These incredibly good shredded beef burritos are filled with cilantro rice, (slightly) spicy beans, and fall-apart tender beef.
A couple months ago I shared my favorite freezer burritos with you, and today I have a spinoff version of that recipe, shredded beef burritos.
These burritos still use the same cilantro rice and slightly spicy bean base but are stuffed with tangy homemade barbacoa shredded beef that is *so good*. This recipe makes 8 burritos so it’ll feed a family or freeze the burritos and have a whole bunch of lunches and dinners ready to go.
Ingredients
- Cilantro rice: You’ll need just 4 ingredients for the rice, long-grain rice, chicken broth, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Shredded beef: This shredded beef is a smaller version of my favorite barbacoa recipe. It can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
- Spicy beans: A can of beans (pinto or black beans both work) cooked with onion, tomato paste, garlic, and a handful of spices make the perfect slightly spicy base for these burritos.
- 10-inch flour tortillas: 10-inch tortillas are the ideal size for these burritos. If you’re having trouble finding them at your local grocery store, you can buy the extra-large 12-inch tortillas and cut them down to size.
More Filling/Topping Ideas
Feel free to truly make these burritos your own and add your favorite toppings and fillings. To get you started, you might try:
- Cheese
- Fajita vegetables
- Olives
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Enchilada sauce (for a wet burrito)
FAQ
Can I freeze these burritos?
Yes! These burritos freeze fantastically. However, if adding additional fillings, be careful not to add things that don’t freeze and reheat well like sour cream, guacamole, and vegetables with high water content (like tomatoes).
To freeze: Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and then store all together in a freezer bag (you should be able to fit 6 per gallon bag. Burritos are best when eaten within 1 month, but I frequently keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Remove plastic wrap and wrap burrito in a paper towel. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Immediately remove paper towel (it will stick to the tortilla if left on too long), and enjoy.
Can I use shredded chicken or different type of meat in these burritos?
Yes! If you want to use shredded chicken, you can replace the beef with 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken. If you want to use a different type of meat, go check out my original freezer burritos post which has instructions for making these burritos with any type of meat.
What goes with shredded beef burritos?
Serve these burritos with quick vegetable sides like roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, or corn on the cob.
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Shredded Beef Burritos
Ingredients
Shredded Beef
- 1 boneless 2-3 pound chuck roast trimmed and cut into fist-size chunks
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 1-6 cups beef or chicken broth
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced optional
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 bay leaves
Cilantro Rice
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 ½ to 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
Burrito Filling
- 1 15-ounce can pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 tablespoons (50g) tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder OR regular chili powder
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 8 10-inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups (8oz) shredded cheddar, jack, or Mexican cheese blend optional
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Salsa
Instructions
Shredded Beef
- 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.
Beef Stovetop Instructions
- 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 lime juice, apple cider vinegar, optional minced chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, optional ground cloves, salt, and bay leaves and bring mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender and can be pulled apart with a fork.
Beef Slow Cooker Instructions
- 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 lime juice, apple cider vinegar, optional minced chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, optional ground cloves, salt, and bay leaves. 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.
- Add more salt and pepper to taste. Measure out 2 cups of the meat and set aside. If you have more than 2 cups, you can return the extra meat to its juices and keep it for other uses (or just eat it!).
Cilantro Rice
- Cook the rice according to package instructions, replacing the water with chicken broth and adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt (if package instructions already call for additional salt, do not add more than the package calls for).
- Stir in minced cilantro and set aside to cool.
Burrito Filling
- While your rice cooks, pour your drained and rinsed beans into a bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash about half of the beans. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, until onions are mostly softened. If they begin to brown too quickly at any point, turn the heat down.
- Add tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook until paste just begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan and spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add beans and chicken broth and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Add shredded beef to the pan and stir until well-mixed. Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine. Add more salt to taste if necessary. If making burritos to freeze, cool filling to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
Assemble Burritos
- Gently heat tortillas in the microwave by wrapping them in a barely damp dish towel and microwaving for about 1 minute.
- Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of beef filling, and 1/4 cup of cheese and any other fillings you want to include. Fold into a burrito.
- Add any desired toppings, serve and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Marc says
Simply delicious!!! An 11 out of 10!!!
Tracy says
Thanks, Marc! Love to hear it!