Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos
These homemade freezer beef and bean burritos are full of fantastic flavor and they are great to have on hand for a quick, homemade microwaveable meal.
I kind of feel like I’ve been holding out on you guys.
These amazing burritos have been gracing our freezer (and filling our tummies) for months now and I’m sorry that I’m just now getting around to sharing them with you.
I’ve made them dozens of times in the last few months and along with these fabulous bean burritos, they’ve been our staple on hectic dinner nights or when Brian needs to grab a quick lunch for work or when the kids and I are sick of eating PB&J at noon.
That’s the beauty of having them in the freezer just waiting to be warmed up for our eating pleasure.
The thing is, they aren’t just a burrito.
Well, I mean, they are a burrito, but they aren’t your average, every day burrito.
The flavor in these wrapped beauties is fantastic. You get the traditional smoky flavor from the cumin and chili but a bit of unexpected freshness from the lime juice.
There are some mashed beans, whole beans, rice and cheese right there along with the meat, and the entire burrito, in my humble opinion, is screaming burrito perfection.
We were overjoyed with the deliciousness of these burritos the first time we had them. And I can happily report that we still haven’t gotten sick of them months later.
In fact, it’s always a bit funny to me when Brian eats one for lunch or whenever and he’s oohing and aahing over the flavor and I’m looking at him quizzically, saying, “you know these are the same burritos you’ve been eating for weeks now” and he’s like, “Yeah, but man, they are so good.”
Glad he likes them since they’ll be stocking our freezer for the forseeable future. Make some why don’t you!
What To Serve With This:
Homemade Refried Beans {Slow Cooker}
Green salad, or My Favorite Coleslaw
Fresh, seasonal fruit
One Year Ago: Peach-Orange Smoothie
Two Years Ago: Chocolate-Mint Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches
Three Years Ago: Cheesesteak Subs – Quick and Tasty!
Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos
Ingredients
Rice:
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup long grain white rice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
Filling:
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 12 ounces extra lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 6-8 10-inch flour tortillas, white or wheat
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
Instructions
- For the rice, bring the broth, rice, garlic, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 16-18 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat, keeping it covered, and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. When ready to use, add the cilantro and fluff with a fork.
- For the filling, combine the broth and half of the beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork until the beans are coarsely mashed with the broth (reserve the whole beans for later). In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until hot and rippling. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, cumin, oregano and chili powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces while cooking. Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Stir the mashed bean mixture into the meat mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the rest of the whole beans, lime juice and salt. Remove from heat. If serving immediately, follow the instructions in the next paragraph. If freezing for later, let the beef and bean mixture and the rice cool to warm room temperature before proceeding.
- Wrap the tortillas in between damp paper towels and microwave until the tortillas are soft, about 1 minute. Arrange the tortillas on the counter and divide the rice, beef and bean filling and cheese evenly among the tortillas. Dollop each tortilla with a tablespoon (more or less) of sour cream. Fold the sides of the tortilla toward each other over the filling while lifting the bottom edge over, rolling into a burrito shape. Serve immediately (if desired).
- For freezer burritos, wrap each burrito in plastic wrap. Place burritos in a gallon-sized freezer ziploc bag. To reheat, unwrap the burrito from the plastic wrap and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Poke the burrito with the tines of a fork all over and continue microwaving in 30-second increments until heated through.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country April/May 2013
These look and sound wonderful! Just bought another package of frozen beef and bean burritos and they were pretty economical but I bet these will be just as “cheap” to make plus I will know exactly what is IN them! Great recipe – thanks!
Thanks Mel for making me a hero at dinner last night! These were a hit with the whole family! Your site is my go-to source when I plan my meals. Thanks for sharing all of your great ideas!
Oooohhhh! These are simply wonderful! By far, the BEST burritos I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for sharing. =D
I made these a few days ago and my picky husband and children loved them! I’m making more today so I can freeze them.
I made these for my husband to take to work. He loves them! He said they are very flavorful, and get this, waaaaay better than any store bought frozen burritos he’s had. 🙂
These were absolutely delicious! Flavorful without being spicy. Both of my kids and I thought they were very tasty. I made a double batch for the freezer for emergency meals but would make them specifically for dinner.
Re: home made whole wheat tortillas “Snack Girl” has the best recipe I have found:
http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/whole-wheat-tortilla-recipe/ I make them with 1/4 cup oil and they turn out great! Delicious and easier than other recipes I’ve tried.
In line with another comment above, I would love a post on school lunches!! I am always needing ideas. I will be trying these burritos!
Perfect for this Mexican loving mama. We are expecting another baby this winter and I’m looking for recipes to stock the freezer with. This one will be made in a double batch!
The fam loved these. Thanks Mel.
I always have breakfast burritos in the freezer, but I need to make these as well. As for the wheat tortillas…I buy them at Cafe Rio. You can buy them by the dozen. I can’t stand pre-cooked tortillas. I wish Costco carried uncooked wheat tortillas.
I made these tonight for company we had over and it was a hit! I used leftover Sunday roast instead of ground beef. Thank you, Mel!
HI Mel, I made these tonight and they were fantastic! I was a little unsure of the beans mixed in with the meat (because we never have beans in our burritos or tacos) but my family loved it. I made the rice in our rice cooker, which made this meal a breeze. I’m so glad we have some extra frozen for later. Thanks for another great recipe.
I made these tonight and they were great! I changed things a little to accommodate our needs. Super busy night tonight so I used Minute Rice and followed the directions on the box but used chicken broth and added the garlic, then used Mel’s directions…sort of. I know all you foodies out there are throwing a fit because I used Minute Rice, but it’s better than fast food! 🙂 I also used a full pound of hamburger because I buy my meat in bulk and freeze it by the pound. I used taco sized tortillas and I got about 10-11 burritos out of it. This recipe was great! I have 4 kids playing on 4 different soccer teams this season and my husband and I both coach. I need meals that make a ton and then the leftovers can be frozen for another quick meal. THANK YOU!
I made this tonight and it was great! I changed it a little for our needs…I had no time for long-grain rice so I used the minute stuff, followed the directions on the box but replaced it with chicken broth and then followed you’re recipe Mel…sort of. I know all you foodies out there are having a fit because I used Minute Rice, it’s better than fast food! I also used a pound of hamburger just because I buy my meat in bulk and that’s how I freeze it. I used a smaller taco sized tortilla and got about 10-11 burritos out of it. Great recipe! I love recipes that make tons and the leftovers can be frozen. I have 4 kids playing on 4 different soccer teams this season and my husband and I both coach. I need more recipes like this! THANK YOU!
I let them rest for 30 minutes at least but it really depends on a gluten content in your flour so try after 30 minutes and if they are still not easy to roll wait some more, once you get to know your flour it’ll be much easier…the longer they rest the easier it gets.
I stack them up using a smidgen of flour but I never made more than 6 at the time, they are really not even stacked just kind of overlapping on a cookie sheet….maybe somebody else has a good idea how to stack them when you are making a lot for a freezer meal.
Oooooh, thanks, Enya. I’ve made tortillas many times and noticed that sometimes they shrink up and sometimes they don’t so much. It must be the difference between how long I let the balls rest! Do you stack them up to rest once they are rolled out or do they stick? Mel, made these burritos today. They are yummy. Glad they turned out because I made a double batch! Thanks!
LOVE the look and sound of this recipe! Yum! I, too, was wondering about homemade tortillas. Enya, I am so intrigued by your advice on “waiting awhile” … how long, in your experience, is long enough for both times (as balls and again as rolled out dough)?? I’ve made them once and definitely had the problems you mentioned.
The trick with tortillas is not in a recipe it’s just patience….when you divide dough in balls let it rest for a while most recipes call for 10 to 15 minutes, that will not do the gluten has to relax for a while that way you can roll them up paper thin otherwise they will keep springing back like elastic….once you roll them out they have to rest again because now that you worked that gluten the same thing will happen when they hit the hot pan….they will shrink up and become flat bread
Adapted these to make a meatless version (added peppers and greens and used black beans) and they were delicious! Made a double recipe and we ate 1/2 for dinner and then stocked the freezer with burritos for quick lunches/dinner after baby #5 arrives in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
Emily, I store my tomatoe paste in a small pyrex glass container in the fridge..flatten the paste and drizzle a little bit of oil on top just enough to create a protective layer it never grows mold….the longest I saved it was a little over a week and it was still good…..by that time I use it up never tested it how long it can keep like that
What wonderful timing! I am just getting ready to fill my freezer for the fall and back to school. This are going on my list to make for this week -my husband is going to love them!
I’m so glad you posted this! My mind is switching over to school mode and I have been trying to think of quick and easy lunch options to send with my kiddos. What do you usually send your kids with? Any other great lunch ideas? Or any good after-school snack ideas? We love your peanut butter balls too!
What brand of whole wheat tortillas do you like? I have had whole wheat at restaurants and like them, but every brand I have bought tastes dry and nasty.
Jackie – I agree that whole wheat tortillas are hit and miss. I like the ones I’ve found at Sam’s Club and Costco (I can’t remember the brand, sorry!).
I swear by the tubes of tomato paste. I’ve used them since I first saw it used and I think it probably saves in the end. However, for three TBL, you may as well open the can.
I’m excited to make these for my grandsons.
I have the exact same question as Anne! Thanks Anne! I would love to know more about home made tortilla’s.
Anne – I am on the quest to the perfect homemade tortilla. I make them a lot and have even taken step-by-step pictures several times with the intent of posting a tutorial but like you, haven’t quite tweaked the recipe perfectly. But I’ll be sure to post when I do!
By reading the ingredient list, I can tell these will be infinitely better than my freezer burritos, and hey, those have come in handy so many times. Look forward to kicking up the tastiness!
I made these beef and bean burritos tonight and they were so very good! I followed the recipe exactly weighing out 12 ozs. of ground beef. When I divided the ingredients among “8” tortillas, they were stuffed so full it was hard for me to fold and shape them. Next time I think I will divide the filling among 9 or 10 tortillas. You never disappoint. Another winner from Mels Kitchen. You are so appreciated.
Mel, do you ever make your own tortillas? The store tortillas around these parts are either gross or crazy expensive. I make them occasionally, but I am not sure if I have my forever recipe yet. I would love to hear if you have a recipe you love. These burritos sound fabulous.
I made these for dinner tonight, and my nine-year-old son said “mom, dad should quit his job and stay home with us so that you can go to work in a restaurant and make these. These are delicious!” These are SO good! I omitted the sour cream inside the burritos, and just served it on the side for us to dip the burritos into. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. Thank you so much!
You know ewhat, I could never convince myself to start to like burritos. I do eat them from time to time (ok once per year), but I can’t get excited about them. I only hope that it will come one day, as it happened with herring and other meals that I love right now 🙂
Love, love, love freezer food–homemade freezer food. These look wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Emily, when I have extra tomato sauce from the can I will freeze it in 1 TBSP. amounts and then after frozen put it in a bag in the freezer and use it in another recipe.
Emily – when I have leftover tomato paste, I usually try to plan another recipe in my menu plan that week that will use it up, otherwise I find little bits frozen in the freezer that I’ve forgotten about. If you can stay on top of freezing it and using it (before it gets freezer burned) that’s a great way to go.
Love, love, LOVE these freezable burritos! They seem like just the perfect thing to have on hand!
Yum!
Here’s the crowd feeding post I promised! Hope you like it : )
http://toentertain.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/hosting-tips-how-to-feed-a-crowd-a-hot-meal-mels-kitchen-cafe/
-Katie
To Entertain
You know, I think I will make some! My husband often need a lunch to grab on his way out the door and I often get sick of PB&J for lunch. I might just choke on my lunch, though, if my daughter eats this without multiple complaints of “I don’t like that, it’s not my favorite.”
Question: What do you do when you only use part of a can of tomato paste? I always groan when recipes only call for a small amount because then I have the rest of the can and what do I do with it?
I found tomato paste in a tube which is the best thing to use with no waste. Once it’s opened, just store in refrigerator. Check in your grocery stores, one of them should have it. OR, you can do as I used to and freeze 1 Tbl portions of a canned paste in an ice cube tray and then remove and store them in a freezer bag for later use. But the paste in a tube is much easier!
I’m leaving for a mini vacation and this will be perfect for the boys while I’m gone. Thank you! Thank you!
You read my mind Mel! I was just getting on to look through your freezable meals and was hoping to find some great lunch options and here these are 🙂 Thank you so much for all you do, I love knowing anything I try from your blog will be delish!
I made these out of CC, twice! It is easy to make the filling during nap time and reheat for a quick dinner. My family loves to customize their own burrito. They taste so much better than fast food, and don’t involve mystery meat. Great for busy school/sports schedules.
These look perfect! Definitely making a batch of these. This has been my best blog discovery of the year!
By the way, I not only tried these (and loved them, and frequently keep them in my freezer), but a friend and I run a freezer meal prep group once a week and this recipe is often one of our offerings since people love them (not just because they’re tasty, but because they don’t have to thaw and heat a full meal – these are super quick!) Oh, and they helped me get through half a pregnancy with my husband sailing in the navy and two kids to look after. Thank you thank you thank you!
Aaaand I’m still making these. I occasionally switch it up and make a bbq shredded chicken version (with pineapple and red bell peppers) or a shredded chicken and refried bean version, but these are the ones we make most often and almost always have stashed in the freezer. I was just comparing the recipe I have written down to your recipe here and apparently I’ve adjusted the quantities a bit over time (less rice, less beef, more beans; combine the rice and beef/bean mixture). Nevertheless they’re still great and save our butts over and over again!
I keep your super bean burritos in stock but I’m always asked by my husband for a meat version. I’m pretty sure he will love these:)
Oh these sound perfect for my son off at college. I’m currently making a list of foods for him to make in his apartment and he’ll love these! Thanks!!!!
How convenient, and so much better than those poor excuses for burritos found in the freezer section!
So glad you posted this recipe today. Burritos are one of my “picky” son’s favorite foods. Looking forward to making some of these to freeze for school lunches. Thanks!
These sound fantastic! Now I just need some room in my freezer.
These look amazing! My family will love them. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes, your website has become one of my favorite food blogs!
I’ve totally been thinking that i need to get my freezer stocked with stuff like this…with a baby underfoot, getting dinner on the table is a giant hassle, most days. These are perfect!!
Another gem, Mel! Everyone needs freezer burritos! 🙂
These look simple and healthy. Perfect summer meal. Will have to make these for the kids for the nights we need a quick meal.
Yum! These look and sound delicious, and I love that they freeze well. I’m making a big batch of these this week!