This homemade Beef Burrito recipe is filled with saucy beef, beans, melty cheese, and all your favorite toppings. Mexican burritos are a favorite in our house (the kids love them!) and are great for meal prep. Watch the burrito video tutorial to see how easy it is to make restaurant-quality burritos.
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We love Mexican-inspired recipes from Ceviche to Chicken Fajitas, and don’t forget the Flan for dessert. If you are a fan of Mexican food, add this easy Beef Burrito recipe to your must-try list!
Beef Burritos Video Tutorial
Watch me show you how to make and expertly wrap Burritos. You will be surprised at how easy they are to make, and the flavors will rival your favorite Mexican restaurant. Best of all, you’ll get to say, “I made that!” Move over, Taco Tuesday… We’re making Burritos tonight!
Burrito Recipe
In our house, we are big fans of Mexican food, but I especially love it when it’s made at home. Being able to control the ingredients and adjust the spice level makes all the difference—and homemade burritos often feel lighter, fresher, and more authentic than what you’d get at a restaurant.
There’s hardly any prep involved, and the results are absolutely worth it. You can make the beef ahead and assemble the burritos when you’re ready to eat, make a burrito platter for a Cinco de Mayo party, or even wrap and freeze them for future meals.
Ingredients for Beef Burritos
- Ground beef – I prefer 85/15 lean ground beef for the perfect balance of flavor and richness.
- Onion – Finely chop a medium yellow onion.
- Rotel tomatoes – We use 1 can of original diced tomatoes with green chilies, including the juice, for extra flavor and moisture.
- Spices – Cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. You could substitute Taco Seasoning, adding it to taste.
- Beans – You’ll need a can of black beans or a tri-bean blend, including the liquid.
- Tortillas – Use large Flour tortillas (10-inch or larger). Flour tortillas work best for burritos as they’re more pliable for rolling than corn tortillas, but you can substitute with your favorite grain-free tortilla to make gluten-free burritos.
- Cheese – We use a mixture of mozzarella and medium cheddar. You can use a shredded Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or a spicier Pepper Jack cheese.
Burrito Variations
You can customize your burritos with a variety of fillings:
- Corn, canned (drained), or freshly corn on the cob
- Cilantro
- White Rice or Brown Rice
- Sautéed bell peppers
- Diced jalapenos – for spicier burritos
- Avocado (avoid if freezing burritos)
How to Make Burritos
- Cook the Beef – Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to skim off and discard most of the excess fat, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add Seasonings – Add the onion, cumin, paprika, and chili powder, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the beef is nicely browned, 3-4 more minutes.
- Add Tomatoes and Beans – Stir in the Rotel tomatoes and beans, including their juices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the liquid mostly evaporates, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- How to Fold a Burrito – Place the tortillas on a clean work surface. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the center of each tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Spoon about 2/3 cup of the meat mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling, then fold up the bottom edge tightly over the filling, tucking it in as you go. Fold in the corners and roll tightly away from you until the burrito is fully sealed. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Heat Your Burritos – When ready to cook, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the burrito seam-side down and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and sauces.
Toppings for Burritos
The topping possibilities for a burrito bar are just as endless! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Lime juice
- Avocado Ranch
- Jalapeno Ranch
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Pico de Gallo
- Homemade Salsa
- Lettuce (on the side)
What to Serve with Burritos
Wondering what to serve with burritos? If you are building a Mexican-themed menu, here are some tasty sides that will take your burrito night to the next level:
Make-Ahead
When making burritos ahead, let them cool completely to room temperature before storing. It’s best to store them before sauteeing on a skillet.
- To Refrigerate: Wrap each burrito tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and transfer to an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze Burritos: Wrap burritos in parchment paper or foil and transfer to a freezer zip-top bag to prevent freezer burn. Freeze up to 3 months.
- To Thaw: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. To quick-thaw: remove foil and wrap in a damp paper towel, then microwave on 50% power for 1-2 minutes per side.
- To Reheat: Place thawed burrito on a skillet per the recipe instructions.
Whip up a batch of these Beef Burritos, and enjoy all the delicious flavors of your favorite Mexican restaurant right at home—easy, delicious, and perfect for any night of the week!
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
If you love this Beef Burrito recipe, check out these other ground beef recipe favorites you won’t want to miss.
- Beef Tacos
- Meatball Parmesan Casserole
- Meatloaf (reader favorite)
- Perfect Hamburgers
- Lasagna
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Slow Cooker Chili
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
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Beef Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, lean 85/15
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 10 oz can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis, with their juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp chili powder, or added to taste*
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or added to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, or added to taste
- 15 oz can black beans, with their juice (or tri-bean blend with juice)
- 6, 10-inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups (8oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend, or equal parts mozzarella and medium cheddar
Instructions
- Cook the Beef – Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to skim off and discard most of the excess fat, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add Seasonings – Add the onion, cumin, paprika, and chili powder, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the beef is nicely browned, 3-4 more minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes and beans, including their juices. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the liquid has evaporated (about 8-10 minutes). Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- How to Fold Burritos: Place the tortillas on a clean work surface. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the center of each tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Spoon about 2/3 cup of the meat mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling, then fold up the bottom edge tightly over the filling, tucking it in as you go. Fold in the corners and roll tightly away from you until the burrito is fully sealed. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Heating Burritos: When ready to cook, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the burrito seam-side down and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and sauces.*
Notes
- Sour cream, Hot sauce, Lime juice
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Pico de Gallo or Homemade Salsa
- Lettuce (on the side)
- Avocado Ranch or Jalapeno Ranch
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Husband said good and tasty! And I agree! Very filling! I used beef, going to make another batch with pork and freeze them.
Delish! Fresh mozzarella and cheddar made it so creamy. Yum
I have made them and they are excellent
Do you think if i made it with chicken next time that it would be good?
Hi Maureen! I’m glad you loved the recipe. Yes, you can use chicken too.
I made this tonight and we loved it! I did use steak strips instead of the ground beef because it was on sale for a good price. Thank you for sharing this recipe 😊
You’re so welcome, Susan! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Made these manyyyyyy times!! Love it and so does my husband!!! Super tasty!! 100/10 recommend!!
perfect meal prep! working two jobs leaves me too drained to consistently cook and this was super easy and yummy! i doubled the amount of chili powder to add a little more spice to it which was perfect for me. 10/10!
Natasha, Once again your recipe is a winner. You haven’t let me down yet! I can always rely on your recipes to be easy to follow with great results.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Suzanne!
So very good! I especially appreciate being shown how to roll the tortillas to keep them closed (been struggling with that for years)!
I just love your blog! I have yet to come across one recipe that “fails”, which I have never experienced in my decades of cooking. I highly recommend this site to new cooks. With the videos showing how to cook the recipe, even beginners will have immediate “wins”. Thank you for all your hard work (& your families hard work)!
You’re very welcome, Deb! I’m so glad it’s been helpful.
I have made this recipe numerous times, and have shared the burritos with family and friends at work and their families. Everyone loves them. One of my friends at work requests them from me now, and when I do double batches, he gets a package of burritos. This is my “go to” recipe for burritos. You will not need to look further. This recipe fits the bill perfectly.
Excellent recipe. Thank you Natasha. I love your recipes. I made for my daughters
tonite and it was a great hit. This is on the favorite meal list. Thanks again. I look forward to your cooking. So yummy. I highly recommend trying this recipe if you haven’t. You won’t be sorry.
Haven’t made yet but definitely plan on doing so. Can these be baked on a sheet pan in the oven so more can be cooked at a time for a larger crowd of people? I was thinking maybe with a rack on the baking sheet to get crispy all over. What oven temperature would you suggest? Thank you!
Yes, you can bake these burritos on a sheet pan in the oven—using a wire rack. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes. Hope you love it!
Forgot to rate before I sent my review. Sorry.
These burritos are fantastic!! Even though we’ll have just two for dinner, I crisp up all six while the pan is hot. Four go into the freezer. To reheat once thawed, they go into the airfryer for 15 minutes. Nice colour, good crispness, and great cheese pull. Yummmm.
Have not made yet but it sounds perfect. I plan on making them tomorrow and my husband would like to make them WET burritos. What is your suggestion for that please?
Hi Linda! I’m not sure I understand the question but if you’re referring to what’s more commonly know as “smothered burritos” —you should try adding green sauce and cheese on top, then broil in the oven (or microwave) until the cheese it melted. Then top with your favorites such as salsa, sour cream, green onions, guacamole etc.
This is genuinely the best beef burrito recipe I’ve ever made! I only had a 14.5 oz can of regular diced tomatoes so since it was a bigger can I did drain them first and also I doubled the seasonings and added some red pepper flakes 😋 the amount you said to add to each burrito was perfect! 👌🏻 it made 7 burritos for me I think its bc i added the bigger can of tomatoes. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Can we replace the ground beef with steak?
Hi Daniela! Sure, that’d be fine. I hope you love the recipe!
Glad I found your website, I clicked on one of your recipes in YouTube it sent me to your recipes and I subscribed and looking forward to getting more recipes from you Everything looks great.
I made beef burritos and I am so proud of myself for now knowing how to wrap a burrito and also they were delicious and so easy to make Thankyou Natasha!!
These were great! I did use 90% beef and the store brand of Mexican style shredded cheese. We have had them as quesadillas, a burrito bowl, burritos and one went into the freezer to try that for next time. 😋
One of my favorites of your recipes. Made it with ground turkey this time and just as good!
That’s great to hear, Mike!