Deluxe Bean and Chili Burrito

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A drive-thru classic rebuilt at home in about 20 minutes: a fast skillet chili of ground beef, tomato sauce and warm spices layered over creamy refried beans and melting cheddar. The trick is stacking the cold stuff — shredded lettuce, diced tomato and sour cream — last, right before you fold, so it stays crisp and cool against the hot filling instead of steaming into mush.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water or low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 16-oz can refried beans
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, chilled
• 1 cup diced Roma tomato, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup sour cream, cold
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallion or diced red onion
• to taste pickled jalapeño slices
• to taste hot sauce

Instructions

1. Prep the cold toppings first and park them in the fridge: shred the lettuce, dice and seed the tomatoes, slice the scallions. Cold, dry toppings are what makes this a 'deluxe' burrito instead of a soggy one.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef and onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir constantly for 45 seconds until the spices smell toasty — this blooming step is what gives a 15-minute chili a long-simmered flavor.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce and water, scrape up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick and scoopable with no loose liquid pooling in the pan. Stir in the vinegar and taste for salt, then keep warm over low heat.
5. While the chili simmers, scrape the refried beans into a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons water. Warm over medium-low, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth, loose and steaming. Cover and set aside.
6. Warm the tortillas so they roll without cracking: stack them between two damp paper towels and microwave 30 to 40 seconds, or toast each one 15 seconds per side in a dry skillet over medium-high.
7. Build one burrito at a time on a work surface. Spread about 1/3 cup refried beans in a 4-inch-wide stripe just below the center of the tortilla, leaving 2 inches bare at each side. Top with a generous 1/2 cup of chili, then 1/3 cup shredded cheddar directly on the hot chili so it melts.
8. Now add the cold layer on top: a small handful of lettuce, a spoonful of tomato, scallions, jalapeños, hot sauce, and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Adding it last means it never sits against the hot pan-side of the filling.
9. Fold the two bare sides in over the filling, then bring the bottom edge up and over the stack, tucking it in tightly with your fingertips. Roll forward firmly to seal, finishing seam-side down.
10. Optional but worth 90 seconds: set the rolled burritos seam-side down in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat and toast 1 to 2 minutes per side until the tortilla is spotted golden and sealed shut. Slice in half on a diagonal and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem