These cheesy ground beef burritos are a weeknight dinner hero. They come together quickly, are packed with flavor, and are perfect for making ahead!
I’m in my favorite season of life—when my boys devour everything I cook. I never got the “teen boys eat a lot” thing… until mine hit their growth spurt. Now, meals disappear in seconds and I’ve had to master bulk meal prep. This ground beef burrito recipe is on weekly repeat. I usually double it—six burritos just won’t cut it! My go-to hack? An assembly line. Total time-saver.
Many of you guys know that I worked at a Mexican restaurant during my high school days, and I love that I can now use those skills to feed my family. Just like restaurant cooking, meal prepping for two growing teenage boys is no joke!!
Ground Beef Burrito Video
How To Make Ground Beef Burritos
Making these burritos is a simple three-step process that you can master in no time. Here’s a quick overview of how it comes together:
- Make the ground beef filling: Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Add the taco seasoning and water, then simmer the mixture until it thickens.
- Cook the tortillas: Cook the tortillas on a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds per side, keeping them warm under a towel.
- Assemble and roll the burritos: Layer the warm tortilla with Mexican cheese, the beef filling, and cooked rice. Fold it up tightly, and it’s ready to eat.
Tips For the Best Ground Beef Burritos
My first job at a Tex-Mex restaurant taught me a ton about rolling burritos and getting the flavors right. To make the best ground beef burritos of your life, keep these seven tips in mind.
- Start with uncooked tortillas. Buying uncooked tortillas has been a game changer for me. I love how I can cook them fresh in minutes right before assembling these burritos, and they turn out so soft and tasty. I get mine from Costco, Walmart, or Whole Foods in the refrigerated or frozen section.
- Cook the rice ahead of time. To save prep work, make a big batch of basmati rice or cilantro lime rice the day before. Rice disappears quickly in our house with teen boys!
- Use your favorite cheese. The cheese is a huge part of the flavor here, so don’t be afraid to go off script. I love a good ol’ Mexican blend, but Monterey Jack, cheddar, and Oaxaca are also great options. Remember that freshly shredded cheese always tastes and melts better than the pre-shredded stuff.
- Make the taco seasoning yourself. Believe me, this makes a difference. I love having control over the spice levels and following this recipe.
- Avoid overstuffing. It’s tempting to stuff your burritos to the brim, but this is one of the most common mistakes that leads to hard-to-wrap, exploding burritos. Unless your rolling skill is at the level of a Chipotle employee, remember that less is more. You can always eat two!
- Get creative with the fillings. I personally prefer not to add veggies or sauces into the burritos because it can make them soggy, but feel free to add in sautéed peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, black beans, refried beans, or corn.
- Serve the burritos with a dipping sauce. This is the fun part! My favorites are sour cream, pineapple salsa, black bean and corn salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
Storage & Reheating
I’ve told you guys how meal prepping has been my life lately, and I can’t emphasize enough how perfect these beef burritos are to make ahead. They taste just as good when reheated, and my boys are crazy about them!
- Refrigerator: To store assembled burritos for up to three days, place them seam-side down in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freezer: To store assembled burritos for up to three months, wrap each burrito tightly in foil, then place them in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw the burritos in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: I love toasting the burritos right before serving in a panini press or in a hot skillet, but the microwave also works.
More Burrito Recipes
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Burrito — A classic combo… this is my most-repeated recipe every year!
- Breakfast Burrito — All the breakfast classics with the addition of sautéed mushrooms
- Crispy Chicken Burrito — Crispy tortilla shells stuffed with a creamy chicken filling
- Burrito Bowl — Don’t feel like rolling burritos? Add all your favorites into a bowl instead
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup Mexican cheese shredded
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 6 uncooked flour tortillas TortillaLand
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add the taco seasoning and water. Stir and simmer the mixture for 2–3 minutes until it has thickened.
- Cook the tortillas on a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds per side, keeping them warm under a towel.
- Sprinkle some cheese in the middle of each tortilla, then top with the ground beef mixture, rice, and any other fillings you want.
- Roll the tortillas into burritos, folding the sides in first. Warm the burritos whenever you're ready to eat, and enjoy!
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