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bean & cheese burrito bowls

kylieannh

Turning plain old beans into dip, dolloping them on top of spiced rice,

and sprinkling on burrito bowl toppings turns a cheap and classic meal

into a flavorful, ultra-comforting, super-fast fall dinner!
 

inspiration

One little scroll through my recipes and you’ll know I love Tex-Mex. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Texas, but Mexican restaurants always feel a little like home. I love the bright colors, the smell of sizzling meat, the warm heaps of tortillas in little red containers. And while I love the main dishes, for some reason the last few bites always taste the best. You know the ones I’m talking about: the rest of the red rice and refried beans mixed with the dregs of lettuce, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Think of these bean & cheese burrito bowls as an entire meal made from those last, perfect bites.

The initial inspiration came from the cheesy pinto bean recipe from Budget Bytes. The wheels in my brain started turning immediately. What if the beans were bean dip? What if we use it as the base for a burrito bowl? I’ve put bean dip in tacos with beef but this seemed like a great meatless way to try it, while still being more interesting than plain old black beans. (I love a more classic burrito bowl, but groceries are so expensive that I choose to skip meat more often than not.)

A few days after I bought the ingredients, the horror sank in. What was I thinking? The recipe that I had once envisioned as delicious seemed like it might turn out to be a big bowl of mush. But as soon as I took the first bite, I knew my original vision had been right. It was delicious.

why i love this recipe

Bean & cheese burrito bowls may not be sexy, but what they lack in looks, they make up in everything else. You won’t believe how fast and easy this is—it can be on your table in about 30 minutes (less if you own two saucepans). There is very little prep, and no chopping at all, if you play your cards right.

And the flavors really can’t be beat. Fluffy, spiced red rice and creamy, cheesy bean dip are a lovely, simple base, and the toppings take it—well, over the top. Lime for color and acid, hot sauce for kick and flavor, salsa for freshness, and fritos for some extra salt and crunch (and an homage to the original frito bean dip that got me hooked). I added a little handful of extra cheese and a dollop of sour cream because why not?

The whole thing ends up being warm and creamy and crunchy and delicious. If you’re feeding a crowd you can set everything out on the table and let everyone build their own bowls—a perfect, low-effort game day dinner! Who doesn’t love some cheap and filling comfort food?

details

We are not shying away from boxes, cans, or shortcuts here. While making everything perfectly from scratch would be great in a perfect world, we don’t always have the time or inclination for it. So you can make your rice however you want, but I strongly suggest just picking up the boxed stuff. If you’re really low on energy or time, I won’t judge if you grab a couple of the 90-second microwavable pouches!

One of the best things about this recipe is that it requires very little babysitting. You dump the rice in and let it do its thing, and the beans aren’t much different. Refried beans come out of the can in a somewhat unappetizing solid mass, so break them up with a rubber spatula and stir firmly (but not aggressively) to combine them with the canned pinto beans. And don’t drain the pinto beans! The liquid is lovely and starchy and helps thicken everything up. Once the beans are nice and combined, you just toss in the green chilis and seasonings, stir again, and heat it all up to your preference. I tend to like my beans on the soft side, so I let it bubble away over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir every once in a while to prevent the bottom from burning and sticking.

The last few ingredients are added off the heat. It is very important to take the pan off the heat before you add the cheese. You will think “maybe I’ll ignore that. What difference could it make?” and you would be wrong, because it makes all the difference. Adding cheese off the heat = smooth, melty cheese. If you add it on the heat, it’ll go grainy, and nobody likes that.

Then a generous bit of sour cream and a tablespoon or two of hot sauce and you’re ready to assemble! Keep reading for topping ideas.

notes

Here are a few notes to make sure your bean & cheese burrito bowls are successful:

Beans: Refried are a must, but the whole pinto beans can be switched out for another if you don’t have them on hand/don’t like them/the grocery store is mysteriously out of them. Pretty much any bean will work—except I’m not sure I’d do chickpeas, but let me know how it turns out if you try it!

Green chilis: add great flavor. Jalapenos or poblanos would be the best substitutes, but green bell peppers will work if you don’t want any heat. If you use a fresh pepper, dice it up and saute it in oil before adding the beans.

Spices: always, always to taste! If you’re feeling lazy, just use a packet of taco seasoning. I am certainly not above it!

Cheese: Don’t use mild cheddar—at least medium, sharp or extra sharp is better. Pepper jack could be good, too, if you want to really pump up the southwest vibes.

Hot sauce: I used Cholula’s, but use whatever you want or have on hand!

notes, continued

Rice: This recipe calls for red Mexican rice, but feel free to use Spanish, yellow rice, or even plain white rice.

Chips: For crunch and a little extra salt. Fritos and tortilla chips are both great options. Crumble these on last so they don’t go soggy!

Toppings: Oh man, the possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas: Lime or lemon wedges, pico de gallo or salsa, diced red or green onion, fire-roasted corn, pickled jalapenos, lettuce, grilled onions and peppers, cilantro, fritos, tortilla chips or strips.

What to serve with: These are insanely filling on their own, but some extra chips and salsa would not go awry, nor would flour tortillas fried in olive oil.

Leftovers: Store rice, beans, and toppings separately. Rice and beans will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, tightly covered. Leftover beans make a great simple burrito or quesadilla filling. Or you can slap it in a little baking dish, cover with more cheese, and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes to make an ultra cheesy dip.

I hope you love these bean & cheese burritos! If you’re looking for more Tex-Mex recipes, try sweet pork tacos with cilantro ranch, cheese quesadillas, or crunchy beef and bean dip tacos.

Print

bean & cheese burrito bowls

Turning plain old beans into dip,dolloping them on top of spiced rice, and sprinkling on burrito bowl toppings turnsa cheap and classic meal into a flavorful, ultra-comforting, super-fast falldinner!
Course dinner
Cuisine tex-mex
Keyword easy, fall, fast, vegetarian
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

for the beans

  • 15 oz refried
  • 15 oz canned pinto beans including the water
  • 4 oz diced green chilis
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce

for serving

  • 3 cups cooked rice

topping ideas

  • pico de gallo or salsa
  • diced red or green onion
  • lime wedges
  • pickled jalapeños
  • shredded lettuce
  • grilled bell peppers and onions
  • cilantro
  • fire-roasted corn
  • tortilla chips or fritos crushed

Instructions

  • Make rice. Cook rice according to package directions in a saucepan. (Mine took about 20 minutes.) If you have another saucepan, you can get started on the beans when there’s about 10 minutes left on the rice. If you don’t have another saucepan, that’s okay—I don’t! Just cook the rice first, remove it to another bowl, and rinse out the pan thoroughly before starting the beans.
  • Make bean dip. Add all the beans to a medium pot over medium heat. Break up there fried beans with a rubber spatula and stir to combine thoroughly. Don’t get rid of the water from the canned pinto beans! Add seasonings and green chilis and stir again. Heat the beans through over medium heat, stirring frequently, until beans are bubbly and heated through. I like mine on the softer side, so I cooked them for about 10 minutes.
  • Finish bean dip. Take beans off the heat, add 1 cup shredded cheddar, and stir until cheese melts. Add sour cream and hot sauce and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust cheese, hot sauce, or spices as needed.
  • Serve. Divide rice into bowls, add a generous dollop of bean dip, and whatever toppings you want!

Notes

Beans: Refried are a must, but the whole pinto beans can be switched out for another if you don’t have them on hand/don’t like them/the grocery store is mysteriously out of them. Pretty much any bean will work—except I’m not sure I’d do chickpeas, but let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Green chilis: add great flavor. Jalapenos or poblanos would be the best substitutes, but green bell peppers will work if you don’t want any heat. If you use a fresh pepper, dice it up and saute it in oil before adding the beans.
Spices: always, always to taste! If you’re feeling lazy, just use a packet of taco seasoning. I am certainly not above it!
Cheese: Don’t use mild cheddar—at least medium, sharp or extra sharp is better. Pepper jack could be good, too, if you want to really pump up the southwest vibes.
Hot sauce: I used Cholula’s, but use whatever you want or have on hand!
Rice: This recipe calls for red Mexican rice, but feel free to use Spanish, yellow rice, or even plain white rice.
Chips: For crunch and a little extra salt. Fritos and tortilla chips are both great options. Crumble these on last so they don’t go soggy!
Toppings: Oh man, the possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas: Lime or lemon wedges, pico de gallo or salsa, diced red or green onion, fire-roasted corn, pickled jalapenos, lettuce, grilled onions and peppers, cilantro, fritos, tortilla chips or strips.
What to serve with bean & cheese burritos: These are insanely filling on their own, but some extra chips and salsa would not go awry, nor would flour tortillas fried in olive oil.
Leftovers: Store rice, beans, and toppings separately. Rice and beans will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, tightly covered. Leftover beans make a great simple burrito or quesadilla filling. Or you can slap it in a little baking dish, cover with more cheese, and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes to make an ultra cheesy dip.
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