Stuart and I met working at Moe’s Southwest Grill in Auburn and whenever we go to a Moe’s we’re always silently critiquing the employee’s burrito rolling skill. On a full size burrito (not the baby ones in this recipe) we would always mix the filling ingredients by “shimmying” the tortilla around the filling. Not only does doing this ensure a perfect bite every time, but it also creates a nice shape to roll a mess-free burrito. Because the “shimmying” method isn’t often used, I don’t particularly like burritos. They’re usually too big for me and my bites have either only meat or only toppings. But when I saw this recipe for baked burritos I thought I’d give it a shot. I liked the idea of a crispy burrito. But when I went to make my grocery list I didn’t examine the tortillas I had on hand well enough – they weren’t burrito sized, they were taco sized. And let me tell you, these baby sized burritos were just perfect for me – every bite had everything!

It was a really long day at work and I was very tempted to forego Mexican Monday for something simpler but I am so glad I made these. Every meal the rest of the week failed to compare.

Baby Baked Beef Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 C corn kernels, drained/thawed
• 1/2 C black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 C vegetable or beef broth
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 6″ flour tortillas
• 1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute onion and jalapeno in canola oil 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up. Once cooked drain excess fat, if needed.
3. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste. Add corn, black beans, and broth. Stir and add cumin, oregano, chili powder, brown sugar, and salt. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed.
4. Assemble burritos with cheese and beef filling. (See photos above) Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Spray burritos with cooking spray and bake 18-20 minutes.
5. Serve with salsa, queso, sour cream, or guacamole if desired.

*This recipe is modified from http://karmelowy.pl/chrupiace-burrito-z-wolowinacrispy-beef-burritos/*

Updated July 2016: I have made these burritos multiple times, often doubling the recipe to bring to a potluck or for serving to my extended family. The last time I made these, a couple of weeks ago, we had some new friends over for dinner. They were in the process of moving to Alabama. Having just completed a cross country move ourselves I knew they’d appreciate a home cooked meal before they hit the road, so we invited them over the night their belongings were being boxed up. We served them with salsa, guacamole, and taco seasoning spiked Greek yogurt. These mini burritos are definitely one of my favorite recipes here on the blog! They’re easy to do with little ones underfoot, too, as I can make the filling ahead of time, roll them at a separate time, and simply bake them before we’re ready to eat. Bonus: my kids have enjoyed them every time – eating only the filling.