Easy beef burrito bowls with all the toppings including a creamy burrito sauce and super simple cilantro-lime rice. This dish is full of fresh flavors, can be prepped ahead and is ready in 30 minutes!
Not gonna lie, I’ve been eating these burrito bowls on repeat for the last couple of weeks and so, of course, I have to share the recipe. It’s a combination of savory seasoned beef, beans, cilantro-lime rice and a simple “burrito sauce”, which I’m not sure is an actual thing so I’m making it one. I’ve been all about the burrito sauce.
Anyway, I would happily survive on Mexican food the rest of my life – it’s what I miss most about living in New Mexico – although these burrito bowls are more “Mexican-inspired” and fall heavily towards the Americanized side of things. It’s more “copycat Chipotle burrito bowl” than anything else. And that’s fine with me because it’s been making me very happy.
4-Part Burrito Bowls
This is basically a four-part operation:
- The super-simple cilantro-lime rice that takes two minutes in the microwave.
- The very easy seasoned beef and beans.
- The three-ingredient “burrito sauce”.
- And all the toppings.
If you haven’t experienced the wonder that is frozen rice might I introduce you to it today? Rice purists may scoff, but I am a big fan.
Combine frozen rice with some lime juice and fresh cilantro and pop it in the microwave. Viola! You get cilantro-lime rice in two minutes.
The beef and beans cook together on the stove. Add your favorite taco or chili seasoning and in about 10 minutes it’s ready to go.
And the burrito sauce? Just combine equal parts enchilada sauce and sour cream along with a squeeze of lime juice. I use my 10-minute homemade enchilada sauce, but you can use your favorite store-bought brand to make it even easier.
Don’t forget the toppings – I love shredded lettuce, cheese, diced tomatoes and generous dollops of guacamole and sour cream.
Make it Ahead
One thing I love about this recipe is that most of it can be prepped ahead of time, which means I can have burrito bowls for dinner and lunch the next day.
- I store the cooked ground beef, beans and rice together in one container. They keep well for up to three or four days.
- I keep the other parts like the sauce, cheese, and toppings in separate containers.
- Warm up the beef and rice and then add all of your toppings. So easy.
These beef burrito bowls go perfectly with a side of tortilla chips for scooping. It definitely ups the happy quotient.
Happy cooking,
More Easy Recipes
- Shrimp Fajita Bowls
- Chicken and Poblano Black Bean Rice Bowl
- Beef and Veggie Noodle Bowls
- Sesame Beef Bowls
- Ground Turkey Taco Bowls
Beef Burrito Bowls
Easy beef burrito bowls with all the toppings including a creamy burrito sauce and super simple cilantro-lime rice. It’s full of fresh flavors, can be prepped ahead and is ready in 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Beef and Beans
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili or taco seasoning
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained
For the Cilantro-Lime Rice
- 1 1/2 cups frozen brown rice
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
For the Burrito Sauce
- 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce (storebought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- A squeeze of lime juice
Optional Toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Cook the beef and beans: Brown the beef in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. As it cooks, add the seasoning and, just before it’s done, add the black beans. Adjust the heat to keep warm.
- Make the rice: Place the frozen rice, lime juice, zest and cilantro in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic and cook it in the microwave for two to three minutes. Keep it covered while you finish the recipe.
- Make the burrito sauce: Mix the enchilada sauce with the sour cream. Add the lime juice adjusting the amount depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce.
- Assemble the bowls: Uncover the rice and stir it before scooping into the bowls. Add the beef and bean mixture. Drizzle the sauce over the top or add a dollop. Garnish with the other toppings you are using.
Notes
If you want to make these bowls ahead, the beef, beans, sauce and rice will keep well in the refrigerator for two to three days. I usually keep the other components separate and assemble when I’m ready to serve the bowls.
The nutrition estimate does not include the optional toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Sodium: 778.4mg
- Fat: 7.3g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 59.6g
- Fiber: 11.6g
- Protein: 36.2g
- Cholesterol: 74.9mg
Keywords: easy burrito bowls, ground beef burrito bowls
Bridget says
Made this last week and now I, too, am all about the burrito sauce…
the cilantro lime rice was my favorite though-that really brought it home. Yummy!
thanks!
★★★★★