Beef Burrito with Rice and Beans (Printable)
Seasoned ground beef, fluffy rice, creamy beans, and melted cheese wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Perfect for weeknight dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 1/3 cup beef broth or water
→ Rice
13 - 3/4 cup long grain rice
14 - 1 1/4 cups water
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Beans
16 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
19 - Pinch of salt
→ Assembly
20 - 4 large flour tortillas (10 inches)
21 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
22 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce (optional)
23 - 1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
24 - 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
25 - Salsa, to serve (optional)
# Directions:
01 - In a saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and beef broth; simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine black beans with cumin, chili powder, and salt. Heat gently for 3-4 minutes, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon for creaminess.
05 - Warm flour tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave for a few seconds. Place a quarter of the rice, beans, beef mixture, and cheese in the center of each tortilla. Add lettuce, tomato, and sour cream if desired.
06 - Fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Serve immediately with salsa on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The technique of slightly mashing some beans creates this incredible creamy texture that holds everything together without making the burrito soggy.
- Ive found that layering ingredients in the right order actually creates these amazing flavor pockets where you get different taste experiences with each bite.
02 -
- Draining excess fat after browning the beef is critical, otherwise youll end up with a soggy, greasy mess that falls apart on first bite.
- Warming the tortillas isnt optional, its essential; I once skipped this step and ended up with cracked, leaking burritos that fell apart mid-meal.
03 -
- If you have leftover filling components, layer them with tortilla chips, cheese, and salsa in a baking dish for an incredible next-day burrito casserole.
- For meal prep, wrap assembled burritos individually in parchment then foil before freezing; they reheat perfectly in about 45 minutes in a 350°F oven without unwrapping.