Beef Burritos with Rice (Printable version)
Savor a filling Tex-Mex dish with seasoned beef, rice, beans, and melted cheese wrapped in tortillas.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/4 cup tomato sauce
12 - 2 tbsp water
→ Rice
13 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
14 - 2 cups water
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Beans
16 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
17 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
18 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
19 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Assembly
20 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
21 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
22 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
23 - 1 medium tomato, diced
24 - 1/2 cup sour cream
25 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Bring water and salt to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add tomato sauce and water; simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
03 - Combine black beans, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
04 - Warm tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20-30 seconds per side or microwave covered with a damp towel for 30 seconds.
05 - Lay each tortilla flat. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of rice, 1/4 cup of beans, and 1/4 of the beef mixture down the center. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and optional cilantro.
06 - Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll up tightly. Serve immediately.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in under an hour, and most of it happens at the same time so you're not stuck waiting around.
- You can build each burrito exactly how you like it, piling on cheese or going light on the sour cream without anyone complaining.
- The leftovers heat up beautifully the next day, sometimes tasting even better after the flavors have had time to settle in together.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the beef if there's excess fat, or the filling will turn greasy and soak through the tortilla before you even finish rolling it.
- Warming the tortillas is not optional, cold tortillas crack and tear the moment you try to fold them, and it ruins the whole thing.
- Let the beef simmer with the tomato sauce for a few minutes so the liquid reduces slightly and clings to the meat instead of pooling at the bottom of your burrito.
03 -
- Layer the cheese directly onto the warm beef so it starts melting right away, creating little pockets of gooey richness throughout the burrito.
- Don't overfill the tortilla or it won't roll properly, a generous but controlled amount of filling is what keeps everything tidy and easy to eat.
- If you're making these for a crowd, set up a burrito bar with all the toppings in bowls so everyone can build their own exactly how they like it.