Crunchy Beef & Bean Burritos with Nacho Cheese Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The fast-food burrito, rebuilt at home so it actually tastes like something: saucy chili-spiced ground beef, warm refried beans, a real nacho cheese sauce made from scratch in five minutes, and a handful of crushed corn chips for that unmistakable crunch. Rolled tight and griddled in a dry skillet so the tortilla seals into a golden, portable package.

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 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed
• 6 oz American cheese, torn or chopped (deli slices work best)
• 2 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
• 2 tbsp diced jarred pickled jalapeños, plus 1 tbsp brine
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• 4 burrito-size flour tortillas (10-inch)
• 1 can (16 oz) refried beans
• 2 cups corn chips, lightly crushed
• 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce (optional)
• 1/3 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef and press it into a flat layer. Let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes to brown, then break it into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon or potato masher — you want a texture closer to taco-shop beef than chunky chili.
2. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices smell toasty.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and cook another minute until it darkens. Pour in the beef broth, add the salt and pepper, and simmer over medium-low for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is glossy and saucy but no longer pooling liquid. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat.
4. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk in three additions, letting it thicken between each, until smooth. Simmer 2 minutes.
5. Pull the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the American cheese a handful at a time, then the cheddar, until completely smooth. Stir in the jalapeños, jalapeño brine, garlic powder, and onion powder. It should coat a spoon like thin gravy; loosen with a splash of milk if it stiffens.
6. Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan or microwave with 2 tablespoons of water until spreadable and hot, about 2 minutes. Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20 seconds per side, or wrap the stack in a damp towel and microwave 30 seconds — pliable tortillas are the difference between a burrito and a tear.
7. Build each burrito on a work surface: spread 1/3 cup refried beans in a horizontal band slightly below center, leaving 2 inches bare at each side. Top with 1/2 cup beef, 3 tablespoons cheese sauce, 1/2 cup crushed corn chips, and, if using, lettuce and a spoonful of sour cream. Do not overfill.
8. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold both sides in toward the center, then roll upward tightly, tucking as you go, to make a sealed cylinder.
9. Wipe out the beef skillet and set it over medium heat with no oil. Griddle the burritos seam-side down for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and sealed, then flip and toast the other side 2 minutes. Work in batches of two.
10. Rest the burritos 2 minutes, then cut in half on a sharp diagonal. Serve with the remaining nacho cheese sauce for dipping and a scatter of scallions and extra crushed chips on the side.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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