Crispy Beef and Bean Wraps
These crispy beef and bean wraps are one of our go-to weeknight dinners! The crispy tortilla (no frying!) and flavorful filling are delicious.
Bring on the easy, easy, easy dinners. Bonus points if they are exceptionally cheesy and exceptionally delicious. These wraps check all the boxes!
Crispy Wrap Filling
I’m obsessed with crispy wraps, as you know. These beef and bean wraps might be my all-time favorite in the Land of Crispy Wraps that Mel Loves.
The filling is simple:
- cooked ground beef + onions
- refried beans
- green chiles
- every day seasonings: chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt
How to Assemble the Wraps
Assembling the crispy beef and bean wraps is very easy.
- Sprinkle a healthy amount of cheese over tortillas.
- Spread filling down the center.
- Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling followed by the other.
- Press lightly to flatten.
- Spray the seam side of the wrap with cooking spray or brush with olive oil (helps for maximum crispiness).
The important thing to remember here is that we are making a wrap and not a burrito. Spread the filling in a wide strip down the tortilla and press it flat once the sides are folded in.
Crispy Tortillas without Frying
To cook the wraps, heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Place the wraps seam-side down and cook until golden. Press lightly on the wraps with a spatula while they cook to flatten just a bit.
Flip and cook on the other side until everything is crispy, cheesy, golden and bubbly.
I love a good beef and bean burrito. But there’s something about pressing the concoction flat and crisping up the tortilla that makes me remarkably happy.
Because these wraps come together so incredibly fast, we eat them a lot for quick and speedy weeknight dinners, especially on nights when I’ve failed to even think about what to make (why does that happen so often??).
If you plan ahead (read: please be smarter than me), make extra wraps. They keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days and also freeze beautifully to reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
I hope these wraps save dinner night for you like they do for us! Enjoy!
I made these for the first time for dinner tonight and they were a hit! They were so good and I loved how easy they were! I made a little bit extra to freeze as well.
—Jessica
What to Serve With This
- Mexican Chopped Salad
- Fresh fruit
- Skillet Green Beans
One Year Ago: Buttermilk Caramel Syrup
Two Years Ago: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Three Years Ago: Slow Cooker Smothered Beef Tips
Four Years Ago: Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
Five Years Ago: Quick and Easy Sheet Pan Panini
Six Years Ago: Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup
Seven Years Ago: Hawaiian Brownies {Chocolate + Macadamia Nuts}
Eight Years Ago: Cheesy Bacon and Garlic Butter Smashed Red Potatoes
Nine Years Ago: Creamy Glazed Fruit Salad
Ten Years Ago: Whole Grain Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Crispy Beef and Bean Wraps
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- 16-ounce can refried beans
- 4-ounce can green chiles, drained
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wraps:
- 2 to 3 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese
- 8 to 10 8- or 10-inch tortillas
- Cooking spray or olive oil, for brushing
Instructions
- In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the refried beans, green chiles, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt. Add the ground beef and onions and stir to combine evenly.
- For each wrap, sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese over the tortilla then spread about 1/2 cup filling down the center in a wide strip.
- Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling, followed by the other side (so that the tortilla is folded into thirds). Press lightly to flatten. It should be thick and flat, not rounded like a burrito.
- Heat a large non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot. I use an electric griddle set to about 350 degrees F.
- Spray the seam side of the wraps with nonstick cooking spray (or brush with a bit of olive oil). Place the wraps, seam side down, on the griddle or pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-4 minutes.
- While they cook, spray the top with nonstick cooking spray (or brush with olive oil) and carefully flip with a wide spatula and press down lightly to flatten just a bit. It's normal for a little filling to fall out when flipping – just tuck it back into the ends of the wrap with the spatula.
- Cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden and the filling is hot and cheesy melted.
- Serve warm with sour cream, salsa, or other toppings of your choice!
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
So good and SO easy! I’m doubling the filling next time to freeze and make a hearty, flavorful dinner in minutes. Thank you, Mel!
Th se were awesome!
These were awesome!
So good
I made this today & my 15 yr old turned her nose up at the refried beans. I told her to at least try it and if she doesn’t like it then fine. Yeah, she had 2 wraps, lol
I love a good simple dinner. These wraps have saved me the last couple months for quick dinners on the go. Wrap them in foil to eat at the ball park.
So simple and delicious!! Love the crispy factor.
Ha ha I don’t know if I picked up this recipe from you many years ago but I make these and just fold in half. Even easier. No oil and throw on the griddle. Call them quesadillas:) Been a family favorite for just as long.
I’ve been enjoying your recipes for at least 13 years. As long as I follow your instruction, I get rave reviews. Thanks!
An instant favorite!! I made this burrito recipe a few weeks ago, subbing the beef for leftover chicken and added quinoa. We LOVE them! They are now my go-to idea for quick dinner. I’ve made several different versions, and all have been very tasty!
Thank you! Thank you!
These have been on my “to make” list since you posted them, and I finally got around to it! My husband and I loved them, and my picky picky kids decided that they maybe didn’t completely hate them, haha. That’s progress for us! I made them on an electric griddle, and turning them was a breeze.
Haha, the picky kids comment made me chuckle a bit.
Made these and they were absolutely delicious. Doubled everything except the green chilis and fed the family with a couple leftover for my husbands lunch the next day. They warmed up great! 100% worth the time to fry them, wrap style, vs just serving as a burrito filling. I really thought everything would fall out, but the melted cheese held it all in and everyone really enjoyed them. When I make them again I might throw in a few roasted vegetables but I add that to everything! Can never go wrong with roasted zucchini and red peppers, right? If I actually have leftovers I thought that might make for a good ‘on the go’ addition, for when you aren’t going to sit down and eat with salsa, lettuce, etc.
I think roasted veggies would be a fantastic addition, Lauren! Great idea!
Thanks for this great recipe. I made the wraps for supper tonight and we really enjoyed them. The crunch from the tortillas was extra good.I had some Monterey Jack cheese with Hatch green chiles that I needed to use up, and it worked perfectly inthis recipe. The Farmer said the recipe was a keeper, always a good sign.
Glad these were a hit – and love the variation of pepper jack cheese. Delicious!
I made these for the first time for dinner tonight and they were a hit! They were so good and I loved how easy they were! I made a little bit extra to freeze as well.
Thanks for letting me know, Jessica!
I want to freeze some for effortless lunches. Should I cook then freeze? I’m inclined to not cook so I can ensure they’re crispy! Thank you.
You could do it either way, I think. If you freeze them before cooking and then thaw and cook on the griddle, you’re right, they’ll have that delicious crispiness. If you cook them and then freeze, it all depends on how you warm them up. You could still warm them up on a griddle – or better yet, an air fryer gets them super crispy on the outside.
I made these for dinner tonight and everyone in our family enjoyed them! While they were on the griddle, I saw some cilantro in the fridge and wished I had thought to add some. Next time! Also, I simplified the process just slightly — after cooking the beef and onions, I added the remaining ingredients directly to the pan and stirred well. No need to dirty an extra bowl!
We didn’t use all the filling tonight, and my husband suggested that the leftover filling would be good as a warm dip with tortilla chips!
Thanks for the review, Rachel! Glad you enjoyed them!
Ok, I know these are a wrap, not a burrito, but you GOTTA try putting all the ingredients in the middle and wrap/fold it into a hexagon (think Taco Bell Crunchwrap). Then sprinkle a little pile of shredded cheese right onto the hot griddle, and put the folded side of the hexagon right onto the cheese!! The cheese seals the wrap and gets deliciously crispy. Next level good. Just try it! ♥️ My kids LOVE these little pockets of deliciousness!
Yum! That sounds amazing!
Has anyone tried using ground turkey instead of ground beef?
I haven’t made this recipe, but I always use ground turkey instead of beef for tacos/burritos and they taste great.
Thank you!
I think that substitution would work great!
Do you have a refried bean recipe? I cannot stand canned refried beans, but I have never made any I was crazy about either. I need something that tastes like the really good restaurants make. Those I can gobble all by themselves. HELP!
These pressure cooker refried beans are next level delicious in my opinion
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/pressure-cooker-refried-beans/
Thank you!
Love your other crispy wraps and can’t wait to try these! Do you have a certain brand of refried beans you prefer?
I usually buy the Trader Joe’s or Rosarita brands.
I’m thinking about adding chips inside for crunch . .
Oooh, report back. Love the extra crunch idea.
These look great. Have you tried freezing?
Yes, they freeze great!