Shredded Beef Burritos

These incredibly good shredded beef burritos are filled with cilantro rice, (slightly) spicy beans, and fall-apart tender beef.

A couple months ago I shared my favorite freezer burritos with you, and today I have a spinoff version of that recipe, shredded beef burritos.

These burritos still use the same cilantro rice and slightly spicy bean base but are stuffed with tangy homemade barbacoa shredded beef that is so good. This recipe makes 8 burritos so it’ll feed a family or freeze the burritos and have a whole bunch of lunches and dinners ready to go.

Close up photo of shredded beef burritos stacked. - 1

Close up photo of shredded beef burritos stacked. - 2

Ingredients

Cilantro rice: You’ll need just 4 ingredients for the rice, long-grain rice, chicken broth, cilantro, and lime juice.
Shredded beef: This shredded beef is a smaller version of my favorite barbacoa recipe . It can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Spicy beans: A can of beans (pinto or black beans both work) cooked with onion, tomato paste, garlic, and a handful of spices make the perfect slightly spicy base for these burritos.
10-inch flour tortillas: 10-inch tortillas are the ideal size for these burritos. If you’re having trouble finding them at your local grocery store, you can buy the extra-large 12-inch tortillas and cut them down to size.

Barbacoa beef shredded for burritos in a bowl. - 3

Barbacoa beef shredded for burritos in a bowl. - 4

More Filling/Topping Ideas

Feel free to truly make these burritos your own and add your favorite toppings and fillings. To get you started, you might try:

Cheese
Fajita vegetables
Olives
Sour cream
Guacamole
Pico de gallo
Enchilada sauce (for a wet burrito)

Shredded beef burrito filling in a pan. - 5

Shredded beef burrito filling in a pan. - 6

Can I freeze these burritos?

Yes! These burritos freeze fantastically. However, if adding additional fillings, be careful not to add things that don’t freeze and reheat well like sour cream, guacamole, and vegetables with high water content (like tomatoes).

To freeze: Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and then store all together in a freezer bag (you should be able to fit 6 per gallon bag. Burritos are best when eaten within 1 month, but I frequently keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To reheat: Remove plastic wrap and wrap burrito in a paper towel. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Immediately remove paper towel (it will stick to the tortilla if left on too long), and enjoy.

Shredded beef burritos on a white plate with tortilla chips. - 7

Shredded beef burritos on a white plate with tortilla chips. - 8

Can I use shredded chicken or different type of meat in these burritos?

Yes! If you want to use shredded chicken , you can replace the beef with 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken. If you want to use a different type of meat, go check out my original freezer burritos post which has instructions for making these burritos with any type of meat.

What goes with shredded beef burritos?

Serve these burritos with quick vegetable sides like roasted broccoli , roasted asparagus , or corn on the cob .

Ingredients

Shredded Beef

▢ 1 boneless 2-3 pound chuck roast trimmed and cut into fist-size chunks
▢ Salt and pepper
▢ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
▢ 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
▢ 1-6 cups beef or chicken broth
▢ ¼ cup lime juice
▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
▢ 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced optional
▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves optional
▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
▢ 3 bay leaves

Cilantro Rice

▢ 1 cup uncooked rice
▢ 1 ½ to 2 cups chicken broth
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro

Burrito Filling

▢ 1 15-ounce can pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
▢ 1 large onion diced
▢ 3 tablespoons ( 50g ) tomato paste
▢ 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder OR regular chili powder
▢ ⅔ cup chicken broth
▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
▢ 8 10-inch flour tortillas
▢ 2 cups ( 8oz ) shredded cheddar, jack, or Mexican cheese blend optional

Optional Toppings

▢ Sour cream
▢ Guacamole
▢ Salsa

Instructions

Shredded Beef

Generously salt and pepper meat on all sides.
In a large dutch oven (or skillet if you’ll be using a slow cooker), heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, in batches if necessary.

Beef Stovetop Instructions

Add onion and just enough chicken or beef broth to mostly submerge the meat. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck-on bits. Stir in lime juice, apple cider vinegar, optional minced chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, optional ground cloves, salt, and bay leaves and bring mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender and can be pulled apart with a fork.

Beef Slow Cooker Instructions

If using a slow cooker, transfer meat and any drippings remaining in the pan to the slow cooker and add onions, 1 cup of broth and lime juice, apple cider vinegar, optional minced chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, optional ground cloves, salt, and bay leaves. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.

Shred

Once meat is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pieces to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat as you go.
Add more salt and pepper to taste. Measure out 2 cups of the meat and set aside. If you have more than 2 cups, you can return the extra meat to its juices and keep it for other uses (or just eat it!).

Cilantro Rice

Cook the rice according to package instructions, replacing the water with chicken broth and adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt (if package instructions already call for additional salt, do not add more than the package calls for).
Stir in minced cilantro and set aside to cool.

Burrito Filling

While your rice cooks, pour your drained and rinsed beans into a bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash about half of the beans. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, until onions are mostly softened. If they begin to brown too quickly at any point, turn the heat down.
Add tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook until paste just begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan and spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add beans and chicken broth and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add shredded beef to the pan and stir until well-mixed. Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine. Add more salt to taste if necessary. If making burritos to freeze, cool filling to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.

Assemble Burritos

Gently heat tortillas in the microwave by wrapping them in a barely damp dish towel and microwaving for about 1 minute.
Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of beef filling, and 1/4 cup of cheese and any other fillings you want to include. Fold into a burrito.
Add any desired toppings, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Your complete guide on how to freeze soup from the best soups to freeze to what containers to use. Plus a ton more tips and tricks.

A few weeks ago, in my freezer burritos post, I talked about how freezing meals for the future is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.

It’s something I wish everyone could find time to do because knowing you have a ready-to-go meal in your freezer is such a relief after a long day.

And since the weather is turning colder, I thought today would a perfect time to talk about one of my favorite foods for freezing: soup.

Mason jars of soup ready to be frozen. - 10

Mason jars of soup ready to be frozen. - 11

Can you freeze soup?

Yes! Soup freezes and reheats so, so well. Even better, you can store it in a variety of containers so you pretty much always have space in your freezer for some soup.

That being said, certain soups freeze better than others. Some ingredients degrade or separate or bloat in the freezer and this can change the texture of frozen and reheated soups.

Some soups you can freeze fully cooked, others you’ll want to modify before freezing for the best results.

The Best Soups for Freezing

Clear and vegetable-based soups without pasta, rice, or potatoes: Things like Chicken Taco Soup with lots of chicken and beans can go straight from stove to the freezer and reheat beautifully without any modifications.

Freezing Tip: All vegetables will be slightly softer after freezing and reheating. If you prefer your veggies with more bite, undercook them just a bit before freezing so they are firmer when you finally eat them.

Soups That Need Some Modifications for Freezing

Part 1: Soups With Dairy

This includes soups with cheese, cream/milk, and roux-based soups. Dairy in soups can separate and cheese and roux-based soups can become grainy when frozen.

How to Freeze Soups With Dairy

This is a really simple fix: leave the the dairy out if possible.

Make the soup recipe as written up to the point of adding the dairy and then freeze.
When you’re ready to serve the soup, defrost, heat, and add in the dairy.

This even works with soups made with a roux. When your soup base is defrosted and reheated, make the roux and stir it into the soup.

A Note on cream and milk-based soups: Even though they tend to separate when frozen, many people, myself included, will sometimes choose to freeze soups with milk and cream in them. This is because they usually come back together pretty well with a good stir.

The texture is often not quite as nice as when made fresh, but sometimes you have milk/cream that’s about to expire and it’s easier just to freeze everything now. If you’re not sure if you’ll mind the texture change, try it once and see how you feel about it. I find that it’s usually more of an aesthetic issue than a taste one.

Part 2: Soups With Starches Like Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes

Rice and pasta tend to bloat when frozen and potatoes will become mealy and fall apart. Some people don’t mind this, so you definitely can freeze soups with these ingredients, but their texture won’t be the same as freshly made soup.

How to Freeze Soups With Starches

A better option is to treat these ingredients as you would dairy and simply omit them while cooking.

Freeze the soup without the pasta/rice/potatoes.
When you’re ready to reheat the soup, cook the pasta/rice/potatoes separately and then add them to the reheated soup. You can do this for the whole recipe or individual servings.

What is the best container for freezing soup?

Different containers for freezing soup on a counter. - 12

Different containers for freezing soup on a counter. - 13

You have a few options for soup freezing containers, and they all have their pros and cons.

Plastic Storage Containers

Pros: Cheap (usually), easy to fill, reusable
Cons: Made of plastic, less durable than glass (long term), can be bulky in the freezer, can pick up stains and smells

Mason Jars

Pros: They look nice, relatively cheap, easier to fill than bags, will last basically forever
Cons: Can break, must defrost completely before pouring soup out, bulky and not stackable in the freezer

Plastic Freezer Bags

Pros: They’re cheap, easy to stack and store in small places, can be reused once or twice
Cons: Not very reusable, hard to fill, made of plastic, can rip or be punctured in the freezer

Silicon Freezer Bags

Pros: Reusable, most are dishwasher safe, easy to stack and store
Cons: Fairly expensive, not super easy to fill

My preference: I do most of my soup freezing in quart-size freezer bags (I like to freeze soup in individual portions). I’m also a big fan of the silicon freezer bags , but at $10+/bag for some brands, they’re a little too pricey for me to wholeheartedly recommend to everyone.

Bags of soup stacked and ready for freezing. - 14

Bags of soup stacked and ready for freezing. - 15

How to Freeze Soup

1. Cool

Always, always, always cool your soup to room temperature before freezing. Putting warm food in your freezer can raise the temperature of your freezer and cause the foods around it to begin to thaw and/or melt.

2. Label and Date

Never put anything in your freezer without a label and date. You think you’ll remember that this bag of red stuff is the tomato soup that you made on October 2nd, but I guarantee, by Nov 2nd, you won’t!

3. Freeze

Jars and plastic storage containers can go right into your freezer. If using freezer bags, stack them on a flat surface like a cutting board or small baking sheet (I usually use my quarter sheet pan ) and freeze until solid. Once frozen solid, you can stand the bags of soup upright and file them in wherever they’ll fit.

4. Defrost

Defrost soup overnight in the fridge. If using a disposable freezer bag, it’s always smart to put your soup on a baking tray or in a large bowl just incase it was punctured at all in the freezer so you don’t end up with soup leaking everywhere.

For single servings in freezer bags , you can also place them in a bowl of warm water, and they will defrost in about 15 minutes.

For quicker defrosting with most other containers, place the container of soup in a bowl/sink of warm water for about 5 minutes until the sides have melted enough for the frozen soup to slip out of the container. Dump the frozen soup in a pot and melt/reheat the soup very gently over medium heat.

5. Reheat

Reheat defrosted soup in the microwave or gently on the stove. Don’t try to microwave frozen soup unless it’s as a last resort. The amount of microwave time needed to reheat frozen soup will seriously overcook most ingredients in the soup.

Freezing Tip to Prevent Freezer Burn: The cause of freezer burn is air which allows ice crystals to form. To prevent this, squeeze all excess air out of freezer bags so there’s no chance for it to form. For jars and plastic containers, you can take a piece of plastic wrap and press it over the surface of the soup.

How to freeze soup in individual portions?

Freezing soup in individual portions is no different than freezing full batches. You just need smaller containers. This is actually my preferred way to freeze soup. When your soup is cooked, simply divide it between your storage containers.

If it’s a soup with dairy or starches and you’ve held back an ingredient, divide that ingredient by the number of servings and make a note on the label of what was left out and how much of it to add to the soup after reheating.

How long will soup last in the freezer?

Soups are best when consumed within 2 to 3 months of freezing. They’re safe to eat past that, but you start to run the risk of freezer burn the longer they’re in there.

Mason jars of soup on a counter ready to be frozen. - 16

Mason jars of soup on a counter ready to be frozen. - 17

Favorite Soups for Freezing

Simple Beef Stew (omit the potatoes until ready to serve)
Creamy Chicken Noodle (omit the pasta until ready to serve)
Quick Chicken Tortellini Soup (omit the pasta until ready to serve)
Easy Chicken Parm Soup (omit the cheese and pasta until ready to serve)
Chicken Carcass Soup (omit the pasta until ready to serve)
Tomato Soup (omit the cream if you’d like, I usually don’t)
Tomato Tortellini Soup (omit the pasta and cream until ready to serve)
Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup (freeze as is)

Mason jars of soup ready to be frozen. - 18