Taco Burritos

First week home from Memphis. Brayden is eighty-three weeks old. The apartment is back to its weekday rhythm — Tuesday and Thursday daycare, Wednesday and Friday workdays for me at the catering desk, weekend family time. Dustin is in his second month as shop-manager and the role has stabilized.

Taco burritos are the seasoned-ground-beef-taco-filling rolled into a flour tortilla like a burrito — the hybrid form-factor that takes the spice-and-meat profile of a taco and gives it the hand-held convenience of a burrito. The fillings are seasoned ground beef (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano), shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, refried beans. The tortilla is the large flour kind.

The technique question is the rolling-with-the-saucy-filling. Taco filling is wetter than standard burrito filling because of the small amount of water in the taco-seasoning step. The fix is reducing the filling on the stove for an extra two minutes after the spices have been added so the moisture cooks off, then letting the filling cool for five minutes before rolling.

Sunday I made it. Dustin had two burritos. I had one. Brayden had a small open-style burrito on his high-chair tray. The dish covered Sunday dinner with no leftovers.

Taco Burritos

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning, or 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, cooked (about 2 cups cooked)
• 6 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded lettuce (optional)
• 1 small tomato, diced (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef or turkey, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no pink remains, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Season. Add taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the meat is well coated.
3. Warm the beans. Add the drained beans directly to the skillet with the meat. Stir and heat through for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Warm the tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds, or warm them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, until pliable.
5. Assemble. Lay a tortilla flat. Spoon about 1/3 cup cooked rice down the center, followed by a generous scoop of the meat and bean mixture. Top with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, salsa, and any optional toppings.
6. Roll. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll from the bottom up, tucking tightly as you go. Place seam-side down on a plate.
7. Serve. Serve immediately, or wrap in foil to keep warm. For a toasted burrito, place the assembled burrito seam-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly golden.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 490 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 820mg