Skip the takeout! This easy burrito recipe is a budget-friendly way to enjoy your favorite Chipotle restaurant dish at home. They’re freezer-friendly, too, so you can satisfy your Mexican food cravings any night of the week!
More easy Mexican-inspired dinners
Before You Get Started
These burritos are perfect for meal prep. Make a full batch and you’ve got two dinners for one effort. A few tips to make sure they turn out perfectly:
- Skip watery fillings if you’re freezing. Tomatoes, salsa, bell peppers, and lettuce will make the tortilla soggy. Save those for fresh garnishes at serving time.
- Spread the beans on first. Refried beans act as a moisture barrier between the filling and the tortilla. That’s the real secret to burritos that don’t get soggy: crispy on the outside, warm and cheesy on the inside.
- Use large burrito-size tortillas. 10-inch flour tortillas are essential for getting the filling ratio right and folding without tearing. I like Mission brand because they’re extra soft and pliable.
How to Make a Burrito
Whether you enjoy them right away or pull them from the freezer on a busy night, this is an easy burrito recipe you’ll come back to again and again. Here’s the overview:
Step 1: Cook the Taco Meat
Cook the ground beef with the taco seasoning and water according to the packet instructions. Simmer and stir until the liquid thickens and the sauce coats the meat.
A squeeze of fresh lime juice is a great flavor booster here; it brightens everything up.
If you want more control over the seasoning, swap the packet for my Homemade Taco Seasoning.
Step 2: Assemble the Burritos
Spread refried beans down the center of each tortilla. This is your moisture barrier. Top with rice, the meat filling, corn, and cheese.
To fold, tuck in the sides first, then roll tightly from the bottom up, keeping the filling in as you go. Place seam-side down in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
→ A note on proportions: these burritos are generously filled. If you prefer a bolder meat-to-rice ratio, use a little less rice and a bit more of the beef and cheese. It’s a recipe worth customizing to your taste.
Step 3: Bake
Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until heated through. If you’re baking cold burritos straight from the refrigerator, add about 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
→ For an extra-crispy exterior, try this: after baking, transfer a burrito to a lightly buttered skillet and toast for about 1 minute per side until golden. It’s an easy step that makes a real difference in texture.
What to Serve Alongside
To round out the meal, set out your favorite toppings: guacamole, homemade salsa, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro are all great.
For a heartier spread, my Jiffy Mexican Cornbread and Ranch Style Beans are simple sides that pair beautifully with these burritos.
These burritos are AWESOME! My family loves them!
– Angie
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator: Store leftover burritos in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Freezer: This is where the recipe really shines. Wrap each unbaked burrito individually in aluminum foil before baking, then freeze. When you’re ready to eat, bake the foil-wrapped burrito straight from the freezer at 350°F for 45-55 minutes. No thawing required. Just pull one out when you need a quick dinner and let the oven do the work.
Make-Ahead: Assemble the burritos up to 24 hours ahead of time, cover the pan tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different protein?
Absolutely. Ground turkey and ground chicken work just as well as beef. Cook them the same way with taco seasoning and water. For a shortcut, you can also use shredded rotisserie chicken.
Check out my Chicken Burrito for that version!
Why do my burritos taste bland?
Taco seasoning packets can vary in intensity. A squeeze of fresh lime juice added to the meat makes a big difference, and so does bumping up the seasoning. Try adding a pinch of cumin, chili powder, or cayenne.
Using my Homemade Taco Seasoning instead of a packet gives you more control over the flavor.
Can I add other fillings?
Yes, this recipe is really just a guide. Use black beans instead of refried beans, swap in brown rice, skip the corn, or add sautéed onions and peppers. Just keep in mind that if you’re planning to freeze the burritos, you’ll want to skip any watery vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, lettuce) to keep the tortilla from getting soggy.
More Easy Mexican-Inspired Dinners
I made these burritos for my wife and she fell in love with me all over again. Thanks and Gracias!!!!!!
– Ralph
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
The Easiest Burrito Recipe
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish (this is my favorite baking dish with a lid)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
- 1 ½ cups refried beans (or 1 ½ cups drained and rinsed black beans)
- ¾ cup corn kernels
- 3 cups cooked rice (use Uncle Ben's microwaveable Ready Rice for a quick option)
- 6 large (10-inch) flour tortillas (such as Mission brand "burrito size" tortillas)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- Optional garnish: finely diced red onion; lettuce; diced tomato or salsa; sour cream; fresh cilantro; avocado or guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook the ground beef with the taco seasoning mix according to the package instructions.
- To assemble each burrito: spread ¼ cup beans down the center of a tortilla. Top with ½ cup rice, a portion of the beef, 2 tablespoons corn, and ¼ cup cheese.
- Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll up from the bottom. Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until heated through. If baking cold burritos from the refrigerator, add 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
Notes
- Make it your own: This recipe is a guide, not a strict formula. Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, swap in black beans, use brown rice, or adjust the filling amounts to taste. If you want a bolder flavor, try my Homemade Taco Seasoning instead of a packet.
- Bean first, always: Spreading the refried beans on the tortilla first creates a moisture barrier that keeps the tortilla from getting soggy. Don’t skip this step.
- Adjust the ratio: These burritos are generously sized. For a bolder meat-forward flavor, use a little less rice and a bit more of the beef and cheese mixture.
- To freeze: Wrap each unbaked burrito in aluminum foil. Freeze flat. To reheat from frozen: place foil-wrapped burritos on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes.
- Refrigerator storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Crispy exterior tip: After baking, toast burritos in a lightly buttered skillet for about 1 minute per side for a golden, crispy exterior.
- Serving suggestions: Serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. Jiffy Mexican Cornbread and Ranch Style Beans are great sides to round out the meal.
Nutrition
Originally published in April, 2018, this post was updated in April, 2026.
Delicious! The whole family loved them. They’ll be in the regular rotation now. Thank you.
Made these for my husband’s italian family.. Made them for 13 people, and each and every one of them was in love with them. And asked for the recipe, thank you. They are delicious.
This made our day, Tia! Thank you for trying them out and taking the time to leave a review.
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Super easy to make. Used Uncle Ben’s microwave rice, as suggested. Combined some Colby Jack and Pepper Jack shredded cheese instead of a cheddar cheese. Baked some and decided to freeze some, so hoping the frozen burritos bake as well as the fresh ones. I topped mine with fresh pico and my husband used taco sauce. Could also top with enchilada sauce for a twist on the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! We love to keep a batch in the freezer for easy meals.
its super good
Thank you!
These burritos are AWESOME! My family loves them!
I’m so happy to hear that, Angie. Thank you!
The local supermarket had finely diced quality beef on sale. I found this recipe while wanting to prepare dinner tonight plus freezer-friendly burritos for later. Great basic recipe with endless variations and I appreciate the thoughtful freezer tips. Muchas gracias!
We’re so glad you found the recipe and enjoyed it, Andy! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
I made these burritos for my wife and she fell in love with me all over again. Thanks and Gracias!!!!!!
We’re so glad they were a hit! Thank you for trying them out, Ralph!
Not good. lacking in flavor. Add salt, pepper, chili flakes, mustard, lime juice etc. Anything to liven it up. Would never pass muster south of the border.
Perfection!! I am gluten free so I simply used Cassava flour in place of all purpose flour and Mission gluten free spinach herb tortillas. Otherwise I made them exactly as written and they were SO good! I made some homemade enchilada sauce to pour over them once out of the oven and on our plates and it was the perfect finishing touch for these delicious burritos.
We’re so glad they turned out well for you, Suzette! Thank you for trying them out and letting us know.
Great
Thanks, Jeffery!
How much beef is needed per burrito? I used 1/2 cups and it yieled 4 burritos. The ratio seemed about right so no complaints but it would be helpful to mention it in directions for those who plan to make 6. Otherwise these came out pretty good. My couple of suggestions: use frozen corn (cook it first per intructions), it has better flavor and texture. I like my burritos toasted so after baking, I toasted them on a lightly buttered skillet one minute per side or until golden. To speed up or bypass baking, just make sure your ingredients are heated prior to assembly (cheese will melt on contact). Toasting will help to seal it. Hope this helps someone.
I made this tonight. Turned out okay. I don’t know if I filled them too much or what but they were really big and kinda bland. I used meat, taco seasoning, butter, rice, refried beans, and cheese. It also took way too long to assemble.
I made this recipe and my mother absolutely adores the burritos. I like them too but my mother loves them. Infact the whole family likes them. If you haven’t tried this recipe for burritos, give it a try. I would give more stars if I could.
I’m so glad to hear that, Kaileta! Your mom is lucky that she has you to cook for her. Thanks for your kind note!
This tutorial was a lifesaver. I had been trying to figure this out all day. The way you wrote it made things click. I’ll be sharing this with my colleagues. Great work!
This was an amazing and easy dinner for the family after a long day at work. Thank you so much! Will keep this recipe!
Thank you for trying it out, Kelsey! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Great recipe! ! I only had soft taco size tortillas so I used much less in each one but I’m glad that happened because each one was very filling! Each adult had about 1 1/2. I used ready rice & refried beans in a pouch which made it so easy. I added some chopped onions for more flavor. Next time I will probably add some diced tomatoes too. We dipped them in queso cheese and they were delicious!
Yum! Thank you for the feedback, Thea. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I think there is too much rice put into each burrito. Even though I put in some extra bean/meat mixture (instead of 1/4 cup; used 1/3 cup)the bland rice still drowned out the meat/cheese flavor. I would go with only 1/4 cup rice per burrito and up the meat and cheese to ensure you can taste the flavors of the meat and bean mixture.
Thanks, Kerry! Yes, definitely feel free to adjust the proportions when you make them next time. Thank you for the feedback!
Your recipe was awesome, thank you. Like you suggested “make it your own” I had to use pulled pork but the rest of your recipe remained the same. Definitely a keeper
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Brian! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.