Grilled Cheese Burrito

5 from 6 votes
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This is the best copycat grilled cheese burrito recipe that lets you remake a Taco Bell favorite at home! These melty, ooey-gooey burritos are packed with ground beef, Spanish rice, and creamy chipotle sauce, and grilled in the pan with toasted cheese.

Two halves of a grilled cheese burrito stacked on a plate next to salsa in a ramekin.

 

If you’ve had the grilled cheese burrito from Taco Bell, and even if you haven’t, you’re going to LOVE this cheesy, beefy, mouthwatering homemade version. This is a fully loaded burrito recipe topped with toasted cheese. Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds. Inside, you have taco seasoned ground beef, zesty Spanish rice, more melted cheese, and all the fixings, including a copycat creamy chipotle sauce! These grilled cheese burritos are easy to assemble, and they cook up on the stovetop in minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Cheese Burrito (Taco Bell Copycat!)

  • Melty, toasty, delicious. These grilled cheese burritos have tons of flavor wrapped up in a Tex-Mex-style grilled cheese recipe. They have juicy taco meat, seasoned rice, plenty of cheese, and crunchy tortilla strips rolled up inside a toasty pan-fried tortilla with spicy chipotle sauce. 
  • Made at home. If there’s ever an excuse to skip the drive-thru, it’s knowing just how easy it is to make our favorite fast food at home. From copycat KFC bowls to Big Mac wraps and these grilled cheese burritos, homemade is just as good, if not better than the original.
  • Easy to assemble. Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, these burritos are quick and fun to put together. Simply layer in all the good stuff, roll, and they’re ready for the pan.
Ingredients for a grilled cheese burrito.

What You’ll Need

Below are some notes on what goes in a grilled cheese burrito. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with ingredient amounts.

  • Ground Beef – Lean ground beef has just enough fat to make the taco meat juicy without becoming greasy. Look for 80/20 ground beef. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey as a leaner option.
  • Taco Seasoning – I like to use homemade taco seasoning, but you can also use a packet of your favorite store-bought seasoning.
  • Spanish Rice – Spanish rice is a lot like a Southwestern-style rice pilaf. I have an easy Spanish rice recipe that’s quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot.
  • Shredded Cheese – You can use shredded cheddar or a Fiesta/Mexican cheese blend.
  • Nacho Cheese Sauce – Choose your preferred jarred cheese sauce from the grocery store, or you can use queso cheese.
  • Sour Cream – If needed, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt.
  • Fiesta Strips – You’ll find Taco Bell’s Fiesta Tortilla Strips sold in stores like Walmart. You can also use Doritos, Fritos, or corn tortilla strips to add texture to these cheesy burritos.
  • Flour Tortillas – Make sure to buy large burrito-sized tortillas. 
  • Chipotle Sauce – Taco Bell sells a version of their famous creamy chipotle sauce in stores and online, but I also include an easy homemade recipe. All you need is sour cream, chipotle peppers in adobo, lime juice, paprika, and salt.

How to Make a Grilled Cheese Burrito

In case you’ve ever had the dilemma of choosing between a grilled cheese and a burrito, now you can crush both cravings at once (thank you for your service, Taco Bell). Follow the steps below to make a grilled cheese burrito at home. You’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card.

  • Cook the ground meat. First, brown the ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Afterward, add the taco seasoning.
  • Make the chipotle sauce. Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for your creamy chipotle sauce.
  • Assemble the burritos. Now, you’ll lay out your flour tortillas. Top each tortilla with your Spanish rice, ground beef, chipotle sauce, and the rest of the toppings. 
  • Fold and roll the burrito. Starting with the sides, fold the tortilla over the filling. Once the sides are tucked in, roll up the burrito nice and tight.
  • Grill. Place the burrito over a strip of shredded cheese in a skillet. Press the burrito down with a second heavy skillet while it cooks. Grill the burrito for 4-5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes to brown the other side.
  • Serve. Once all of your grilled cheese burritos are toasty brown, serve them with hot sauce or salsa for dipping. See below for more serving ideas!
A grilled cheese burrito next to salsa in a ramekin on a white plate.

Tips for Making a Grilled Cheese Burrito

New to making a burrito? Or maybe you’re looking to change up the ingredients in your grilled cheese burritos. Here are some tips that I picked up while putting together this recipe:

  • Don’t overfill. It’s easy to get carried away with all those delicious fillings. Be careful to not go overboard. Overfilling your burritos can cause the fillings to spill out or the tortillas to tear.
  • Roll the tortilla tightly. The saying “snug like a burrito” didn’t come out of nowhere! Make sure to fold the tortilla tight around the filling, rolling as you go, so that your burritos hold together.
  • Place the burrito in the pan seam side down. As the shredded cheese starts to melt, place the burrito over top with the folded side over the cheese. This helps to seal the burrito shut.
  • Make-ahead. The ground beef filling, Spanish rice, and creamy chipotle sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
  • Different protein. Make the filling for your burrito with ground chicken or ground turkey, or you can use Mexican shredded beef. I also love to use leftover chili lime flank steak for a steak grilled cheese burrito!
  • Vegetarian. For a meat-free version, substitute ground meat with your favorite meatless mince, lentils, refried beans, extra rice, or chopped veggies. Red bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms are good veggie options.
  • Seasonings. If you don’t have taco seasoning, fajita seasoning shares a lot of the same ingredients.
Two halves of a grilled cheese burrito stacked on a plate.

Serving Suggestions

These grilled cheese burritos are what Tex-Mex dreams are made of. I love serving crispy burritos dipped in restaurant-style salsa or fire-roasted salsa for even more depth of flavor. This homemade salsa verde is also delicious! For something with a kick, try hot sauce or spicy enchilada sauce.

Round out your Taco Bell-inspired dinner with an appetizer of air fryer nachos, crispy air fryer French fries, or chips and guacamole. You can always freshen things up with a side of creamy Mexican coleslaw and a skinny margarita!

Two halves of a grilled cheese burrito stacked on a plate.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

  • Refrigerate. If you have leftover grilled cheese burritos, let them cool and then store them airtight in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. 
  • Reheat. The best way to reheat these burritos is in a skillet on the stove or in the oven. You could also use your air fryer. I don’t recommend the microwave as the tortilla tends to get soggy.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes! My only suggestion, if you’re planning to freeze your grilled cheese burritos, is to skip the sour cream and tortilla strips. Sour cream doesn’t freeze well, and the tortilla strips get very soggy. 

To freeze your burritos, wait until they’re completely cool. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap or foil, and stash them in a resealable freezer bag. Keep them frozen for up to 3 months.

More Copycat Recipes

Two halves of a grilled cheese burrito stacked on a plate next to salsa in a ramekin.
5 from 6 votes

Grilled Cheese Burrito

By Erin
This copycat grilled cheese burrito recipe lets you remake a Taco Bell favorite at home! Melty, cheesy, ooey-gooey tortillas packed with ground beef, Spanish rice, and creamy chipotle sauce.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning or homemade
  • 2 cups Spanish Rice
  • 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar or Fiesta/Mexican blend, divided
  • ½ cup nacho cheese sauce
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup fiesta tortilla strips
  • ½ cup creamy chipotle sauce, Taco Bell sells a version in stores or homemade recipe below
  • 4 burrito size flour tortillas

Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart for 5-6 minutes. Once it is mostly cooked through, drain any excess grease. Add taco seasoning and any water called for in the recipe and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. 
  • To assemble your burritos arrange flour tortillas on a surface in front of you. Fill each one with rice, ground beef, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, creamy chipotle sauce, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips. Fold over the sides and roll your burrito closed. 
  • In a skillet over medium-high heat, arrange about ¼ cup of cheese in a strip about the size of your burrito. Place your burrito over the top of the cheese, place a heavy skillet on the burrito to press it down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and browned. Remove the heavy skillet, carefully flip the burrito, and cook for another 2-3 minutes to lightly brown the other side. Repeat with the remaining burritos. 
  • Serve with your favorite salsa, hot sauce, etc.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1004kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 1796mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 15g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1004
Keyword: grilled cheese burrito, grilled cheese burritos
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and Iโ€™m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, youโ€™ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The ground beef was perfectly seasoned, and the Spanish rice added a nice depth to the filling. What really stood out was the creamy chipotle sauce – it brought everything together with a smoky, spicy kick.

  2. 5 stars
    This is such a great recipe. I love all that beefy cheese goodness on the inside. I made these last night for dinner, and they were amazing.

  3. 5 stars
    This was something I always wanted to try making! Finally had it yesterday and it was really good! So easy to make too!

  4. 5 stars
    these are waaayyyy better than anything you can get at Taco Bell! We all gobbled them down, my kids asked for them again!

  5. 5 stars
    I tried the Grilled Cheese Burrito and it was amazing! The blend of flavors and textures was spot on. It was so comforting and delicious. Iโ€™ll definitely be making this again soon.