Smothered Beef Burritos with Queso Blanco & Pico de Gallo

Step 1

• Wash and dry produce. • In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings), and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to use in step 5.

Step 2

• While rice cooks, halve, peel, and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 TBSP (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces. Zest and quarter lime. • In a small bowl, combine minced onion, half the tomato, and a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. • Add another drizzle of oil to pan, then add beef*, Mexican spice blend, half the enchilada sauce, remaining tomato, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat.

Step 4

• Meanwhile, place queso blanco in a small microwave-safe bowl. Place remaining enchilada sauce in a third small microwave-safe bowl. Cover each bowl tightly with plastic wrap; microwave on high until warmed through, 45 seconds. (For 4 servings, use medium bowls and microwave for 1 minute.) TIP: If sauces aren’t warmed through, stir and microwave for an additional 10 seconds. • Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds.

Step 5

• Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. • Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Add rice to the bottom third of each tortilla. Top rice with beef filling (you’ll have some rice and beef leftover—save for serving!). • Fold up bottom sides of tortillas over filling, then fold over left and right sides toward the filling. Roll up tortillas, starting with filled sides, to form burritos.

Step 6

• Divide burritos between plates. Pour enchilada sauce over burritos to coat; drizzle with queso blanco and top with pico. Serve with any remaining rice, remaining beef filling, and remaining lime wedges on the side.