Why You’ll Love this Everything Burrito
When you’re staring at the clock at 5:47 PM wondering what on earth you’re going to feed your family tonight, this everything burrito becomes your weeknight superhero.
I mean, what’s not to love about cramming all your favorite fillings into one handheld masterpiece? It’s customizable, filling, and uses simple ingredients you probably already have.
What Ingredients are in Everything Burrito?
Look, I’m not going to lie to you – this ingredient list might look a little long at first glance, but trust me when I say most of these are probably already hanging out in your pantry or fridge right now.
The beauty of an everything burrito is that it’s basically a greatest hits album of Tex-Mex ingredients, all wrapped up in one glorious, overstuffed package.
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 6 (10 inch) tortillas
- 1 (1 ounce) package burrito seasoning mix, Lawry’s
- 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can refried beans, Old El Paso
- 1 (5 ounce) package Spanish rice, Mahatma
- 1 cup lettuce, shredded
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 1 (1 ounce) can olives, sliced
- 1 (1 ounce) can jalapeños, sliced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Now, before you start panicking about brand loyalty or whether you need to make three separate trips to the store, let me ease your mind. The specific brands mentioned are just suggestions – your regular old refried beans will work just fine, and honestly, any decent melting cheese will make you happy. If you’re feeling fancy, you can shred your own cheese, but let’s be real, the pre-shredded stuff is perfectly acceptable for a Tuesday night dinner.
And here’s a little secret: if you’re missing an ingredient or two, these burritos are incredibly forgiving. No olives? Skip ’em. Only have brown rice? Go for it. The goal is to feed people, not win a culinary competition.
How to Make this Everything Burrito
The actual cooking process here is straightforward, which is exactly what you need when you’re running on fumes after a long day. Start by cooking your 1/2 lb of lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns. Once it’s fully cooked through, drain off any excess grease, then follow the directions on your 1 (1 ounce) package of burrito seasoning mix – this usually means adding a bit of water and letting everything simmer together for a few minutes until the sauce thickens up nicely.
While that’s happening, prepare your 1 (5 ounce) package of Spanish rice according to the package directions, and warm up your 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can of refried beans either in the microwave or on the stovetop. For an even easier approach, you can use a premium slow cooker to prepare the ground beef and beans together, letting them simmer while you handle the other prep work. Don’t forget to prep your fresh ingredients too – get that 1 cup of lettuce shredded, 1 tomato diced, and 2 green onions sliced thin, plus open up those cans of olives and jalapeños.
Now comes the fun part, the assembly line that’ll make you feel like you’re running your own little burrito shop. Warm your 6 (10 inch) tortillas in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds to make them pliable, then start building your masterpieces. Layer on the seasoned ground beef, refried beans, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and Spanish rice first – these are your hot ingredients that’ll help melt the cheese when you pop the whole thing in the microwave for 15 seconds. After that quick heat-up, add your cool, crispy toppings: the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, olives, and jalapeños. The key to a good burrito fold isn’t overstuffing it, which I know is tempting when everything looks so good, but trust me, you’ll thank yourself later when you’re not chasing escaped beans across your plate. Fold up the bottom, tuck in the sides, and roll it up tight. If you want to add sour cream or salsa, now’s the time, though honestly, these babies are pretty complete as-is.
Everything Burrito Substitutions and Variations
One of my favorite things about this everything burrito recipe is how incredibly flexible it is, which honestly makes it perfect for those nights when you open the fridge and realize you’re missing half the ingredients you thought you had.
Ground turkey instead of beef? Perfect. Black beans instead of refried? Absolutely works. No Spanish rice? Regular rice does the trick beautifully.
What to Serve with Everything Burrito
Speaking of flexibility, once you’ve got these loaded burritos ready to go, you’ll want to think about what else goes on the plate.
I keep it simple with tortilla chips and guacamole, maybe some Mexican street corn if I’m feeling fancy. A crisp side salad cuts through all that cheesy goodness perfectly.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I can’t think of many recipes that deliver this much satisfaction with so little fuss. These burritos practically assemble themselves, which is perfect when you’re juggling work, kids, and whatever chaos life throws your way.
They’re filling, customizable, and forgiving if you mess up the measurements. Pure weeknight magic, really.
