So, I did not check, but I am sure there are millions of burrito recipes out on the web. Why am I bothering to post this? To inspire you to create and never settle for the same thing. This is a subtle variation and alternative on a well-established theme. Burritos are the perfect vehicle to experiment with and keep reinventing. I can only vouch for the feedback I get when I serve these meals, and my family is always objective with their feedback, for better or worse. The subtle undertone and glue of this recipe is the creamy chipotle sauce, made with real canned chipotles for a sublime but delightful heat.
The chipotle sauce in itself is a variation of the sauce I make for my Smashburgers and Grilled Chicken Sliders. Instead of pickle juice, I add sour cream, and it tastes incredible in the burrito in my opinion.
I always imagine the ingredients that are served in the foods I like at restaurants, and think back on some of the great burritos I have had at taquerias throughout the globe. The ingredients are often simple, similar, and they are prepared with attention and care in the better establishments I have frequented.
I therefore try and apply this same principle when making burritos for the family. When you boil it down, a burrito is just a tortilla, cheese, and filling. However, when you take a little extra time and get creative with the ingredients and vary them up ever so slightly, your dish transcends from just a regular old burrito to a tasty work of art.
Ideas…
Here are the components I usually like to toss into a burrito. Rice, beans, meat, seasonings, cheese, and some kind of sauce. Simple, right? Now imagine the plethora of combinations you can spin out of this basic formula, varying even only one component at a time.
Let’s start with the cheese–sure, you can toss in some cheddar…but what if you added a little something different with the cheddar…even a monterey jack blend? Instead of salsa, what about a creamy chipotle sauce you make yourself? Think about the combination of ingredients, and the foods you and your family like. Toss a little bit of this, a little bit of that. You get the idea…
This here right here and now
So I am going to continue writing up this recipe as I prepared it this evening. I will probably make it differently a month from now, but boy oh boy, this combo was dynamite, so I am sharing this configuration with you. Feel free to alter any way you like, but give this combo a shot and let me know what you think.
Guilty secret–the creamy chipotle sauce was inspired by the burritos I used to scarf down at Taco Bell. I would ask for it by name and have them put extra on the breakfast burritos, as well. This is probably a slightly less industrial version.
Prep your ingredients ahead of time and make the fam happy!
Beef, Rice, and Bean Burritos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 Flour tortillas Burrito Size
- 1-2 Chipotle peppers, diced Buy the canned variety in Adobo sauce
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise for the chipotle sauce
- 4 tbsp sour cream for the chipotle sauce
- 7 oz block of cheddar or monterey jack cheese shred ahead of time or while assembling burritos
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 can black beans
- 1½ cups chicken broth Buy a box and use for other recipes
- 1 cup rice basmati tastes great
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 4 teaspoons cumin
- 4 tsp Adobo seasoning
- 7 oz canned diced tomatoes This works out to about half a can of 14.5 oz of diced tomatoes.
- 1 fresh jalapeno use half, if you prefer less spicy
Instructions
Make the rice
- Add the 1½ cups chicken broth and 1 cup rice to the pressure cooker, cover lid, and set to 'rice' setting. This cooks it for about 6 minutes and you can let it naturally release while you prep the other ingredients.
- Now is a good time to do some prep. Make the creamy chipotle sauce. I usually have some chipotles from an already opened can in the fridge. If not, just open a new can and grab 1-2 out, depending on how spicy you want your sauce.
- In a medium sized bowl–I like using a regular serving bowl to lessen dirty dishes–add a few dollops of mayonnaise and a few dollops of sour cream. This works out to roughly 4 tablespoons of each. I eyeball most measurements…
- Place the chipotle on a cutting board and simply dice crosswise and lengthwise until you have a rough paste. Transfer to bowl on top of sour cream and mayo. Scoop some of the adobo sauce out of the can and add into bowl.
- Stir ingredients with a spoon until blended. Top with some fresh ground pepper. Add some freshly chopped jalapenos if you want some extra heat. Set aside and continue on the other steps.
Make the beef
- Brown the pound of beef in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Drain the excess fat. I usually hold a plate over the pan, tilting up and then draining into a cup or disposable container. Return to burner. Add 2 tbsp chili powder and 1 tsp of the cumin, some generous shakes of Adobo seasoning, and about 1/2 cup of the diced tomatoes and juice. Also toss in a pew pinches oregano. Let the juices simmer down for several minutes until mostly evaporated. Turn off heat and let sit.
Make the refried beans
- Empty a can of black beans into a separate flat frying pan and turn to medium heat. Make them into semi-refried beans. Add some black pepper, Adobo, 2 teaspoons of the cumin, 1 tablespoon of the chili powder, and the rest of the oregano. Use a masher and keep mashing the beans by hand until the sauce is thickened–probably 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit. You want them nice and thick so the juices dont run out of your burrito.
- Did I mention I love sprinkling Adobo on stuff? It has a nice hint of garlic in it. Here is a reminder to add to your Latin American dishes while cooking…be mindful as it contains a lot of salt.
Assemble and toast the burritos
- Here is the exciting part. You can tweak the taste for all of your family or guests. Heat a a cast iron skilletand low-med heat and start assembling. Place a tortilla on a plate. Add a spoonful of the meat, a spoonful of the refried beans, and a spoonful of the rice and push around evenly at the center of the tortilla. Add a few pinches of the shredded cheese. You can add the creamy chipotle sauce here or after you have toasted the burrito.
- Fold the sides of the tortilla so that they resemble a VERY SLIGHT triangle. Take the back side furthest from you and start slowly rolling toward you. As you wrap around the filling, roll tightly into a tube, pushing the sides inward to help keep them sealed. Finish rolling all the way around.
- Place the burrito on the heated skillet and cover to add some weight and press the burrito down. Listen to that heavenly sizzle. DO NOT LEAVE ON FOR LONG. You probably only need like 45-60 seconds depending on how hot the skillet is. Once you smell the burrito toasting, that is a sign you are ready to flip. If you flip to soon, just wait and flip back over after the other side is done toasting.
- Finish the remaining burritos. If you want to speed this step up, just have a helper and another skillet heated up. Mix it up! Add salsa, fresh jalapenos, chopped cilantro, or anything else you have on hand. It is the unexpected combo of flavors that will lead you to your own amazing taste discoveries.
