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Beef Frozen Burritos
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5 from 1 vote

Meal Prep Freezer Burritos

These meal-prep Freezer Burritos are one of my go-to make-ahead meals either to stock my freezer or for a week of meal prep! They’re loaded with Mexican style rice, fajita veggies, salsa chicken or taco meat, and all of your favorite add-ins. These burritos are filling, loaded with protein and veggies, and so customizable!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: meal prep
Keyword: Frozen Burritos
Servings: 8
Author: Lexi

Ingredients

For Salsa Chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1-8 ounce jar salsa verde

For Mexican Rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine or long grain rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste

For Taco Meat:

  • 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon oil of choice
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 tablespoons salsa you can use salsa verde as well
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

For Veggies:

  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil more if needed
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1 green pepper sliced
  • 1 white onion sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

To Assemble:

  • 8-10 homemade tortillas corn tortillas, flour tortillas (if making for non-gluten-free friends), or my favorite Siete tortillas (Siete tortillas are gluten-free and paleo-friendly!)
  • 1-2 cups romaine lettuce shredded
  • 2 roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cheese of choice
  • 1/3 cup pickled jalapenos
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1-14.5 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 1 cup salsa of choice
  • Fresh cilantro

Instructions

Make the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken:

  • Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in a slow cooker and add 2 cups of salsa verde, or just enough to coat the chicken. Set slow cooker to 4 hours on high (or Instant Pot for 18 minutes). Shred and set aside.

Make the Rice:

  • Place all ingredients in your instant pot. Secure the lid and using the "MANUAL" setting, set the Instant Pot to 5 minutes on high pressure.
  • Once five minutes is complete, let the Instant Pot slowly release pressure for at least 10 minutes. Turn the valve to release the remaining pressure after 10 minutes. Slowly take off the lid and fluff with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. *If you do not have an Instant Pot, check below for stove-top directions!

Make the Taco Meat:

  • Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat, and add beef, spices, and salsa. Sauté until all of the meat is cooked and no pink remains. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Make the Sautéed Peppers and Onions:

  • Add oil to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add in peppers, onions, salt and pepper. Let cook until peppers are soft and onions are translucent. Set aside in a bowl until ready to assemble.

Assemble:

  • Place rice on the desired tortilla. Add either chicken or taco meat and any other add-ins you want!
  • Fold in the sides, and then roll.
  • Either serve right away or wrap individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil tightly. Let freeze individually on a sheet tray, and once frozen place in a bag for long term storage, up to 3 months. These will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months!

To Reheat:

  • Microwave: To reheat your frozen burritos, unwrap them and place them seam side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 2-4 minutes or until they’re heated all the way through.
  • Oven or Toaster: Alternatively, place the burritos in a toaster oven and bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until heated all the way through.
  • Air Fryer: Preheat your Air Fryer to 400°F. Place frozen burritos into the air fryer. Air Fry for 15 minutes, flipp every 5 minutes.Gently transfer to a plate, top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Mexican Style Rice on the Stovetop: Place 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of water and sea salt in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down heat and simmer on low until all of the water has dissolved. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste before setting aside until ready to assemble! Store the rest of the rice in a airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-6 days. Rice should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  2. Tortillas: I use 10-12” tortillas and they work great! I’ve tested these with grain-free burrito size burritos and they work if heated properly. If gluten isn’t an issue or you’re making for someone’s freezer, go for whole wheat or regular flour tortillas. Warming your tortillas for rolling: In a skillet: Heat a skillet over medium heat, and warm your tortillas for a few seconds on each side until warm. In the microwave: Wrap a stack of tortillas in damp paper towels or a damp kitchen towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until warm.
  3. Reheating:
      1. Frozen Burrito in Microwave: To reheat your frozen burritos, unwrap them and place them seam side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 2-4 minutes or until they’re heated all the way through.
      2. Frozen Burrito in Oven or Toaster: Alternatively, place the burritos in a toaster oven and bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until heated all the way through.
      3. Frozen Burrito in Air Fryer: Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F. Place frozen burritos into the air fryer. Air Fry for 20minutes, flip every 5 minutes.Gently transfer to a plate, top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
  4. What to Avoid in a Burrito Recipe if Freezing: While there are so many ingredients that are fair game for freezer burritos, there are a couple of ingredients you should avoid:
    1. Avocado. It just doesn’t freeze well. Instead, serve your reheated burrito with sliced avocado or guacamole!
    2. Dairy. Cheese is fine, but I definitely don’t recommend other dairy ingredients like sour cream. They become watery when thawed and can cause your burrito to be soggy.
    3. Watery ingredients. Anything that’s more liquid than solid, like salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and raw tomato, should be avoided in the freezer. Again, they get too watery when