This baked burritos recipe is the kind of dinner my family finishes every time. Flour tortillas stuffed with seasoned ground beef, black beans, rice, and enchilada sauce, then topped with a blanket of melted cheese and baked until golden and bubbling.
What makes these better than your average burrito? The oven does the heavy lifting. The heat crisps the outside of the tortilla while everything inside gets melty and cohesive in a way stovetop or microwave burritos just can’t match.
Need to meal prep? Make a pan on Sunday and you’ve got lunches sorted for the week.
Baked Burritos Ingredients
Don’t skip the cheese on top — that golden, bubbly crust is what makes these worth turning the oven on for. And the enchilada sauce is what ties it all together.
You’ll need:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- ½ cup of finely diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
- 1 (1-ounce) package of taco seasoning mix (or use our homemade taco seasoning)
- ⅔ cup of water
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 4 cups of fiesta blend shredded cheese (divided into 3 cups and 1 cup)
- 2 cups of cooked long-grain white rice
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup of fresh Pico de Gallo
- 4 tablespoons of fresh, chopped cilantro (divided into 3 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon)
- ⅔ cup of red enchilada sauce
PRO TIP:
We highly recommend using flour tortillas rather than corn because they tend to roll better without tearing.
Substitutions And Additions
BEANS: You can substitute refried beans (either store-bought or homemade refried beans) for black beans for the bean filling in this delicious recipe.
VEGGIES: Add green pepper, red bell peppers, or other vegetables to these cheesy bean burritos.
CHEESE: If you would like to use a different type of cheese, sharp cheddar cheese or a different Mexican cheese blend works fine in this easy recipe.
You should grate your own cheese rather than buy pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a preservative on it, and it doesn’t melt quite as well.
CILANTRO: If you are not a fan of cilantro, you could sprinkle chopped parsley or green onions on top of these loaded smothered beef burritos instead.
How To Make This Baked Burritos Recipe
Follow our step-by-step instructions below to prepare the ingredients and assemble these tasty burritos.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
This is a fantastic make-ahead meal. Double your batch and follow our easy freezing instructions below.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
STEP TWO: Using a 4 to 5-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, brown ground beef, onion, and fresh garlic, stirring frequently. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the ground beef is cooked through and is no longer pink.
STEP THREE: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
STEP FOUR: Warm your tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds. You can wrap them in a damp dish towel or paper towel before putting them in the microwave. This will keep them moist, and they are then more pliable to roll.
STEP FIVE: Lay out 1 burrito shell.
STEP SIX: Sprinkle ¼ cup of the shredded cheese measuring about 3 inches long.
PRO TIP:
It is easier to sprinkle the shredded cheese as the base for the rest of the burrito filling. If you layer the meat mixture first, the tortilla tends to tear or rip when you begin folding the burrito.
STEP SEVEN: Spread ⅓ cup of the cooked rice on top of the cheese.
STEP EIGHT: Layer ¼ cup of the black beans on top of the rice.
STEP NINE: Layer 2 tablespoons of fresh Pico de Gallo.
STEP TEN: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chopped cilantro over the Pico de Gallo.
STEP ELEVEN: Layer ⅓ cup of the beef mixture on top of the beans.
STEP TWELVE: Layer ¼ cup of shredded cheese on top of the meat mixture.
STEP THIRTEEN: Lightly press down on the layers of filling, pressing in on all sides to make it compact. This will make for easier folding.
STEP FOURTEEN: First, fold the bottom of the tortilla up and a little over the rectangle of meat filling, tucking it barely under the filling.
STEP FIFTEEN: Next, gently fold over the right side of the tortilla while holding the first fold in place. Then fold the opposite side over gently. Keep your hands on the folds at all times, holding them in place.
STEP SIXTEEN: Next, gently and slowly roll toward the top while using your fingers to keep both sides folded in. You can adjust the folds as you roll to the top. (The sides will try to spread out, so be patient.)
Place the finished burrito into the prepared pan, making sure to place the seam side down. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
STEP SEVENTEEN: Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the tops of the burritos.
STEP EIGHTEEN: Sprinkle it with the remaining cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your burritos at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
STEP NINETEEN: Sprinkle with the remaining chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
How To Serve Oven-Baked Burritos
You can serve these delicious burritos with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
These are hearty enough to serve alone for an easy weeknight meal, but you can also add our Spanish rice, Mexican corn salad, or a green salad on the side for a larger meal.
Our cheeseburger burrito and Taco Bell Frito burrito recipes are two more delicious burrito recipes to try.
MORE MEXICAN DISH RECIPES
Storing This Easy Burrito Recipe
Make an extra batch of these burritos to keep for a busy weeknight or afternoon snack.
IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of the cheesy baked burritos in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unbaked burritos for up to 1 month. Allow them to thaw before baking. You can also freeze the oven-baked burritos for up to 1 month. Allow them to thaw before reheating.
MAKE AHEAD: These easy baked burritos with enchilada sauce are a great freezer meal. Assemble them up to just before the baking step, cover them, and freeze them for up to a month.
Once you are ready to bake them, thaw them in the fridge overnight and then pop them in the oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Busy weeknight meals just got easier with a dish that the whole family will gobble up. Loaded with beef, beans, rice, and ooey-gooey cheese, these baked burritos make a hearty meal that is filling on its own or perfect for a larger meal, along with a tasty side dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
We find that corn tortillas don’t roll as well in this easy recipe. Stick with soft flour tortillas if you can for the best result.
You can assemble this recipe earlier in the day or the night before and pop it in the oven right before dinner time. This recipe also makes a great freezer meal to make, freeze, and bake later.
You can make and assemble this recipe ahead of time and freeze it. Thaw overnight and bake according to the above instructions.
Trending Tex Mex Recipes
Baked Burritos Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup sweet yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅔ cup red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
- 15.25 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup fresh pico de gallo
- 4 cups fiesta blend shredded cheese divided into 3 cups and 1 cup
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped (divided into 3 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the taco seasoning and water and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Warm your tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds — wrapping them in a damp kitchen towel first keeps them soft and pliable enough to roll without tearing.
- Lay a tortilla flat and sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded cheese down the center in a strip about 3 inches wide.
- Layer ⅓ cup of rice on top of the cheese, followed by ¼ cup black beans, 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, and 1 teaspoon cilantro.
- Add ⅓ cup of the meat mixture on top, then finish with another ¼ cup of shredded cheese.
- Gently press the filling down to compact it — this makes rolling much easier.
- Fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling, tucking it snugly underneath. Fold in both sides, holding them in place, then roll forward slowly until seam side down. Place in the baking dish and repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Drizzle the enchilada sauce over the center of the burritos and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Scatter the remaining cilantro over the top and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Grate your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded. The preservative coating on bagged cheese prevents it from melting properly.
- This is a great make-ahead meal. Double the batch and follow the freezing instructions below.
- Flour tortillas work much better than corn here — they roll without tearing.
- Layer the cheese down first before the meat mixture. It acts as a barrier that keeps the tortilla from ripping when you fold it.
- Oven temperatures vary, so start checking your burritos at the low end of the baking time.
Nutrition
Comments
Gloria says
These are very good!
Patty says
I haven’t made these, yet, because I’d like to freeze some but you didn’t include those instructions. This looks yummy, though.
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Patty – the freezer instructions are included at the bottom of the post. Here you go, enjoy!
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unbaked burritos for up to 1 month. Allow them to thaw before baking. You can also freeze the oven-baked burritos for up to 1 month. Allow them to thaw before reheating.
MAKE AHEAD: These easy baked burritos with enchilada sauce are a great freezer meal. Assemble them up to just before the baking step, cover, and freeze for up to a month.
Once you are ready to bake them, thaw them in the fridge overnight and then pop them in the oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Marcie K says
Made this last night. I have always enjoyed cooking Mexican type food but this really made it easy and i had fun making it. Next time will be better because i didn’t have beans and fresh cilantro.
I may try enchiladas and taquitos now! Love that i make these ahead of time too and freeze if necessary.
Jill Edwards says
I just made these burritos and absolutely loved it!! My family really enjoyed these. Now it will be on our menu at least once every 2 week.