Easy Beef Burritos {30 Minute Recipe} Recipe
These Easy Beef Burritos make a delicious and satisfying meal, perfect for busy weeknights. Ground beef is simmered with warming spices, onion, tomato puree, and beef stock to create a rich filling. Combined with flavorful Mexican-style rice, fresh salsa, black beans, and melted mozzarella cheese, then wrapped in warm tortillas, these burritos can be served as is or crisped up in the oven or pan-fried for extra texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Main Filling
- 2 tsp Sunflower oil
- 500 g Beef mince
- 1 Onion (peeled and chopped)
- 1 tsp Mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp Sweet smoked paprika
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Dark brown sugar
- 3 tbsp Tomato puree
- 1 Beef stock cube (undiluted and crumbled)
- 100 ml Boiling water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly
- 4 Large tortillas
- 250 g Microwaveable rice pouch (Mexican-flavored if possible)
- 200 g Fresh salsa (from the fridge section)
- 400 g Black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 125 g Grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat the sunflower oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the beef mince and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon until browned all over.
- Cook Onion and Spices: Add the chopped onion, mild chilli powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dark brown sugar to the pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes more until the onion softens and the spices become fragrant.
- Simmer the Filling: Stir in the tomato puree, crumbled beef stock cube, boiling water, and season with salt and pepper. Stir everything together, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it cook gently for 15 minutes. Check occasionally and add a splash more water if the mixture looks too dry.
- Prepare Rice and Warm Tortillas: While the meat simmers, heat the tortillas and microwave rice according to their package instructions.
- Assemble Burritos: Lay out the warmed tortillas, then evenly distribute the cooked rice, beef mixture, fresh salsa, rinsed black beans, and grated mozzarella cheese over each. Roll up each tortilla tightly to form burritos.
- Optional - Serve as Is: Serve the burritos immediately for a soft, warm filling experience.
- Optional - Oven Crisp: Wrap each burrito in foil and place in an oven preheated to 200℃ fan (220℃ conventional, Gas Mark 7, or 400°F). Bake for 10 minutes until the outside starts to crisp.
- Optional - Pan Fry: Heat 2 tsp sunflower oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Fry the burritos on all sides until golden and crispy, enhancing texture and flavor.
Notes
- You can adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the amount of chilli powder.
- If you prefer, substitute the beef mince with ground turkey or plant-based mince for a different variation.
- Use Mexican-flavored rice to boost authentic flavor, or plain rice if unavailable.
- Leftover burritos can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free tortillas.
- Adding some sour cream or guacamole as a topping can enhance the flavor and creaminess.
