There are lots of legends about how the burrito was invented in the general area of northern Mexico sometime in the 19th or 20th century. Corn tortillas were used by the indigenous peoples of Mexico to wrap foods as early as 10,000 BCE. The burrito proper, with a name that means “little donkey” in Spanish, may have originated with Texan and Mexican cowboys, as an easy meal to eat on the go.
Burritos began to appear on US restaurant menus in California in the 1920s and 1930. Most commonly made with beef, burritos can be prepared with a wide variety of additional ingredients, such as cheese, rice, vegetables, guacamole, and many other fillings. Burritos can be served topped with sour cream or smothered in sauce.
Recipe Servings: 6
+ 10 minutes resting
Ingredients
Seasoning:
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
Beef:
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp water
Assembly:
- 6–8 large soft flour tortillas or round wraps
- 3 cups cooked rice, warm but not piping hot
- 3 cups iceberg lettuce, finely sliced
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup black beans
- 3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro, chopped as needed
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
Directions
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the oil into a skillet set over high heat.
- Add the garlic and onion, and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is lightly browned.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up clumps, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add the seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and water and cook for 3 minutes, until the water is mostly evaporated but the beef is still moist.
- Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven and then place them on a work surface.
- Add ¼–⅓ cup of rice just below the center of each tortilla.
- Add a similar quantity of beef and top it with lettuce, corn, black beans, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and cheese as desired.
- Fold in the bottom of the tortilla to cover the filling and then fold in the edges and roll the burrito up tightly.
For Seasoning:
For Beef:
For Assembly:
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