Easy and Delicious Authentic Mexican Beef Burrito Recipe For a Perfect Weeknight Family Meal
Mexican Beef Burrito is a delightful and hearty dish made with a flour tortilla wrapped around seasoned beef, rice, beans, cheese, salsa, and sour cream.
The best way to serve this comfort food is alongside Mango Pico de Gallo - Fresh Mango Salsa to create a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy.
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Why This Recipe Works
Authentic Mexican Burrito recipe is a great choice for a hectic weeknight meal, freezer-friendly, and highly customizable with your choice of ingredients.
If you prefer not to freeze them, leftovers are excellent for a packed lunch or a picnic.
These oh-so-delicious beef burritos come fully loaded with a variety of components, making it easy to pair them with simple and delicious side dishes.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Ground beef - I opt for ground beef with a 15% fat content and skip the olive oil. Alternatively, you can also use shredded beef if you have any leftovers to use up.
- Onions - You have the option to use white, yellow, or brown onion to enhance the flavor of the beef filling.
- Tortillas - A flour tortilla is an excellent choice because of its flexibility, making it easier to wrap around all the delicious fillings in a burrito. Warm them up slightly for a few seconds before using them to make rolling easier. Try my Homemade Wheat Tortilla Bread recipe for a homemade version.
- Beans - Canned red kidney beans, black beans, refried beans, or pinto beans are great alternatives for these Mexican beef burritos.
- Seasoning - I use salt, cumin, smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and red chili flakes, but you can use your own favorite taco seasoning blend.
- Cheese - You can opt for shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, or any of your favorite melty cheeses.
- Sour cream - Whether full-fat or reduced-fat, sour cream brings a creamy texture and tangy flavor, so it's a crucial addition. If needed, you can substitute it with plain natural yogurt.
- Chipotle salsa - It provides the authentic Mexican flavor we are after! You can find it in specialty grocery stores, buy it online from Amazon, or make your own.
How to Make Authentic Mexican Beef Burrito Recipe?
Making these hearty and delicious Beef Burritos is very easy and straightforward.
However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:
Prepare the Beef Filling
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook until it is browned and thoroughly cooked. Break it apart using a spatula.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté until it becomes translucent.
Season the beef with chopped garlic, salt, cumin powder, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and chili flakes.
Mix well and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Burritos
Warm the wheat tortillas slightly for a few seconds to make rolling easier.
Place a large tortilla on a clean surface and add a dollop of sour cream in the center.
Add a portion of the seasoned ground beef, followed by chipotle salsa and cooked beans.
Top with a layer of grated cheddar cheese, and chopped fresh coriander, ensuring not to overload.
Fold the sides of the tortilla inward over the filling, then roll it tightly from the bottom to form a burrito and wrap it in foil.
Repeat the process for the remaining tortillas.
You can serve them as they are or heat them up in a preheated oven at 180℃ (356 ℉) for 20 - 25 minutes.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Opt for ground beef with a 15% fat content for a flavorful and juicy filling, and skip the olive oil, as it will release enough fat to sauté the onions.
- If you have leftover shredded beef, it's a fantastic substitute for ground beef, adding a different texture to your burrito.
- Warm the large flour tortillas for a few seconds before using them to make them more pliable.
- While my recipe uses a mix of salt, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and chili flakes, feel free to use your favorite taco seasoning blend.
- Roll the burritos tightly, ensuring the sides are tucked in as you go to avoid any filling from spilling out.
- If you're not freezing the leftovers, they make a convenient and delicious option for packed lunches or picnics.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow the burritos to cool to room temperature before storing.
If not already wrapped in tin foil, wrap them in cling film and place them in an airtight container.
Store them refrigerated for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To warm them up, remove the cling film, wrap the burritos in tin foil, and place them on a baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are thoroughly heated.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican beef burritos pair well with a choice of delicious side dishes or condiments such as guacamole, exsour cream, Mango Pico de Gallo - Fresh Mango Salsa, and crispy tortilla chips for dipping into guacamole or salsa.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute ground beef with ground chicken, turkey, or even plant-based alternatives for a different flavor.
Certainly! Feel free to add your favorite toppings like diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce or green onions, crushed avocado, or sliced jalapeños.
Tacos are typically smaller, with a soft or hard shell, while burritos are larger and wrapped in a flour tortilla, often filled with rice and beans.
Yes, you can use corn tortillas, but flour tortillas are recommended for their flexibility in wrapping.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Mexican-inspired recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making these Authentic Mexican Beef Burritos as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Authentic Mexican Beef Burrito Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Filling
- 600 g ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes or powder
To Build Your Burritos
- 6 large wheat tortillas
- 150 g cheddar cheese (grated)
- 150 g sour cream
- 240 g red kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans (cooked)
- 300 g chipotle salsa
- 2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
Instructions
Preparing the Beef Filling
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook until it is browned and thoroughly cooked. Break it apart using a spatula
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté until it becomes translucent.
- Season the beef with chopped garlic, salt, cumin powder, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and chili flakes.
- Mix well and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assembling the Burritos
- Warm the wheat tortillas slightly for a few seconds to make rolling easier.
- Place a large tortilla on a clean surface and add a dollop of sour cream in the center.
- Add a portion of the seasoned ground beef, followed by cooked beans, a layer of grated cheddar cheese, chipotle salsa, and chopped fresh coriander, ensuring not to overload.
- Fold the sides of the tortilla inward over the filling, then roll it tightly from the bottom to form a burrito and wrap in foil.
- Repeat the process for the remaining tortillas.
- You can serve them as they are or heat them up in a preheated oven at 180℃ (356 ℉) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes
- Opt for ground beef with a 15% fat content for a flavorful and juicy filling, and skip the olive oil, as it will release enough fat to sauté the onions.
- If you have leftover shredded beef, it's a fantastic substitute for ground beef, adding a different texture to your burrito.
- Warm the large flour tortillas for a few seconds before using them to make them more pliable.
- While my recipe uses a mix of salt, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and chili flakes, feel free to use your favorite taco seasoning blend.
- Roll the burritos tightly, ensuring the sides are tucked in as you go to avoid any filling from spilling out.
- If you're not freezing the leftovers, they make a convenient and delicious option for packed lunches or picnics.
Sally Lewis
That was such an easy recipe and tasted so delicious. Thumbs up from everyone!
Riley
i love it!!!
Ayla Clulee
Thank you so much, Riley!