How to Make Burrito at Home? Best Burrito Recipe

Burrito Types:

• Authentic Mexican burritos are usually small and thin, with flour tortillas containing only one or two of several ingredients: either some form of meat or fish, potato, rice, beans, asadero cheese, chile rajas, or chile relleno. Other ingredients may include barbacoa, mole, refried beans and cheese (a "bean and cheese" burrito), or deshebrada (shredded slow-cooked flank steak). The desperado burrito has a variation with chile colorado (mild to moderately hot) and one with salsa verde (very hot). The Mexican burrito may be a northern variation of the traditional taco de Canasta, which is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• San Francisco. The origins of the Mission burrito or Mission-style burrito can be traced back to San Francisco, in the Mission District taquer as of the 1960s and 1970s. This type of burrito is produced on a steam table assembly line, and is characterized by a large stuffed flour tortilla wrapped in aluminum foil, and may include fillings such as carne asada (beef), Mexican-style rice, whole beans (not refritos), sour cream and onion.
• San Diego. San Diego-style burritos include "California burritos" and carne asada burritos. The style has been described by food writers as an "austere meal of meat, cheese, and salsa", a contrast to the Mission-style burrito, which is typically larger and always contains more ingredients. A significant subgroup of Mexican restaurants in San Diego serves burritos described as "no-frills" and, in contrast to Mission-style burritos, the assembly line is not used.
• Los Angeles also has several unique local burrito varieties. The first is the most traditional and is exemplified by the versions at Mexican-American restaurants such as Al & Bea's, Lupe's #2, and Burrito King. These restaurants have often been in existence for decades, and they offer a distinctly Americanized menu compared with the typical taqueria. The burrito of L.A. itself can take multiple forms but is almost always dominated by some combination of refried beans, meat (often stewed beef or chili), and cheese (usually cheddar), with rice and other ingredients typical of Mission burritos offered as add-ons, if at all.

The most basic version of this burrito consists of only beans and cheese; beyond this, there are the "green chile" and "red chile" burritos, which may simply mean the addition of chiles or a meatless chile sauce to the plain beans (as at Al & Bea's), or meat and/or cheese as well. Rice, again, is rarely included, which, along with the choice of chiles, is one of the style's most defining traits. The menu will then usually go on to list multiple other combinations, such as beef and bean, all-beef, a "special" with further ingredients, etc. If the restaurant also offers hamburgers and sandwiches, it may sell a burrito version of these, such as a "hot dog burrito".

WHAT GOES IN BEEF BURRITO

The Beef Filling is the main flavor component in this burrito recipe. It’s highly seasoned and juicy so it provides the “wetness” in the burrito as well as the flavor mixing through the other ingredients when you roll it up.

So other than the Beef Burrito Filling, there are endless possibilities for what to put in the burrito! For this recipe, I’ve chosen a combination of ingredients that freeze well:

• Beef Burrito Filling – juicy and packed with flavor!
• Plain white rice – or try brown rice, quinoa, or this Mexican Red Rice 
  
• Corn
• Black beans
• Cabbage or lettuce
• Diced tomato
• Red onion
• Cheese
• Coriander/cilantro

FREEZER BURRITOS: FILLING TIPS

• Use ingredients that freeze well
• Use cabbage instead of lettuce – cabbage holds up to freezing better
• Only use a small amount of “watery” vegetables like a tomato as they become even more watery once defrosted
• Other raw vegetables used in burritos that do not freeze well include: avocado, cucumber
• Cook vegetables like capsicum/peppers, zucchini, carrot. Dice and add to Beef Filling.

Beef Burritos

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes

Total Time:35 minutes

Servings:8 burritos

Ingredients

BURRITO SEASONING:

• 1 tsp each onion powder, dried oregano, salt
• 2 tsp each dried cumin powder , paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
•  tsp cayenne pepper , or to taste (optional)

BEEF:

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• onion , finely chopped
• 500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef), I use lean
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp water

BURRITOS:

6 - 8 large soft flour tortillas or round wraps (~25cm/10”+) (Note 1)

3 cups cooked rice, warm not piping hot (I use white long grain)

3 cups iceberg lettuce or cabbage, finely sliced (use cabbage if freezing)

1 cup corn kernels (I use canned, drained)

1 cup black beans (I use canned, drained)

3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

Finely chopped coriander/cilantro (optional)

1 1/2 cups / 150g shredded cheese of choice (melting kind)

Instructions

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes until onion is lightly browned. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it turns from red to brown.

Add Taco Seasoning (or use 1 packet store bought) and cook for 1 minute. Then add tomato paste and water, cook for 3 minutes until the water is mostly evaporated but the beef is still juicy, not dried out. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes – piping hot filling will steam the burrito, making the tortilla soggy.

Optional: If not warming rolled burrito, warm the tortillas before rolling (per packet directions).

Place a burrito on a work surface. Place 1/4 - 1/3 cup of rice just below the center. Top with 1/4 - 1/3 cup beef, then some lettuce, corn, black beans, tomato,  a sprinkle of red onion, coriander, and cheese.

Fold up the bottom to cover the filling then fold the edges in (video helpful to see how to do this). Roll up tightly, then wrap in foil. Serve as is or heat per below.

HEATING: To warm through, pan fry (dry pan) in the foil over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side to slightly crisp and warm the outside. Or for 10+ minutes on a medium-low heat if you want to melt the cheese. Or they can be baked at 180C/350F for 20 minutes in the foil – this will warm them all the way through and crisp up the tortilla slightly. If they are straight from the fridge, they will take around 30 minutes to warm through.

Burritos are best served with something to dollop/dip - sour cream (or yogurt) and some sort of chili sauce is my usual because it's easy. When I'm making more of an effort, I use  Restaurant Style Salsaor Guacamole.