Beef and Bean Burritos Salsa (Printable Version)
Savory burritos with seasoned beef, black beans, cheddar cheese, fresh salsa, and a touch of sour cream.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Beans
10 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1/2 cup water
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
14 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Assembly
15 - 4 large flour tortillas (10 inch)
16 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
17 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
18 - 1 large tomato, diced
19 - 1/2 cup sour cream
→ Salsa
20 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
21 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
22 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
23 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - 1 tbsp lime juice
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes then remove from heat.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine black beans, water, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt. Lightly mash the beans with a fork and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
03 - In a bowl, combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well to incorporate flavors.
04 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until flexible and warm.
05 - Place a quarter of the beans in the center of each tortilla. Top with a quarter of the beef filling, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and a spoonful of salsa. Add a dollop of sour cream. Fold in the sides and roll each burrito tightly.
06 - Serve immediately with additional salsa and sour cream as desired.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can actually feed yourself a real dinner on a busy night.
- The beef filling is forgiving and tastes better the more seasoning you add, so there's room to make it your own.
- Warm tortillas with melted cheese and fresh salsa feel luxurious but require zero fancy techniques.
02 -
- Cold tortillas will tear when you try to fold them, so warming them is not optional; this single step determines whether your burrito holds together or falls apart.
- Don't drain the bean liquid completely before cooking; that starch helps them thicken and bind instead of staying separate and watery.
- Overfilling is the most common mistake and leads to torn tortillas and messy eating; a quarter of each filling per burrito is actually plenty.
03 -
- If your tortillas are still splitting when you fold them, microwave them wrapped in a damp paper towel for 45 seconds instead of just 30; the steam really does change everything.
- Toast your cumin and chili powder in the skillet for 30 seconds before adding them to the beef; it wakes up the flavors and makes the whole dish taste more intentional.