Tender shredded beef, cilantro lime rice, sautéed fajita veggies, and a quick queso sauce come together in this flavorful beef burrito bowl. It’s easy to make, perfect for leftovers, and adaptable for the week ahead.
Part of the Cook Once Eat Twice series, this recipe yields plenty of shredded Mexican-style beef so you can repurpose leftovers for an enchilada-style dish. Using an Instant Pot speeds things up, but oven and slow cooker options are included in the notes below.
Erica’s Thoughts
This recipe channels Chipotle-style energy with fluffy cilantro lime rice, tender shredded beef, caramelized fajita vegetables, and a creamy cottage cheese–based queso. It takes slightly more effort than a weeknight stir-fry, but the Instant Pot handles the heavy lifting while you prep the rest of the bowl components.
The result is a customizable, balanced bowl that works well for meal prep, feeds a crowd, and keeps well for another meal like an enchilada pie.
Why I love these homemade burrito bowls
- Balanced and vibrant: quality protein, plenty of veggies, and satisfying carbohydrates make this a complete meal that reheats well.
- Creamy queso made with cottage cheese gives a smooth texture and extra protein while staying easy to prepare.
- Customizable: everyone can top their bowl their way, making it great for family dinners or entertaining.
- Simple, wholesome ingredients—an easy way to recreate a favorite bowl at home.
What You’ll Need to Make this Beef Burrito Bowl
For the Beef:
Chuck roast: Choose a chuck roast for even marbling and easy shredding.
Seasoning: Use a quality taco seasoning or make your own: 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon each cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. You’ll use seasoning for the meat, veggies, and queso, so pick a mix you like.
Tomato paste: A tube of tomato paste is handy since you only need a small amount and can refrigerate the remainder.
Fire-roasted green chiles: Adds depth—available canned or jarred. Orange juice: The acidity helps tenderize the beef without lending an orange flavor.
For the veggies:
Avocado oil: Neutral with a high smoke point—great for sautéing.
Bell peppers: Use sweet red, orange, or yellow peppers.
Sweet onion: Caramelizes nicely and adds natural sweetness.
For the queso:
Cottage cheese: Blends into a creamy base—if you haven’t tried it blended, it’s a game changer.
Sharp cheddar: Freshly grated from a block melts best; pepper jack or Monterey Jack can be used instead.
Pickled jalapeños: Provide tang and heat; pickled jalapeño juice helps thin and flavor the queso.
For serving:
Cilantro lime rice and black beans are my go-to base. Finish bowls with sliced avocado, fresh tomatoes, corn salsa, pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips, cilantro, and green onions.
How To Make Easy Beef Burrito Bowls
Start the beef
Trim large pieces of fat and cut the chuck roast into roughly 3-inch chunks. Season generously with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Place the beef in the Instant Pot, add tomato paste, diced green chiles, and orange juice, and stir to combine. Seal and pressure cook for 45 minutes, then release pressure per your Instant Pot instructions.
When the beef finishes cooking, remove it to shred and reserve the cooking liquid to return to the meat for flavor and moisture.
Prepare the queso
In a small blender or food processor combine 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup grated cheddar, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4–5 chopped pickled jalapeños, 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño juice, and 1/4 cup warm water. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust seasoning or consistency with more water if needed.
Sauté the veggies
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with avocado oil. Add sliced bell peppers and sweet onion and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 12–15 minutes. Season with a tablespoon of taco seasoning to taste.
Make cilantro lime rice
Rinse 1 cup jasmine rice until the water runs clear. Combine the rice with 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover tightly, and cook 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff and stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus the zest and juice of one lime.
Finish the beef
Remove the cooked beef and shred with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot or Instant Pot juices to keep it moist and flavorful.
Assemble your bowl
Layer cilantro lime rice or your grain of choice, shredded beef, sautéed peppers and onions, black beans, and sliced avocado. Drizzle with queso and finish with tortilla chips, pickled jalapeños, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
Expert Tips
- Use a jarred taco seasoning for convenience and better storage, or make your own blend for full control of flavor.
- Cut the beef into large chunks to help it cook evenly and shred easily; trim very large pieces of fat before cooking.
Variation Ideas
- Swap or add toppings like chipotle sauce, pico de gallo, sour cream or Greek yogurt, queso fresco, romaine, or different beans to suit your tastes.
- Add heat with cayenne or red pepper flakes to the meat or queso.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, follow the oven or slow cooker instructions below for equally tender results.
- Leftover beef works wonderfully rolled into burritos or layered into an enchilada-style casserole.
FAQs
Beef chuck roast is ideal, but top sirloin, bottom round, or top round roast also work well.
Yes. Pork shoulder works well in the Instant Pot. Alternatively, cook lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey in a skillet with taco seasoning, tomato paste, and a splash of water.
Store assembled bowls in airtight containers, or keep components separate (rice, beef, veggies, queso) to assemble later. Leftover beef also makes a great enchilada pie.
Yes—Mexican rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice are all good alternatives. Prepare according to package instructions, then add cilantro and lime if desired.
Oven and slow cooker instructions are provided in the notes; both produce tender, shreddable beef.
You can substitute broth, but orange juice helps tenderize the meat due to its acidity, producing a more fall-apart texture.
If you love this beef burrito bowl, try these other Mexican-inspired recipes:
Easy enchilada pie
Chipotle ground beef and sweet potato skillet
Healthy salmon taco bowl
Blackened mahi mahi tacos
Shredded beef tostadas
Ahi tuna ceviche
Ready to dig in!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating. Follow along on social channels for more recipes and behind-the-scenes content.
Beef Burrito Bowl with Easy Queso Sauce
4.9 from 8 reviews
- Author: Erica
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 bowls + leftover meat
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
A balanced burrito bowl with tender shredded beef (enough for another meal), cilantro lime rice, vibrant veggies, and an easy creamy queso—simple, satisfying, and meal-prep friendly.
Ingredients
For the beef
- 3–3.5 lb beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or homemade blend: 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp each cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (4 oz) can diced fire-roasted green chiles
- 2/3 cup orange juice
For the veggies
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
For the queso
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 oz sharp cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 4–5 pickled jalapeños, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup warm water
For serving: cilantro lime rice, black beans, avocado, pickled jalapeños, tomatoes, lime wedges, green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Start the beef: Trim and cut the chuck roast into 3-inch chunks. Season with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning and place in the Instant Pot with tomato paste, diced green chiles, and orange juice. Seal and pressure cook 45 minutes, then release pressure.
- Make queso: While the beef cooks, blend cottage cheese, grated cheddar, taco seasoning, salt, pickled jalapeños, pickled jalapeño juice, and warm water until smooth. Adjust seasoning and consistency as needed.
- Sauté veggies: In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm avocado oil and cook sliced peppers and onions until softened and caramelized, about 12–15 minutes. Season with taco seasoning.
- Finish the meat: Shred the cooked beef with two forks and return it to its juices.
- Assemble bowls: Layer rice, shredded beef, sautéed veggies, black beans, and avocado. Drizzle with queso and finish with chips, pickled jalapeños, tomatoes, herbs, and lime.
Use leftovers for an enchilada-style casserole or extra burritos.
Notes
Cilantro lime rice: Rinse 1 cup jasmine rice until water runs clear. Combine rice with 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff and fold in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice.
Oven method: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place seasoned beef in a Dutch oven with tomato paste, green chiles, orange juice, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and bake 2.5–3 hours until fork-tender. Shred and mix with juices.
Slow cooker: Combine trimmed and seasoned beef with tomato paste, green chiles, and orange juice. Cook on LOW 6–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours until tender. Shred and return to juices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burrito bowl (approx. 1 cup rice + 3 oz cooked beef + veggies + 1/4 avocado + 1/4 cup queso)
- Calories: 607
- Sugar: 13.3 g
- Sodium: 880.2 mg
- Fat: 19.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 59.3 g
- Fiber: 6.7 g
- Protein: 47.5 g
- Cholesterol: 117.7 mg