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Chipotle Beef Burritos

Chipotle beef burritos with seasoned ground beef simmered with adobo sauce, then tucked into warm flour tortillas with black beans, rice, and melty Monterey Jack. Expect tight wraps with a hearty, saucy filling that looks great sliced open.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chipotle beef burrito filling
  • 1 lb ground beef or diced steak Use either ground beef or diced steak; both work for fast browning.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo Use 2 for mild to medium, 3+ for more heat; minced.
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup salsa roja
To assemble and serve
  • 4 large flour tortillas Warm in a dry skillet.
  • 0.25 sour cream Optional, for serving.
  • 0.25 jalapeños Optional, for serving.
  • 0.25 cilantro Optional, for serving.
  • salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the chipotle beef mixture
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so the onion turns translucent.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Keep stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute, without letting it brown.
  3. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart as it cooks. Continue until no pink remains and the beef develops browned bits, about 5–7 minutes total.
  4. Stir in the minced chipotle peppers in adobo, adobo sauce, and cumin. Mix thoroughly so everything is coated and looks evenly speckled.
  5. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes to blend flavors. You should see gentle bubbling and a darker, cohesive sauce clinging to the beef.
  6. Add the cooked black beans and cooked rice, stirring to combine. Cook until heated through and the mixture looks evenly distributed, about 3–5 minutes.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the filling is balanced and not flat.
Warm tortillas and assemble burritos
  1. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet. Heat until flexible and lightly toasted, about 30–60 seconds per side, using a visual cue of browning spots.
  2. Fill each tortilla with about 1 cup of the beef mixture. Spoon the filling in a line across the center so it stays bunched for a tight roll.
  3. Top each burrito with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Add enough so the cheese layer can melt, then keep the filling from overflowing.
  4. Roll tightly, tucking in the sides. Press lightly as you roll so the seam holds and the burrito looks compact.
  5. Serve with additional salsa roja, sour cream, jalapeños, and cilantro. Plate so the sauce can pool slightly, showing a drip-ready finish.

Notes

For the tightest wraps, warm tortillas just before assembling so they don’t crack. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot throughout. Freezing is not recommended for best texture of tortillas and cheese. For a lower-fat option, use 90% lean ground beef or swap in extra-lean ground turkey while keeping the same chipotle filling steps.