This Beef Burrito recipe is stuffed with juicy seasoned beef, rice, beans and your favorite fillings then toasted to crunchy, gooey perfection for the dinner everyone will want on repeat! And it’s fabulous for meal prep!
This Beef Burrito recipe is unapologetically flavorful, supremely crunchy, customizable, portable, easy to make, make-ahead friendly and freezer friendly – or in other words, the perfect recipe! Juicy chili spiced meat, fluffy cilantro lime rice, hearty black beans, gooey cheese, guacamole and either sour cream or chipotle sauce are cocooned in a crispy tortilla that can be toasted in the air fryer, skillet or oven. Add these Beef Burritos to your 30-minute weeknight arsenal along with a side of pina colada fruit salad for a simple yet satisfying meal the whole family will love.
We are huge fans of wrapping our favorite ingredients into a crispy tortilla like in in this beef burrito recipe! If you’re looking to up your burrito game, try Smothered Chicken Burritos, California Burritos, Customizable Wet Burritos, Beef, Bean and Cheese Burritos and Breakfast Burritos!
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how to make beef burritos video
Why You’ll Love These Burritos
Beef Burritos are only as good as the meat – and this beef is epic. The ground beef is packed with flavor from browning the meat with sautéed onions, garlic and a caravan of homemade taco seasonings, then simmering with salsa and green chilies for an extra boost of tangy, saucy deliciousness.
This recipe is mouthwatering flavor and texture fireworks. For this recipe, I’ve chosen my favorite symphony of flavors and textures for the best Burritos ever – no dry, bland, boring burritos here! The crunchy tortillas, tender beef, textural rice, hearty beans, and gooey cheese all married together with creamy chipotle sauce and guacamole will make your taste buds sing.
It’s all about the chipotle sauce. You can stick with plain sour cream or Greek yogurt, but chipotle sauce will elevate your burritos to heights you never dreamt possible. It’s creamy smoky, spicy and takes just 5 minutes to whip up without any chopping! I use it in the burrito filling as well as slathered on every bite – I can’t get enough!
The burritos are supremely crunchy. The Beef Burritos can be toasted in the oven, air fryer or skillet for that satisfying crunch that is mandatory in my book. Toasting also warms the ingredients and melts the cheese – no sad, cold cheese allowed!
These Ground Beef Burritos are easy to make – with shortcuts! Just brown the beef, cook the rice and assemble. If you’re short on time, take advantage of shortcuts like throwing your rice in the rice cooker, simply seasoning cooked rice with lime juice, salt and pepper, using store-bought guacamole or mashing avocados with lime, salt and pepper.
You can make the burritos your own. These Beef Burritos are endlessly customizable from the ground beef (use turkey or chicken), to the rice (use white, brown, cauliflower, etc.) to the beans (pinto, black or refried), to the sauces (sour cream, chipotle sauce, guacamole, Greek yogurt), to the cheese (cheddar, Monterrey, pepper Jack, etc.). You get the idea. You can also add ingredients like lettuce or omit any ingredients.
This recipe is fantastic for meal prep. Either make the filling ahead of time or completely assemble the burritos ahead of time to toast later – and they’ll taste just as good. They can also be individually frozen for quick and easy meals.
Ingredients
There are countless fillings for Beef Burritos, but ground beef, rice, beans, cheese, guacamole and chipotle sauce create a superior, well-rounded, full-flavored, palate pleasing bite…after bite. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need to make this recipe (full recipe measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
For The Ground Beef
While it takes a village to make Beef Burritos, the ground beef is undoubtedly the star. It’s juicy, perfectly seasoned with homemade taco seasoning and plenty of aromatic onions and garlic, and then just when you didn’t think it could get any better, it’s kicked up a notch by adding moisture with salsa instead of water. In addition to the ground beef, you will need:
What tortillas are best for burritos?
Burrito size tortillas are a must for burritos if you don’t want filling everywhere! Burrito tortillas come in both 10 and 12 inches which will both work for this recipe, but I wouldn’t go any smaller or the burritos are impossible to roll without filling spilling out the sides.
You have two options for the best tortillas for burritos:
THIN TORTILLAS
This is not the time for thick, tough and chewy tortillas that are completely opaque like the Mission brand. Instead, the best tortillas for burritos are wonderfully thin, light and tender, but not so thin that they easily tear when rolled. These thinner, almost translucent tortillas are ready to crisp up when toasted while still retaining a pleasant chewiness. Often these tortillas are found in the bakery section at Sprouts, Whole Foods or Costco.
UNCOOKED TORTILLAS
These tortillas come 100% uncooked and can be found in the refrigerated section. They are easily the most flavorful tortillas, easy to roll and toast up supremely crunchy. The only down side is they dry out a bit when stored because they have fewer preservatives, so take that into account when deciding which tortillas to purchase. Also, note that many of these raw tortilla brands such as Tortilla Fresca come in smaller sizes so you’ll need to scale down the ingredients by a tablespoon or so.
Variations
While I am pretty obsessed with the filling ingredients listed in this recipe, they are just a guideline! Feel free to pick and choose your dream burrito fillings and then pick and choose something different next time. That being said, I highly recommend using rice – it adds a texture to these burritos that can’t be beat. Note: If you are making the burritos to meal prep or freeze, avoid wet ingredients like tomatoes.
Can I use Ground Turkey?
Yes! The ground beef in this recipe can easily be swapped with ground turkey or ground chicken. If you want to add that coveted beefy flavor, omit the salt in the filling and instead add to 2 teaspoons granulated beef bouillon (just cook and crumble, don’t dissolve in water first) and then salt to taste – you will be amazed!
I use this trick in my turkey tacos, turkey chili and turkey meatballs and it is culinary changing! It infuses the turkey with rich, beefy flavor that will blow your mind!
Here are some variations to try:
- Cheese sauce: Instead of shredded cheese, use nacho cheese sauce! You can use my sensational queso blanco, or nacho sauce sold in the jar. I particularly like the Tostitos brand queso that comes in a variety of flavors such as salsa con queso, queso blanco and southwest cheese corn dip. If using cheese sauce, add it over the beans so it’s sandwiched in the middle of the burritos so the tortillas don’t become soggy.
- Lettuce: Choose a crunchy, neutral lettuce like iceberg or Romaine for a satisfying, fresh bite. Don’t add lettuce if freezing.
- Corn: Use sweet drained canned corn or corn straight off of the cob. You can also grill or char the corn like I do in my corn salsa for a tantalizing charred smokiness.
- Black olives: Consider adding a layer of olives for their salty bite.
- Jalapeños or hot sauce: If you skip the chipotle sauce, consider adding heat with chopped or sliced jalapeños or I particularly love these sweet and spicy pickled jalapeños from Trader Joes. They are similar to candied jalapenos but a little less sweet AKA perfection.
- Vegetarian: Swap the ground beef for tofu or vegetables such as bell peppers, corn and zucchini. I don’t suggest vegetables if freezing.
- Pico de gallo: Add fresh tomato salsa for a vibrant, punchy freshness. You can use my homemade pico de gallo recipe or store bought usually found in the deli section. You can make the pico de gallo ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Tomatoes: Instead of pico de gallo, you can simply add chopped, seeded tomatoes. Toss them with a little cilantro for a zesty freshness.
- Salsa: Completely change the flavor profile of your Beef Burritos with a salsa. Swap the salsa in the filling for salsa verde or add layer of salsa to the burritos such as black bean corn salsa, avocado salsa, charred corn salsa, mango salsa, or pineapple salsa.
- Pickle onions: These are tangy, punchy fantastic and so easy to make at home. Use my super simple pickled red onions recipe and they’ll be ready in 30 minutes!
- Cotija cheese: Consider a layer of Cotija for a salty finish. Cotija is known as “Mexican Parmesan” because it is wonderfully salty, hard, and crumbly. It is traditionally found with the specialty cheeses and should be readily available. You may also use queso fresco.
BEEF variations
The ground beef filling can be swapped out for your favorite protein from Mexican Shredded Beef to Beef Barbacoa to Beef Birria. Here are some options:
- Mexican Shredded Beef: Spoon tender braised beef (in the crockpot, oven, stove or instant pot) with a caravan of rich, earthy, fiesta seasonings, punchy salsa, tangy green chilies, savory beef broth and smoky liquid smoke.
- Beef Barbacoa (Crockpot): Crazy juicy beef slow cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender infused with a tangy, chipotle sauce. Barbacoa Beef is known for its intense flavor and perfect balance of chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano and lime juice.
- Beef Birria: An explosion of complex earthy, smoky, savory, slightly spicy, juicy, addictiveness in each and every saucy bite. The beef is stewed until fall apart juicy tender in a from scratch rich broth made from chilies, onions, garlic, tomatoes and toasted spices including peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon.
- Carne Asada: The quintessential Mexican steak marinated in orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce and a splash of liquid smoke then spice rubbed with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic and onion. It’s juicy, flavorful and crazy good.
PORK
- Carnitas (Crockpot): Juicy pork smothered in a dynamic fiesta spice rub then slow cooked with orange juice and lime juice then finished in the oven to create glorious caramelized crispy burnt ends.
- Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork: a Cafe Rio Copycat that’s juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth with the perfect balance of saucy sweet heat.
CHICKEN
You can also use chicken instead of beef such as Shredded Mexican Chicken (Crockpot): Chicken Tinga, Shortcut Mexican Shredded Chicken, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Chipotle Chicken or Chili lime chicken.
How to make Beef Burritos
Burritos are one of life’s simplest pleasures, and also one of the simplest to make! These Ground Beef Burritos are easy to make from scratch or use shortcuts like store-bough guacamole and taco seasoning. Follow along while we take a closer look with step-by-step photos or watch the HOW TO video in the recipe card (full recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- Step 1: Make the ground beef filling. Start by sautéing the onions for a few minutes before adding the beef. This will ensure they are not only soft but beautifully caramelized by the time the beef is done. Next, brown the beef then drain some of the grease when the beef is about 80% cooked. Add the garlic, homemade seasonings, salsa and green chilies and continue to cook until the beef is cooked through.
- Step 2: Layer the tortillas. Now the fun part! Layer each tortilla with: rice, black beans (if using refried beans, layer first), chipotle sauce or sour cream, guacamole, ground beef, and cheese down the center of the tortilla.
- Step 3: Roll the burritos. Roll up the tortillas burrito style, squeezing in any escaping filling as you roll.
- Step 4: Toast burritos. You can serve the burritos cold but if you want that coveted crispy shell and sublime melty cheese, you’ll want to heat them in the oven, air fryer or skillet. Instructions to follow.
How to Wrap a Burrito
Burritos are a beautiful thing, a vehicle to deliver all of your favorite fillings in one sensational bite – if the burrito is wrapped correctly. Here are 6 tips to wrapping burritos perfectly and preventing the filling from spilling out the sides or the tortilla tearing mid bite:
Warm the tortillas: Cold tortillas are more likely to break and tear. It’s best to wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds or so until warm or you can toss each tortilla in a hot skillet for about 15 seconds each.
Wrap burritos one at a time: After you warm the tortillas, assemble the burritos one at a time so you can keep the rest of the tortillas covered and warm. You may assemble the burritos all at once only if all the fillings are prepped and you work quickly.
Add filling down the center of the tortillas: Layer the ingredients stacked on top of each other and not side by side, leaving a couple inches on the sides clear. We need the surrounding real estate as a buffer for enclosing and wrapping.
The order matters: Layer the rice first because it’s dry and serves as a shield to prevent the tortilla from becoming soggy. Next, add the beans, another dry ingredient. Both the rice and the beans will absorb the flavors of all the other ingredients on top. Next, add the wet ingredients such as guacamole, sour cream, etc. We want the wet ingredients sandwiched in the middle to keep the tortilla dry. Next add the ground beef, chicken, pork or seafood as a buffer for the wet ingredients. Finally, add the cheese, the glue that melts over the meat and keeps the tortilla dry.
Fold tightly: Fold each end of the tortilla bookending the ingredients in towards the center as if you were wrapping a present. Fold as tightly as possible without overlapping. Keep your fingers on the top of the secured fold, while using your thumbs to fold the bottom over the ingredients and folded in tortilla edges.
Roll it all up: Now that tortilla has been rolled over the ingredients, take a minute to readjust as needed to make sure the filling is tightly encased, pushing any stray ingredients under the fold. Now, tightly roll the burrito towards you. The tighter you roll, the less flimsy the burrito and less likely it is to fall apart. Place the burrito seam side down on a flat surface, then proceed to make the next burrito.
HOW DO I MAKE CRUNCHY BURRITOS?
Beef Burritos are exponentially improved by heating in the oven, air fryer or skillet:
- It creates a crunchy shell giving way to the dreamy filling
- It toasts the tortilla for an extra layer of complex, nutty flavor
- It warms the filling ingredients
- It melts the cheese into a cohesive, melty filling
To toast burritos in the air fryer:
The air fryer will create the most shatteringly crispy burritos of all three options – without any oil. The only down side is you’ll have to work in batches, just like the skillet. To toast the burritos, add them in a single layer in the air fryer basket without touching. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway through or until crispy.
To toast burritos in a skillet:
Searing the burritos in a skillet also imparts a tantalizing crunch, especially if you use thin tortillas as suggested. You can use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a nonstick skillet. Add half of the burritos, seam side down and cook over medium heat, rotating the burritos until each side is golden and crunchy and the inside is warm and melted. Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat or the filling won’t be warmed by the time the tortilla is toasted.
To heat burritos in the oven:
Toasting the burritos in the oven is convenient because you can cook all of them at once. Top a baking sheet with an oven safe rack and add the burritos on top. The baking rack helps the Ground Beef Burritos crisp up on all sides, but if you don’t have a baking rack, then just preheat your baking sheet in the oven. Add the burritos to the rack and brush the tops and sides of the burritos with olive oil (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). You don’t have to add the oil, but it does enhance the flavor and crispiness. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Broil to desired crispiness, flip over and broil the other side until golden.
Tips for making ground beef burritos
Ground Beef Burritos are pretty straightforward to make, but there are a few important details to pay attention to:
Use large tortillas: Anything smaller than 10 inches is practically impossible to wrap successfully unless you use barely any filling.
Keep the tortillas warm: If they’re allowed to cool, then they can dry out and tear while folding.
Grate the cheese yourself: No matter what kind of cheese you use, make sure it is freshly grated by YOU! Pre-packaged cheeses are coated with anti-clumping chemicals which inhibit them from melting beautifully. Freshly grated cheese is much more flavorful, creamier and melts more easily.
Shortcuts: For the guacamole, use store-bought or simply season mashed avocados with lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder. For the rice, use your rice cooker to make the Cilantro Lime Rice or simply season any plain rice with lime juice, salt, pepper and cilantro if you have it. You can even use microwave rice packets.
Don’t use wet ingredients for meal prep: If you are making the burritos to meal prep or freeze, avoid wet ingredients like tomatoes or vegetables in the filling. Avoid lettuce which will become soggy. You can, however, use cabbage instead.
Drain some of the grease. You may wish to drain some of the grease after browning the beef, but I would leave some for flavor.
Don’t use piping hot beef: Let the beef filling cool for a few minutes before adding to the burritos. If you fill the burritos with steaming meat, it will make the burritos soggy.
Don’t overstuff your burritos: It’s super tempting to overstuff a burrito, but this is the biggest pitfall for a burrito falling apart. If you overstuff the burrito, there isn’t enough tortilla to wrap all around. Only about a fourth of the tortilla’s surface area should be covered with filling.
For a crowd: Have a burrito party with a big topping bar. Serve with bowls of shredded lettuce, fresh chopped tomatoes. sliced limes, a variety of salsas, hot sauce and a big bowl of fresh homemade guacamole and chipotle sauce.
WHAT dipping sauces for burriTos?
The goal of this burrito recipe was to strike the perfect balance; to create burritos saucy enough that the filling wasn’t dry, but not too saucy or the tortillas would be soggy. Mission accomplished. That being said, that means these burritos aren’t overly saucy – and I am always one for extra sauce. Here are a few ideas:
- Chipotle Sauce AKA MY FAVORITE: This is by far my favorite sauce for dipping burritos because of its explosively flavorful, creamy, spicy, smoky, zesty addictive nature! It’s made with the intoxicating symphony of chipotle peppers in adobo, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, sour cream and mayonnaise (or sub-Greek yogurt). My addiction started at Rubio’s where I always ordered an extra side of sauce and then it came home with me once I realized how easy it was to make – just 5 minutes in your food processor with zero chopping!
- Sour Cream: If you’re looking for an easy option without heat, plain sour cream will do the trick with its tangy, silky creaminess. If you are trying to save some calories, you may use plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Avocado Crema: This tangy, refreshing crema is another addiction of mine and perfect for those who love avocados – and even those who don’t! Avocado crema is a marriage of avocados, sour cream and lime juice, is wonderfully silky, tangy and just takes minutes in your blender.
- Guacamole: Use any leftover guacamole from the filling for dipping.
- Salsa Verde Sour Cream: It’s easy to jazz up sour cream by adding ¼ cup salsa verde to 1 cup sour cream along with 1 tablespoon lime juice and either cayenne pepper or chipotle powder to taste
- Sriracha Sour Cream: Spice up your sour cream by mixing it with some of your favorite hot sauce.
- Salsa Sour Cream: Combine ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup salsa, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and hot sauce to taste.
- Avocado Ranch: This sensational dressing is spiked with tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime and smoked paprika to create a creamy ranch with a Mexican flair. It’s positively addicting!
- Cilantro Lime Dressing: Similar to the Avocado Ranch made with tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime and smoked paprika to create a luscious dressing packed with irresistible tangy, punchy flavor.
what to do with leftovers?
Use this recipe as a springboard to make wet burritos, tacos, nachos, etc.! Here are a few ideas:
- Wet beef burritos: Place burritos on lightly greased, foil lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops and sides with olive oil (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden then remove from the oven. Fold the sides of the foil up around the burritos (to keep the sauce from escaping) and evenly pour enchilada sauce over burritos then evenly top with one cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Soft burritos: Swap the burrito tortillas for taco size flour or corn tortillas to make soft tacos instead. Top additional toppings such as Cotija cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, pico de gallo, black bean corn salsa, avocado corn salsa, etc.
- Baked Hard Tacos: Line stand-up taco shells in a 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle some cheese on the bottom of each taco shell and bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes (baking crisps up the shells and the cheese prevents the shell from becoming soggy). Add the rice, beans, beef then top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Top with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, etc.
- Go low carb: Swap the tortilla for bib lettuce to make lettuce wraps instead.
- Make a burrito bowl: Skip the tortillas and instead pile the ingredients together to make burrito bowls.
- Make nachos: Top sturdy tortilla chips with your filling leftovers! Add chips, ground beef, beans and cheese to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted, then pile with fresh toppings.
- Make a salad: Swap the tortillas for crunchy Romaine lettuce and pile on the burrito fillings along with cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, sunflower seeds and tortilla strips or crushed chips. Serve with watered down chipotle sauce, Cilantro Lime Dressing or Avocado ranch.
- Quesadillas: Layer the leftovers inside quesadillas the toast to perfection the serve with additional guacamole and sour cream and salsa.
how to meal prep
If you want to make this burrito recipe ahead, you have two options:
Option 1: Prep Ingredients Now, Assemble Later:
Ground Beef: Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stove, stirring in a splash of water if needed to moisten.
Toppings: Prep all of the toppings up to 2 days ahead of time. The guacamole will keep well for up to a day without changing color very much – just make sure to store in the refrigerator with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation.
Option 2: Assemble Burritos Now, Heat Later:
Completely assemble the burritos but don’t toast. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil so the tortillas don’t dry out; refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to enjoy, follow the toasting instructions in the recipe.
HOW LONG are burritos good for?
These Ground Beef Burritos will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend wrapping the burritos in foil to hold them securely together, then, you can easily reheat together or individually in the air fryer or oven.
HOW TO REHEAT BURRITOS
You have a few options when it comes to reheating burritos. The air fryer is my favorite method because it restores the burritos to their former crunchy glory, but the oven is super convenient if reheating more than a few. The following is for reheating TOASTED burritos. If your burritos are not toasted, then follow the toasting instructions in the recipe.
- To air fry an already toasted burrito: Keep the burrito in foil and air fry at 400 degrees for 6 minutes (it burns if not in foil). Remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until crispy and warmed through, flipping halfway through.
- To reheat an already toasted burrito in the oven: Place individually foil wrapped burritos on a baking rack placed over a baking tray. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Unwrap the burritos and continue to bake for 5- 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Stove top: Leave the burritos in the foil and heat over medium heat in dry pan for 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the foil and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes or until crispy and warmed through.
- Microwave: The microwave is my last choice because it won’t crisp up the tortilla. Still, it is the quickest method when you need a quick fix. To reheat, remove the burrito from foil, and microwave for 1-2 minutes, flipping halfway, until warmed through. Crisp up in a dry skillet if desired.
How to Freeze Burritos
For meal prep, freeze un-toasted burritos. I recommend first wrapping the burritos in plastic wrap for an extra tight seal and protection against the tortilla drying out which can cause cracking and tearing. After you wrap the burritos, place them in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the burritos overnight in the freezer and toast per recipe instructions.
TOP COOK FROM FROZEN:
Microwave: Remove burritos from wrapping and thaw using the defrost setting. Once thawed, crisp up the burritos in the air fryer, pan or oven for a couple minutes.
Bake: Remove plastic wrap, wrap burritos in foil and bake on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until thawed, remove foil, then continue to bake until toasted and completely warmed though, another 15-20 minutes.
What should I serve with Burritos?
This Beef Burrito recipe is almost a complete meal-in-one with protein, grains, veggies and carbs, so feel free to go simple with a green salad, roasted veggies or fruit. Here are a few side serving ideas:
- Green Salad: Go as simple as a green salad and toss in some crushed tortilla chips along with tomatillo avocado ranch or cilantro lime dressing or go big with southwest salad or Mexican salad.
- Non-Green Salads: Esquites (Mexican street corn salad, Mexican pasta salad or corn salad with cilantro lime dressing are all favorites.
- Fruit: Keep it simple with your favorite fruit such as pineapple, cantaloupe, or grapes or amp it up with pina colada fruit salad or fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette.
- Veggies: grilled corn on the cob, Mexican street fries with salsa ketchup (technically a veggie 😉), roasted broccoli, or roasted cauliflower.
more burrito recipes to try
Smothered Chicken Burritos – MOST POPULAR RECIPE!
California Burritos
Customizable Wet Burritos
Beef, Bean and Cheese Burritos
Breakfast Burritos
Chili Lime Chicken Burrito Bowls
Chipotle Lime Shrimp Burrito Bowls
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Beef Burritos
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Ingredients
BEEF
- 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tsp EACH ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried oregano, salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp powder)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
BURRITOS
- 6-8 burritos size flour tortillas (10-12 inch)
- 2 cups Cilantro Lime Rice or plain rice seasoned with lime, salt and pepper*
- 2 cups black beans or pinto beans rinsed, drained
- 1 recipe chipotle sauce (or sour cream or Greek yogurt)
- guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp or Monterrey Jack cheese
Instructions
- If baking: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add a baking rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Cook Beef
- Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook while crumbling. When the beef is almost browned, drain off some of the excess grease.
- Add the seasonings, garlic, salsa and green chilies and continue to cook until beef is completely cooked through. Taste and season with additional cayenne pepper if desired; set aside to slightly cool.
Layer and Roll Tortillas
- Warm tortillas (cold tortillas are more likely to tear): Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds or until warm or toss each tortilla in a hot skillet for about 15 seconds each. Keep the tortillas warm before layering.
- For 10-inch tortillas: Layer each tortilla with: ¼ cup rice, ¼ cup black beans, 1 ½ tablespoons chipotle sauce or sour cream, 1 ½ tablespoons guacamole, ⅓ cup ground beef, and 2 tablespoons cheese down the center of the tortilla (feel free to increase sauce, guac and cheese). (You do NOT need to cook uncooked tortillas first if using.)
- For 12-inch tortillas: Layer each tortilla with: ⅓ cup rice, ⅓ cup black beans, 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce or sour cream, 2 tablespoons guacamole, ½ cup ground beef, and 3 tablespoons cheese down the center of the tortilla (feel free to increase sauce, guac and cheese). (You do NOT need to cook uncooked tortillas first if using.)
- Roll up tortillas burrito style by folding in the edges next to the filling, folding up the bottom over the filling, then tightly rolling from the bottom, squeezing in any escaping filling as you roll. Place seam side down.
- If meal prepping, tightly wrap burritos in foil at this time before toasting and either refrigerate or freeze (see Notes).
TO TOAST
- To toast in the skillet: Heat cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium heat, medium-low if your skillet runs hot so the cheese has time to melt. Working in batches, add burritos and toast, rotating as each sides turns golden.
- To bake: Place burritos on prepared baking rack and lightly brush tops and sides with olive oil (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Broil each side if desired for extra crispiness.
- To air fry: Working in batches, line burritos in the air fryer basket without touching. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway through.
SERVE
- Serve burritos with extra chipotle sauce, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and hot sauce.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Ground Turkey: Make an equal swap for ground turkey or chicken. If you want to add that coveted beefy flavor, omit the salt in the filling and instead add to 2 teaspoons granulated beef bouillon (just crumble and add, don’t dissolve in water first) and then salt to taste – you will be amazed!
- More Beef Variations: Swap the beef for anything you’d like such as Mexican Shredded Beef, Beef Barbacoa, Beef Birria, Carne Asada, Carnitas (Crockpot), Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork, Crockpot Shredded Mexican Chicken, Shortcut Mexican Shredded Chicken, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Chipotle Chicken or Chili lime chicken.
- Tortillas: Use thin, and tender tortillas often found in the bakery section or uncooked tortillas found in the refrigerated section.
- Shortcut Rice: Throw Cilantro Lime Rice ingredients in your rice cooker (see Rice Cooker instructions in that recipe card) or season already cooked rice (including microwave rice packets) with salt, pepper, garlic powder, lime juice and cilantro if you have it.
- Shortcut Guacamole: For ultimate ease, pick some up from the deli section of your grocery store or season smashed avocados with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and lime juice.
- Chipotle Sauce AKA MY FAVORITE: This one ingredient will elevate your burritos to heights you never dreamt possible. It’s creamy smoky, spicy and takes just 5 minutes to whip up without any chopping and can be made one week ahead of time and stored in the fridge. I use it in the burrito filling as well as slathered on every bite – I can’t get enough!
- Filling Variations: Mix it up with corn, lettuce, pickled red onions, jalapenos, etc. Avoid wet ingredients like tomatoes if making for meal prep or freezing.
- To Make Wet Beef Burritos: Place burritos on lightly greased, foil lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops and sides with olive oil (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden then remove from the oven. Fold the sides of the foil up around the burritos (to keep the sauce from escaping) and evenly pour enchilada sauce over burritos then evenly top with one cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Meal Prep
- Option 1: Make the beef filling and prep the toppings and store in airtight containers in the fridge. Warm the beef before assembling and toasting the burritos.
- Option 2: Completely assemble the burritos but don’t toast. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil so the tortillas don’t dry out; refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to enjoy, follow the toasting instructions in the recipe.
How to STORE AND Reheat
- Storage: I recommend wrapping the burritos in foil to hold them securely together, then, you can easily reheat together or individually in the air fryer or oven. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To air fry an already toasted burrito: Keep the burrito in foil and air fry at 400 degrees for 6 minutes (it burns if not in foil). Remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until crispy and warmed through, flipping halfway through.
- To reheat an already toasted burrito in the oven: Place individually foil wrapped burritos on a baking rack placed over a baking tray. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Unwrap the burritos and continue to bake for 5- 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Stove top: Leave the burritos in the foil and heat over medium heat in dry pan for 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the foil and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes or until crispy and warmed through.
- Microwave: The microwave is my last choice because it won’t crisp up the tortilla. Still, it is the quickest method when you need a quick fix. To reheat, remove the burrito from foil, and microwave for 1-2 minutes, flipping halfway, until warmed through. Crisp up in a dry skillet if desired.
How to freeze
For meal prep, freeze un-toasted burritos. Wrap the burritos in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the burritos overnight in the freezer and toast per recipe instructions or to cook from frozen:- Microwave: Remove burritos from wrapping and thaw using the defrost setting. Once thawed, crisp up the burritos in the air fryer, pan or oven for a couple minutes.
- Bake: Remove plastic wrap, wrap burritos in foil and bake on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until thawed, remove foil, then continue to bake until toasted and completely warmed though, another 15-20 minutes.
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Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
MG SHEPHERD says
I really like the new graphics you are using, The question marks and other symbols make it much simpler to find the section I am seeking,
Jen says
Thank you so much, they have been on my wish list for quite some time too!
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this and your other burritos can i use mushrooms and vegan cheese i never had beef burritos before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Jen says
If you’ve never had a burrito before you are in for an extra treat – so excited for you to try them!
Salesha says
We made this last night and it was so yummy!! The recipe is fairly simple especially if you’re using premade guac. I’m looking forward to leftovers tonight!
Jen says
That is awesome you made them already Salesha! I’m so pleased they were a hit!
Erica says
Made these tonight and my 17 year old son could not stop raving. “These burritos are fire!” “Mom, these are so good.” “I can’t believe I just ate 4 of those. I couldn’t stop.” Truly delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Jen says
Yesssss! Four burritos says it all – thanks so much Erica!
Erinn says
Wow another home run on this recipe. Our kids loved these and the man of the house says I can put this on the menu list. He then asks is this from ‘that lady’s’ website? Usually if a new meal turns out great, then that question is asked and followed up always with a ‘yes’. It’s always a hit for mom when the meal is husband and kids approved. This meal I also loved not only because it’s easy to make quickly (I prepare the meat, rice etc before so when it’s meal time, it comes to gether quickly ) but can easily,, delicously incorporate vegetables ( lettuce, quac etc)! We recommend this meal to all food lovers
Jen says
Thanks Erinn, I’m so pleased this was a hit with the entire fam! I’m honored to be known as the “that lady” at your house -that’s the best!
Melissa says
I made the beef burritos and chipotle sauce. It was sooo good and flavorful. I made it Chipotle sauce instead of whole. Added a couple of tsps. Just the right amount of heat. I could eat the sauce with a spoon.
Jen says
Thanks Melissa, I’m so pleased you loved them! And I agree, the chipotle sauce is everything!
Barb says
I have made these twice now and I really like them. I have never made burritos I liked until these. Thanks for recipe.
Jen says
You’re so welcome! I love hearing they’re on repeat!
Samantha fritz says
These were awesome ! The meat itself was so good ! Seasoning was spot on ! This is one many recipes of yours that will be in normal rotation !
Jen says
I’m so pleased this recipe will be on repeat, thanks so much!
Sheila says
These were so delicious! And the chipotle sauce took them over the top. We all devoured them. Thank you so much!
Jen says
Thank you, Sheila! I am so happy this was such a hit! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Brenda says
Delicious! Very long process by the time you make the taco meat, rice and sauce , so definitely not a weeknight meal . 2nd time making this and each time got the wows and yummy taste just like a Mexican restaurant meal. I had leftover taco meat and rice so I just added them together to make a side dish. Took me about an hour and a half start to finish but well worth it.
Jen says
Thank you so much, Brenda! I am so happy this was worth the effort! I hope you have a wonderful week and find more recipes to enjoy!
Claire says
I really liked these burritos! My family thought they were delicious. I added more salt and put garlic powder on the beef in addition to the garlic, because I think we might have a garlic addiction lol and added shredded lettuce for a little crunch. These were really good. Thank you
Jen says
Thank you so much, Claire! I am so happy you enjoyed these burritos! 🙂 Garlic addiction is real!
Dawn says
My husband who lived in New Mexico for a bit said these burritos reminded him of the burritos there. Froze some for lunches and still delicious. Thanks for creating the best recipes.
Jen says
So happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Tina Ross says
Hi Jenn,
My twin sister and I are big fans. You have taught us so much about cooking. She recently got diagnosed with cancer. But it’s been our dream to meet you someday. We just got your book. We would like you to sign it some day.
Jen says
Oh Tina, I am so sorry to hear of her diagnosis! I’m going to send you an email- let me know if you don’t receive it. xoxox