This Beef Burrito Skillet is a Mexican favorite that will be on your table in less than 30 minutes. It’s delicious, economical, and perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or game day.
Back-to-school and busy seasons sneak up fast, and dinner should be the least of your worries. This Beef Burrito Skillet is a quick, satisfying solution—flavorful and simple to prepare.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Ready in under 30 minutes, this one-skillet meal delivers classic burrito flavors without the fuss of wrapping tortillas. It uses fewer than 10 common ingredients, so it’s budget-friendly and easy to shop for.
What Is a Burrito?
A burrito is a Mexican-style dish where a flour tortilla is filled with seasoned meat (beef, chicken, or pork), rice, beans, cheese, vegetables, and condiments such as salsa or crema, then rolled into a cylinder. This skillet version contains all the classic fillings cooked together and served without the tortilla—think of it as the burrito filling, cooked and spooned straight from the pan.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 (1-oz.) package taco seasoning
- 1 (10-oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, undrained (or diced tomatoes)
- 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese, plus extra for serving
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Brown the beef and onion. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and chopped yellow onion, breaking the meat up with a spoon. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent. Drain off excess fat.
2. Add seasoning and liquids. Stir in the taco seasoning, 1 1/4 cups water, the undrained Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, rinsed pinto beans, and the cooked brown rice. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Simmer briefly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated—about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Finish with cheese. Stir in the shredded cheddar-jack until melted and well combined. Remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve with extra cheese and sour cream on the side.
I like to pair this with a cold beverage and extra toppings on the table so everyone can customize their plate.
This skillet is an ideal family meal for busy nights—easy, tasty, and kid-friendly. If your household loves burritos, this filling served straight from the pan will be a new favorite. Try it for meal prep or a casual dinner and let me know how it turns out.
Cook’s Notes
I used a 10-ounce can of Rotel for added flavor from the green chiles, but plain petite diced tomatoes work, too. For convenience, you can use pre-cooked microwaveable brown rice cups (about 8.8 oz. total). Otherwise, 2 cups of cooked brown rice is perfect.
Recipe Card
Beef Burrito Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 (1-oz.) package taco seasoning
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 (10-oz.) can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
- 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese, plus extra for serving
- Sour cream, for serving if desired
- Cilantro leaves, as garnish if desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent. Drain.
- Add the taco seasoning, water, tomatoes with green chilies, pinto beans and rice. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until almost all the water has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese until melted. Remove from the heat.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve with extra cheese and sour cream.
Notes
Rotel adds a pleasant kick; plain diced tomatoes are a fine substitute. For convenience, pre-cooked microwaveable brown rice works well—use about 2 cups cooked rice total if you don’t use the cup-style rice.