Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos are the perfect quick and easy meal! Made with refried beans, super simple seasoned rice, and sharp cheese, this is the perfect vegetarian meal for busy nights or on the go.
Homemade burritos are the gift that keep on giving
Here on HNL, we are firm believers that homemade burritos are the gift that keeps on giving.
Make some for dinner, and you're a winner. Freeze some for later, and you can feast on burritos whenever your heart desires. And I don't know about you, but my heart desires burritos very, very often. With 18 grams of protein per serving, who could blame me?! This makes the nutritionist in me happy.
Like my Black Bean and Quinoa Freezer Burritos and Black Bean Enchiladas, these Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos are fabulous for meal prep. But what sets these apart is that they're a copycat of the Taco Bell version—without all the processed stuff.
Yes, this recipe has all the creamy, cheesy goodness of a Taco Bell cheesy bean and rice burrito, and while it takes a little more effort than going to the drive-thru, I’m pretty confident that it’s worth it. These are guaranteed to be a hit!
Let's make Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos together!
Step 1: make your rice
First things first, cook the rice according to the package directions. Then, remove it from the heat and stir in the salsa. Easy peasy.
Step 2: make your sauce
While the rice cooks, add all of the chipotle sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir everything together until it’s smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. We're making a smoky riff on the classic jalapeno sauce, so feel free to dial up the heat if you like.
Step 3: roll your burritos!
To assemble the burritos, start by spreading the refried beans on one side of the tortilla. Add the rice, followed by the chipotle sauce and shredded cheese.
Roll the burrito by folding the left and right sides over the filling; about one or two inches on each side is good. Then, start rolling the bottom up, tucking the sides in as you go.
To toast the cheesy bean and rice burritos, set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and brush the bottom with olive oil. Place the burritos seam side down in the pan and toast for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Storing + Reheating Burritos
Wrap your burritos tightly in foil, and you can store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. They can be reheated in the foil in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, or you can remove the foil and heat them in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel.
If you freeze these burritos, I recommend letting them thaw in the fridge before reheating them according to the instructions above. They’ll reheat more evenly if they’re thawed first.
Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos
Ingredients
Seasoned rice
- 1 cup long grain rice I used basmati
- ½ cup salsa Use your favorite
Chipotle sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely minced
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos
- 15 ounce can refried beans or 1 ¾ cups homemade refried beans
- 6 ounces shredded Tex Mex cheese
- 6 large tortillas
Instructions
Seasoned Rice
- Start by making the seasoned rice. Cook the rice according to package directions (I combine the rice with 1 ¾ cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed).1 cup long grain rice
- Remove the rice from the heat and let it cool slightly, then stir in the salsa.½ cup salsa
Chipotle sauce
- While the rice is cooking, make the chipotle sauce. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, minced chipotle, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.½ cup sour cream, 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, salt and pepper to taste
Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos
- To assemble the burritos, start by spreading a scant ½ cup refried beans on one side of the tortilla. Add the rice (I aim for about ¾ cup of rice per burrito, but you can do more or less), followed by a couple of spoonfuls of the chipotle sauce. Top with shredded cheese, and then roll up your burrito.15 ounce can refried beans , 6 large tortillas, 6 ounces shredded Tex Mex cheese
- If you’d like to toast your burritos, heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Brush the bottom of the skillet lightly with olive oil, and then place the burritos, seam side down, in the pan. Toast for 3-5 minutes on two sides, until golden.
- Serve the burritos with extra chipotle sauce if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only.
- Note - less is more when it comes to rolling burritos, so don’t over fill them. I made this recipe into 4 large burritos, but you can certainly make 6 slightly smaller ones instead.
Rachel says
I made these the other night and WOW they are delicious! The flavours work well together and they are quick and easy to make. These will be added to my regular cooking rotation.
Katie Trant says
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed these as much as we do, Rachel!
Jack says
These were PERFECT for a cold fall night, and I popped some in the freezer for future meals.
The sauce was so easy to make and delicious.