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You are here: Home / Recipes / Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

12/14/20 | Beef, Cuisines, Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Courses, Mexican, Recipes

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These barbacoa burrito bowls are loaded with tender and tangy homemade barbacoa and all your favorite burrito toppings layered over a bed of cilantro lime rice.

Sometimes there’s nothing quite as satisfying as digging into a big bowl of rice and meat and beans. You *could* run out for takeout and buy a burrito bowl, but they’re pretty delicious and easy to make at home.

Make these with leftover barbacoa if you have it or follow my easy barbacoa recipe for tender fall-apart meat with hardly any hands-on cooking time.

Overhead photo of a barbacoa burrito bowl.

Ingredients

  • Cilantro rice: This homemade cilantro rice is made with 4 ingredients, butter, long-grain rice, cilantro, and a lime. It’s fluffy, perfect, and so good topped with burrito fillings.
  • Barbacoa: The shredded beef for these burrito bowls is a pared-down version of my favorite barbacoa recipe. You can make it on the stovetop or toss it in the crockpot before you leave for work in the morning.
  • Your favorite burrito toppings: For these bowls, I used pico de gallo, black beans, corn, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.

Burrito bowl in a white bowl.

More Topping Ideas

There isn’t much you can’t put in a burrito bowl. Some other toppings to try:

  • Salsa
  • Scrambled eggs for a breakfast burrito bowl
  • Olives
  • Fajita vegetables
  • Fresh tomatoes

FAQ

What to serve with burrito bowls?

Burrito bowls can really be a meal on their own, but if you want to add some veggies, try roasting some green beans or zucchini to serve alongside or add chips and salsa (or nacho cheese sauce!).

How to store leftovers?

To store leftovers, allow rice to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store leftover barbacoa in its juices in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To store assembled bowls for meal prepping, build bowls in airtight containers (I like these 3-cup Pyrex containers) omitting any ingredients that you wouldn’t want to microwave like sour cream and guacamole. Store for up to 3 days.

Close up overhead photo of a barbacoa burrito bowl.

Can I make the barbacoa in advance?

Yes! You can make the barbacoa a couple of days in advance. If making in the slow cooker, you can also pre-cut the meat and pre-mix the rest of the ingredients the night before. In the morning, just toss the meat in the slow cooker, pour the rest of the ingredients over the top and let it cook while you go about the rest of your day.

More Recipes That Make Great Leftovers

  • Carne Asada Burrito Bowls
  • Easy Short Ribs
  • Homemade Carnitas
  • Simple Beef Stew
  • Easy Chili
Close up overhead photo of a barbacoa burrito bowl.

Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

These barbacoa burrito bowls are loaded with tender and tangy homemade barbacoa and all your favorite burrito toppings layered over a bed of cilantro lime rice.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 4 bowls
Calories: 824kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

Barbacoa

  • 1 boneless 2-3 pound chuck roast trimmed and cut into fist-size chunks
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-6 cups beef or chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced optional
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves optional
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 bay leaves

Cilantro Lime Rice

  • Juice from 1 lime about 2 tablespoons
  • Scant 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • Zest from 1 lime divided
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter salted or unsalted is fine
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped loosely packed cilantro divided

Burrito Bowls

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans rinsed, drained, and warmed
  • 1 15- 15-ounce can corn drained and warmed
  • 1/2 cup (2oz) shredded Mexican-blend cheese
  • 1 cup pico de gallo
  • 1/2 cup guacamole
  • 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

Barbacoa

  • Generously salt and pepper meat on all sides.
  • In a large dutch oven (or skillet if you’ll be using a slow cooker), heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary. This may take up to 15 minutes.

Stovetop Barbacoa

  • Add onion and just enough chicken or beef broth to mostly submerge the meat. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck-on bits. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a low simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender and can be pulled apart with a fork.

Slow Cooker Barbacoa

  • If using a slow cooker, transfer meat and any drippings remaining in the pan to the slow cooker and add onions, 1 cup of broth and remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.

Shred

  • Once meat is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pieces to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat as you go.
  • Return shredded meat to the cooking liquid. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Cilantro Lime Rice

  • Add lime juice to a 2-cup measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup the rest of the way with chicken broth.
  • In a saucepan or rice cooker, cook rice according to package instructions, replacing the water with the lime juice/chicken broth mixture and adding butter and salt when you add the rice (if the package instructions already call for salt, do not add additional salt).
  • After rice has finished cooking, stir in half of the lime zest and cilantro. Taste and add more lime and cilantro to taste.

Burrito Bowls

  • Divide cilantro rice between bowls or food prep containers. Top rice with shredded barbacoa and the rest of your burrito bowl toppings. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Approximate nutritional information assumes 25% braising liquid consumption.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

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Welcome!


Hi, I'm Tracy! Welcome to Baking Mischief, where we realize that not everyone is cooking every night for a family of four. We have delicious sweet and savory recipes, mostly scaled for one or two, and we love our pop culture around here, so keep an eye out for film, book, and TV-inspired treats as well! Read more»
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