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one large flour tortilla burrito cut in half with cooked ground beef, pinto beans, white rice, roasted red pepper pieces and melted cheddar visible inside on a plain plate, with no foil, sour cream or garnish
Rachel Kim

Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos

A freezer burrito needs a filling that stays put, so reduce the beef mixture before it meets the rice and beans. Cool every component before rolling. Steam trapped inside a warm tortilla turns to ice and comes back as a wet patch when you reheat it. Pinto beans, roasted pepper and cheddar make these substantial without sour cream or raw lettuce inside. Add those cold extras separately if you want them later, rather than asking them to survive the freezer.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 can 15 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup dry long-grain white rice
  • 1 3/4 cups water for rice
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers drained and patted dry
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 6 oz shredded cheddar
  • 8 large flour tortillas about 10 inches each

Method
 

  1. Bring rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a covered saucepan. Reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes, then rest covered for 10 minutes and fluff.
  2. Brown beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles and cooking it to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
  3. Stir beans, roasted peppers, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper into the beef. Simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture is thick with no puddle of liquid.
  4. Spread rice and beef filling in separate shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Chill fully before assembling.
  5. Warm tortillas briefly in a dry skillet just until flexible. Divide cold rice, beef filling and cheddar among them, fold in the sides and roll tightly.
  6. Freeze after assembly: wrap each burrito tightly in parchment and then foil, place in a freezer bag, label and freeze for up to 2 months.
  7. Reheat from frozen: remove foil, wrap one burrito in a damp paper towel and microwave on 50% power for 3 minutes, turn, then microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes until its center reaches 165°F. Rest for 1 minute.
  8. Crisp the hot burrito in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side if desired, and serve one per portion.