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Chipotle Beef Burritos

Chipotle beef burritos with seasoned ground beef, black beans, and rice wrapped tightly in warm flour tortillas. Bursting with chipotle flavor, the beef is simmered, then layered with cheese and served with salsa roja for an easy handheld dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chipotle beef burrito filling
  • 1 lb ground beef or diced steak Use ground beef for fastest cooking; diced steak works as well.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 2.5 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced Use 2 for mild heat or 3 for more.
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup salsa roja For serving and drizzling.
  • 4 large flour tortillas
  • 0.25 sour cream For serving; optional.
  • 0.25 jalapeños For serving; optional.
  • 0.25 cilantro For serving; optional.
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the chipotle beef
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, until it looks glossy and translucent.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook 1 minute more. Stir constantly so the garlic smells fragrant without browning.
  3. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart as it cooks. Keep cooking until no pink remains, about 10 minutes for even crumbly texture.
  4. Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes to simmer and blend flavors, until the mixture looks thick and reddish-brown.
  5. Add the cooked black beans and cooked rice, stirring to combine. Cook until everything is hot and evenly coated, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Warm and fill the burritos
  1. Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet. Heat about 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and lightly blistered.
  2. Fill each tortilla with about 1 cup of the beef mixture. Spread the filling in a tight line so it rolls evenly.
  3. Top the filling with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Add enough to melt inside the burrito for a stretchy layer.
  4. Roll the burritos tightly, tucking in the sides. Press gently along the seam so they hold together.
  5. Serve immediately with additional salsa roja, sour cream, jalapeños, and cilantro. Drizzle so sauce can visibly seep down the sides as a glossy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the beef mixture relatively thick—if it looks loose, simmer 2–3 minutes longer so the burritos don’t get soggy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; rewarm filling in a skillet until hot and wrap in fresh warmed tortillas. Freezing is best for the filling only (up to 3 months); thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cheese and serve with extra salsa roja to keep flavor without as much fat.