Beef Burrito
Burritos fall apart for two reasons: too much filling and sides that were not folded in. The right order is filling on the bottom third, sides inwards, then a tight roll. The last step is a minute seam-down on a hot pan: the tortilla sets and holds itself together.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 620 kcal
Ingredients
The filling
To assemble
Makes: 4 burritos
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
-
Step 1: Brown the beef
Fry the mince over high heat for 6–7 minutes, breaking it up, until it colours. Do not rush it: mince stewing in its own juice stays grey and tasteless.
-
Step 2: Add onion and spices
Add the onion, garlic and spices and cook 4 minutes more, then stir in the tomato paste and cook a minute until it darkens.
-
Step 3: Reduce with the beans
Add the beans and water, season and simmer 8–10 minutes until nearly dry. The filling has to be thick: moisture is a burrito's enemy.
-
Step 4: Warm the tortillas
Twenty seconds a side in a dry pan. A warm tortilla folds; a cold one splits along the crease.
-
Step 5: Fill the bottom third
Lay rice, beef and beans, tomato, cheese and sour cream on the lower third, leaving 4 cm clear at each side. Two good spoons of each, no more — an overfilled burrito cannot be closed.
-
Step 6: Roll it tight
Fold the sides in, bring the bottom edge over the filling and roll firmly, pressing at every turn so no air is trapped inside.
-
Step 7: Seal it in the pan
Put the burrito seam down on a dry hot pan for 1–2 minutes, then colour the other side. The seam glues itself and the tortilla crisps.
Tips & variations
-
Tip
Hot rice and hot filling give off steam that softens the tortilla from within. Let them cool to warm and the burrito lasts much longer.
-
Tip
Seed the tomatoes: their juice is what makes a burrito soggy within five minutes.
-
Variation
Chicken burrito: marinated thighs instead of mince. Vegetarian: roasted squash and a double portion of beans.
-
Storage
Wrapped, they keep a day in the fridge and reheat well in a pan. For the freezer wrap in foil — up to a month, reheated 25 minutes at 180 °C.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 620 kcal | 2,480 kcal |
| Protein | 32 g | 128 g |
| Fat | 24 g | 96 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g | 272 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
Cooked it? Rate the recipe
No ratings yet — yours will be the first.
