfortunately we moved and I've always dreamed about those delicious tacoritos! Yum!

The real Tacoritos recipe is in the Colorado Cache Cookbook. No soup just real ingredients.

I only want the recipe for COLORADO SAUCE!!! ANYONE HAVE IT?

I am writing this in 2021... not sure whom will see this but here goes. Enchilada sauce is the closest thing to the sauce in the original Tacorito. I was devastated to find Holly West (La Fonda de Acebo) closed in June 2013 (it closed December 2012). As a kid in the 80s, there would be tons of people waiting to be seated, but by the 2000s it became a ghost town.
Anyway, The South near Hampden (used to be the Holly South) still serves a similar dish called Quesorito. The primary difference is that there are no olives. Tastes pretty much the same. If you are craving a trip down memory lane, I'd go get one soon. Not sure how much longer The South will be around.
RIP Holly restaurants, George E Pappas and his son George C Pappas (murdered in 2018).

The South still is with us, and as it so happens, am there right this very minute.

Of course, I ordered the Quesirito (sp?), with Ground Beef and extra Lettuce inside.

... Dick Shaw, 10/28/24

Worked for Holly Inn in Monaco and Evans for years. I can guarantee there was no soup in the Tacorito recipe. George Pappas would be rolling over in his grave. Rip worked with him daily... he was kind man.

I worked at the Holiday Inn on Monaco and Evans for years. George Pappas was there daily and was always kind. The chef didn't know much English so while I taught him that language, he taught me to speak Greek.

Wonderful wonderful memories!

Every Christmas George's wife would bring in a huge platter of homemade Greek desserts. The baklava was to die for. Along with the yummy Tacorito, they made chicken kapama which was fantastic. Those were the good old days.

I've been trying to get restaurants to make tacoritos for me ever since having one at the Holly Springs restaurant back in the 1969-1971 time frame as a teenager! Please, please, please someone divulge! :)

No way is this the original sauce. All of my sister and brother worked for the company for years. The original sauce was made with lard definitely NOT cream of chicken soup :)

Do any of you happen to know the fried ice cream recipe from Holy West? I was only a kid when I had it last but it was the best I've ever had!

I would so love the true recipe. Been trying to get it right for many years!