Grilled Cheese Burrito Loaded With Melty Cheese

A grilled cheese burrito is a beef burrito with a layer of cheese melted and crisped onto the outside of the tortilla, like the crust on a grilled cheese sandwich. The inside is seasoned ground beef with salsa, optional rice and beans, and more melted cheddar. It is the kind of burrito Taco Bell made popular, and at home it takes about 30 minutes to make four.

The trick is cooking the cheese directly in the pan: you melt a small pile of shredded cheddar in the skillet, set the burrito on top, and let it fry until the cheese turns lacy and golden. That crust is what makes it different from a regular burrito.

Ingredients

Tortillas and cheese

• 4 large flour tortillas (burrito size, so they close around the filling)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided: half goes inside, half makes the crispy outer crust
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Beef filling

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup cooked rice (optional)
• 1/2 cup black beans or refried beans (optional)
• 2 tablespoons salsa or taco sauce

Optional toppings: sour cream, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, jalapeños.

How to Make a Grilled Cheese Burrito

1. Cook the filling: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper, breaking it up, until browned and cooked to 160°F. Drain excess fat. Stir in the salsa and the rice and beans, if using, until warm. The filling should be moist but not soupy.
2. Warm the tortillas: Heat the tortillas for a few seconds in a dry pan or the microwave so they fold without cracking.
3. Fill and roll: Divide the filling among the tortillas, spooning it along the center and leaving about an inch around the edges. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
4. Butter the outside: Spread the softened butter thinly over the outside of each burrito.
5. Make the cheese crust: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scatter about 1/4 cup of the remaining cheese in a strip the size of a burrito, and as soon as it starts to melt, lay a burrito seam-side down on top. Press gently with a spatula.
6. Grill until crisp: Cook 2–3 minutes, until the cheese underneath is golden and releases from the pan, then turn and toast the other side for 2–3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining burritos.

To serve, slice each burrito in half and top with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes or jalapeños.

Getting a Crisp Cheese Crust (and Fixing a Soggy One)

• Cheese sticks and tears: it was turned too soon. Leave it until the edges look golden and lacy and the burrito slides when you nudge the pan.
• Tortilla burns before the inside is hot: the pan is too hot. Medium heat gives the cheese time to crisp while the filling warms through. Starting with a warm filling helps.
• Burrito falls apart: the tortilla was cold or overfilled. Warm it first and keep the filling to a tight line in the center.
• Soggy inside: the salsa or beans made the filling too wet. Simmer the filling for a minute or two until it isn’t pooling liquid.
• Grainy melt: pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch. Shredding cheddar from a block gives a smoother melt and a crisper crust.

Filling and Cheese Swaps

• Chicken: use shredded cooked chicken in place of the beef; season it the same way and heat it through with the salsa.
• Vegetarian: use sautéed peppers, onions and mushrooms with refried beans. Cook the vegetables until their liquid evaporates so the burrito doesn’t get soggy.
• Cheese: Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend melts softer; pepper jack adds heat. Cheddar gives the crispiest outer crust.
• Seasoning: swap the garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder for homemade taco seasoning for a more classic taco flavor.
• Breakfast version: fill with scrambled eggs and cooked sausage or bacon.
• Whole wheat or low-carb tortillas: they work, but they are less flexible, so warm them well before rolling.

For more copycat fast-food style dinners, try an easy quesarito, which wraps a burrito in a cheese quesadilla, or a cheesy street chalupa.

Make-Ahead, Freezing and Reheating

• Make ahead: cook the filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate it, or assemble the burritos without the cheese crust and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Grill just before serving so the crust stays crisp.
• Leftovers: refrigerate grilled burritos within 2 hours and eat within 3–4 days.
• Freeze: wrap burritos tightly in foil and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Reheat: bake at 375°F, unwrapped for the last few minutes, until the center reaches 165°F and the outside re-crisps. Frozen burritos take longer; thawing overnight in the fridge first gives more even heating.

FAQ

Can I use nacho cheese sauce?

Inside the burrito, a spoonful of warm nacho cheese sauce works in place of some of the shredded cheese. For the outside crust you need shredded cheese, because sauce won’t crisp.

Can I add vegetables to the filling?

Yes. Sautéed peppers, onions, mushrooms or zucchini all work. Cook them until dry before adding them, or they will make the tortilla soggy.

Do I need a nonstick pan?

It makes the cheese crust much easier to release. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet also works; wait until the cheese is fully browned before you move it.

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