Mission Style Burrito
intro
Originating in San Francisco’s Mission District, this oversized, foil-wrapped burrito packs seasoned rice, beans, steak, and fresh fillings into a soft flour tortilla for a hearty, portable meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Make cilantro-lime rice
Rinse 200g long-grain white rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add rice, and toast for 2 minutes until it smells faintly nutty. Pour in 400ml water and 1 tsp (6g) kosher salt, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat, let rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in 10g finely chopped cilantro and 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh lime juice, then set aside to cool slightly.
Sear seasoned skirt steak
Pat 450g 0.5cm-thick sliced skirt steak completely dry with paper towels. Toss with 1 tsp (2.5g) chili powder, 1 tsp (3g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2g) ground cumin, 0.5 tsp (1g) black pepper, and 0.25 tsp (1.5g) kosher salt until evenly coated. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp (15ml) neutral oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (200°C/400°F pan surface). Add steak in a single layer, working in two batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan, and sear for 1.5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked to medium (63°C/145°F internal temperature). Transfer seared steak to a plate, squeeze 5ml (1 tsp) fresh lime juice over top, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Warm seasoned pinto beans
Add 400g drained, rinsed canned pinto beans to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining 0.5 tsp (1g) ground cumin, remaining 0.25 tsp (1.5g) kosher salt, and remaining 10ml (2 tsp) fresh lime juice. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are fully heated through. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash roughly 1/3 of the beans to create a creamy, thick texture, then set aside and keep warm.
Warm flour tortillas
Heat each 12-inch (120g) flour tortilla one at a time in a dry, ungreased skillet over medium heat for 15 seconds per side, until soft and flexible with faint light brown speckles. Alternatively, wrap all tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stack warmed tortillas on a ceramic plate and cover with a clean cotton kitchen towel to retain heat and prevent cracking during assembly.
Layer burrito fillings
Lay one warm tortilla flat on a clean wooden cutting board. Add fillings in a tight vertical line down the center of the tortilla, leaving a 5cm (2-inch) border at the top and bottom edges: 120g (approx 1/2 cup) cilantro-lime rice, 100g (approx 1/3 cup) seasoned pinto beans, 1/4 of the seared skirt steak, 25g (1/4 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 30g (2 tbsp) sour cream, 37.5g (1/4 cup) drained pico de gallo, 3-4 slices of fresh avocado, and a pinch of the remaining chopped cilantro. Avoid overfilling, as this will cause the tortilla to tear during rolling.
Roll and wrap burritos
Fold the top and bottom 5cm borders of the tortilla in over the ends of the filling line. Next, fold one long side of the tortilla tightly over the fillings, tucking the edge under the ingredients to eliminate trapped air gaps, then roll firmly away from you to create a tight, sealed cylinder. Wrap each rolled burrito tightly in a 30cm x 30cm sheet of aluminum foil, twisting the open ends to secure, and let rest for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt slightly and fillings to set. Cut in half diagonally through the foil to serve.
Tips
2.Resist the urge to overstuff your burrito; leaving extra tortilla space makes rolling easy and prevents fillings from leaking out while you eat.
3.Keep tortillas warm under a towel until the moment you assemble each burrito—cold tortillas are stiff and will crack when folded, even if they were initially warmed properly.
OMG these were SO good! Made them for my kid’s post-practice team dinner last night and every single burrito was gone in 10 minutes. I stuffed mine with extra cilantro lime rice and the kids loaded theirs up with cheese and sour cream. Total game changer for busy weeknights!
Grew up eating Mission burritos every time my family drove out to SF in the 90s, and this recipe tastes exactly like the ones I remember from that tiny spot on Mission St. The giant, tightly wrapped size? *Chef’s kiss* No sad, falling apart burritos here. Already made this twice this week.
This is my new go-to Sunday meal prep! I wrap each burrito in foil and toss them in the freezer, they reheat perfectly in the oven in 20 minutes for work lunches. Saved me so much money on takeout this week.
Solid recipe, tastes just like my local taqueria’s burrito! My only note is I added a little extra chili powder to the meat for more heat, since I like mine spicier. Wrapping technique took me one try to get right, no leaks!
Brought these to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe before they even finished their first bite! I did a mix of chicken and carne asada fillings so there was something for everyone, and the large flour tortillas held all the fillings without tearing. Will absolutely be making these again for our next cookout.
I was today years old when I realized how easy it is to make a proper Mission style burrito at home! I’ve been overpaying for delivery burritos for years and these taste better, no cap. The sour cream and guac spread on the tortilla before adding fillings? Game changer, no dry bites at all.
I was worried this wouldn’t work with gluten free large tortillas, but I followed the wrapping tip to warm the tortilla first and it didn’t tear at all! My whole family loved these, even my teen who swears only takeout burritos are good. Thank you for the easy, approachable recipe!
Made these on a tight grocery budget this week and the whole meal cost me less than $12 to make 6 giant burritos! Way cheaper than buying them out, and they taste way fresher. I used pinto beans instead of black beans because that’s what I had in the pantry, turned out amazing.
I’ve been making burritos for my grandkids for years, but I never did the tight wrap trick where you tuck the ends in first. No more fillings falling all over the kids’ shirts (and my floor!) when they eat them. They kept saying these were the best burritos Pop-Pop ever made. Can’t beat that.
Swapped the meat for roasted sweet potato and extra fajita veggies to make these vegan, and they came out insane! Even my meat-eating roommate stole half a burrito and said it was better than the carne asada ones he gets down the street. 10/10, easy to customize.
This was the first real meal I’ve ever cooked by myself and it came out perfect! I was so nervous I’d mess up the wrap or season the meat wrong, but the steps were so easy to follow. My roommate said it tasted like restaurant quality, I feel so proud right now.
Made a big batch of these for our Browns watch party last Sunday and they were the perfect tailgate food. We set up a little build-your-own burrito bar with all the toppings and people went crazy for it. Way easier than grilling burgers for the whole crew.
Made these at 1am after a night out with friends and they hit DIFFERENT. Way better than the fast food burrito we were gonna order, and the whole kitchen smelled amazing. 10/10, will be my new late night go-to instead of spending money on drive thru.
I live 10 minutes from the Mission and I swear this recipe is better than half the spots within walking distance of my apartment. I love that it doesn’t skimp on the fillings, and the ratio of rice to beans to meat is exactly what a Mission burrito should be. No skimpy portions here!