Steak Burritos

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Here's a steak burrito recipe inspired by San Francisco's super burritos that come packed with meat, beans, rice, cheese, guacamole and salsa. We've kept this home-style version a bit simpler to make and a whole lot healthier with brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas and a more reasonable serving size. We recommend wrapping it in foil--the traditional way to serve it--so you can pick the burrito up and eat it without it falling apart, peeling back the foil as you go. Serve with a cold beer and vinegar-dressed slaw.

Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings

How We Made This Steak Burrito Recipe Healthy & Quick

We've taken all of the best elements of a good steak burrito and created a recipe that's healthy and quick thanks to a few easy shortcuts. Here's how:

The Rice

Salsa and rice are staples in a good steak burrito. While most recipes add them separately, we blend them together by cooking instant brown rice in a combination of water and salsa. This gives the rice flavor and eliminates the step of adding salsa by itself at the end. Using store-bought salsa and instant rice saves time (instant rice takes only 5 minutes to cook) without losing out on flavor. Opting for instant brown rice adds fiber which fills you up faster and keeps you satisfied for longer.

The Beans

Canned beans are one of the healthiest canned foods you can eat, because they offer a healthy dose of fiber and protein. (And opening a can of beans is a lot faster than cooking them from scratch!) Because canned foods can be higher in sodium, look for low-sodium or no-salt-added beans. If you can't find a lower sodium option, rinsing the beans under running water can help wash excess sodium away.

The Steak

The steak in a good steak burrito should be tender and easy to slice and eat. We chose strip steak, which is both naturally lean and quick to prepare if you slice it thinly before cooking. We opted for 12 ounces of steak in this recipe for four servings which saves on calories and helps prevent the burrito from becoming over-stuffed and messy to eat.

The Tortillas

Over-sized tortillas may make rolling up a burrito easier, but they also add extra calories. We opt for 8-inch whole wheat tortillas instead. They're big enough to hold all of the filling, especially when the burrito is wrapped in foil after rolling. This gives the burrito an added layer of support and helps keep it together while you eat it, peeling back the foil as you go.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer

Ingredients

  • ½ cup prepared fresh salsa

  • ½ cup water

  • ¼ cup instant brown rice

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, preferably low-sodium, rinsed

  • 12 ounces strip steak, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 4 8-inch tortillas, preferably whole-wheat

  • ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

  • ¼ cup prepared guacamole

  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Combine salsa and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes more.

  2. Meanwhile, sprinkle steak with pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

  3. To assemble, divide the steak among the tortillas and top with equal amounts of cheese, guacamole, cilantro and the rice mixture. Roll each tortilla up into a burrito.

    Steak Burritos
    Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2011; updated August 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

472 Calories
16g Fat
49g Carbs
31g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 472
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 31g 62%
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Vitamin A 339IU 7%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Folate 13mcg 3%
Sodium 603mg 26%
Calcium 210mg 16%
Iron 3mg 15%
Magnesium 29mg 7%
Potassium 276mg 6%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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