Beef and Bean Burritos

I made a batch of Beef and Bean Burritos to freeze for my friend who is expecting a baby at the end of the month.  I have made her a few freezer friendly meals so she doesn't have to spend time cooking when taking care of a newborn baby.   What is so great about making your own burritos is that you know exactly what is going in it.  You can put in your favorite ingredients, so far I have made Breakfast Burritos and Santa Fe Chicken Burritos.  When you freeze these burritos, they will last for a couple months too.  Its great having a quick and easy meal (or snack) on hand.  What I have learned about freezing burritos is to allow the filling to cool to room temperature.  If you freeze a hot burrito, it will not freeze evenly and can alter the texture and taste.  Be sure to wrap each burrito (after cooled) with foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper before putting into a freezer bag.  Definitely use a freezer bag since those are more heavy duty and will protect your food from freezer burn.  Enjoy!

Beef and Bean Burritos

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 to 10 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar.)

3 cups rice plus water

½ onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic)

10 ounce can Rotel diced tomato with lime juice and cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

15.5 ounce can black beans

16 ounce can refried beans (I used fat-free)

½ pound ground beef

¼ cup enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe’s or feel free to use salsa instead)

Directions

Cook rice in a rice cooker - add rice, water, Rotel diced tomato, onion, and garlic.  Allow to cool.

In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add ground beef.  Add in cumin and chili powder.   Stir in enchilada sauce.  Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until meat is cooked through.  Allow to cool.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. (I microwave for 45 seconds covered with a moist paper towel.)

Spoon about 1 tablespoon refried beans down center of tortilla.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons rice down center of tortillas. 

Spoon about 1 tablespoon meat over rice.

Top meat and rice with about 1 tablespoon black beans.

Sprinkle cheese on top.  

Fold tortilla into a burrito.

Repeat for all tortillas.

To freeze, allow burritos to cool if using warmed ingredients.  Wrap each burrito tightly with foil (or plastic wrap).  Place burritos in large freezer bags.  (I label the bag beforehand with what type of burrito and date.)  

To reheat from frozen, remove foil and microwave on high for 3 minutes.  You could also place the foiled burrito in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.