Well, Here’s My Cheesy Tale With This Burrito

You ever find yourself late at night, super hungry, but also equipped with like three tortillas, a random chunk of cheddar, and a tiny bit of leftover rice? That’s how I first cobbled together this Easy Grilled Cheese Burrito (yep, inspired by Taco Bell, don’t @ me). Funny thing: my oldest swears mine tastes better than the drive-thru version—though that might just be because I sneak extra cheese in. Anyway, every time I make these, someone in my family insists on narrating the (very dramatic) cheese pull for effect. It's become a whole thing around here—who knew burritos could cause such a ruckus?

Easy Grilled Cheese Burrito (Taco Bell Copycat)

Why You’ll Love This—Or At Least, Why I Do

I make these when I’m craving something that’s both comforting and melts in your mouth (literally), but I’m way too lazy for anything elaborate. My family goes nuts for them because, well, they’re stuffed with cheese and rice and beef and more cheese. (I tried once to make them with only one type of cheese—big mistake, folks.) Also, if you’ve forgotten to thaw ground beef, you can swap in shredded chicken or even beans and no one bats an eye. True story: I once tried to grill the entire thing in my waffle iron to save time. Would not recommend—unless you like your burritos looking like grid-patterned pillows.

What You’ll Need (And What I Usually Sub)

4 large flour tortillas (the kinda thick ones work best, but I grab whatever’s in the bread bin—whole wheat doesn’t hurt it, promise)
1 cup cooked seasoned rice (I like Spanish-style, but white rice with taco seasoning is my go-to when I’m rushing)
1 cup seasoned ground beef (or shredded chicken, or honestly, even lentils in a pinch—and yes, my grandmother thought lentils were bit much, but here we are)
½ cup nacho cheese sauce (store-bought or leftover cheese dip, whatever’s hanging around; sometimes I melt cheddar with a splash of milk in the microwave, a total hack job)
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (Monterey Jack is totally fine, or even mozzarella if that’s all you’ve got—cheese is cheese, right?)
½ cup sour cream (Greek yogurt’s pulled its weight here if you’re feeling virtuous, but who actually does that?)
½ cup tortilla strips or crushed taco shells (for a little crunch—honestly, I skip these when I’m out and nobody cries)
Butter or oil for grilling (just a knob, or a splash—measure with your heart)

How I throw this all together (with the occasional hiccup)

First, warm up your tortillas so they’re pliable. I usually just nuke them for 20 seconds under a damp paper towel. Or skip it, and crack a few if you feel lucky.
Lay out a tortilla and start layering: a scoop of rice, a pile of beef or chicken, a good glug of nacho cheese, then a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Don’t forget the sour cream and tortilla strips if you’re feeling fancy. (I always go a little off-center with my fillings. Burritos in my house are never symmetrical!)
Roll it up like you're wrapping a slightly lumpy present. Tuck in the sides, then roll tightly so nothing escapes in the pan—although, if you lose a little filling, just scoop it up and snack while cooking. Perks of being the chef, really.
Now, here comes the extra cheesy bit—spread a handful of shredded cheese on a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Wait till it starts melting and gets bubbly.
Gently place your rolled burrito, seam-side down, right on top of the melting cheese. Press down just a smidge.
Let it sizzle until the cheese forms a golden crust (about 1-2 min, though sometimes my cheese tries to take an early retirement and sticks to the pan—just patch it up and carry on.)
Flip and repeat on the other side if you really want it extra cheesy. Or don’t—no judgement. I usually just do one side because I am impatient.
Remove, let it cool for a few (seriously, molten cheese burns are real), and then slice and devour. (Pro tip: this is when everyone gathers mysteriously in the kitchen. It’s not subtle.)

Stuff I Learned The Hard Way (AKA Notes)

If your cheese sticks to the pan, it’s probably too hot or your pan’s seen better days. Scrape up what you can—call it crispy cheese topping.
Tortillas crack less if they’re nice and warm, but I always forget at least one.
Using leftover rice actually makes these taste better, but don’t tell my husband—he thinks I made it fresh every time.
The messier the inside, the tastier the final burrito. That’s my theory, anyway.

Variations I’ve Tried (And One That Flopped)

Vegetarian version—swap beans or spiced potatoes for the beef. Worked great, didn’t miss the meat at all.
Cheese blends—honestly, shoutout to that bag of “Mexican blend cheese” I found in the freezer once. Saved the night.
Breakfast style—eggs instead of rice, little bit of cooked sausage. It was…weirdly good? Then again, my youngest said, “Please don’t do that again.”
That time I tried grilling it outside—yeah, don’t. Cheese everywhere and the dogs were way too interested.

Do You Need Special Gear?

If you have a nonstick skillet, you’re golden. I’ve used my cast iron too, though everything stuck just a tad. If you’re stoveless, I’ve even done this in the oven on a baking sheet—just put a bit of cheese down first, then your burrito on top, and broil until bubbly. Not quite the same, but it works in a pinch.

How To Store Leftovers—Though, Should We Pretend That’s Needed?

You can wrap these in foil and toss in the fridge, they’ll last a couple days. Reheat in the oven or in a skillet to crispen things up again. But—I’m just being honest—they basically vanish within the hour at my place. If by some miracle you have leftovers, next-day burritos taste sort of magical, the flavors kind of settle in, you know?

This Is How I Like To Serve ‘Em

Honestly, I love mine with a scoop of guacamole and plenty of hot sauce, preferably while sitting outside if the weather’s behaving. Sometimes we make a whole “DIY burrito bar” for movie night, let everyone pile up their favorite fillings. And for some reason, my partner always insists on a big glass of sweet tea on the side—guess every family has its quirks.

Lessons Learned (My So-Called ‘Pro Tips’)

I once tried to rush the cheese step and ended up with uneven crust—so actually, it’s worth being patient here.
Don’t skip letting it cool; I burnt the roof of my mouth more times than I’ll admit.
Piling on too much filling makes rolling tricky—go easy or risk burrito blowout (it’s a real thing, and it’s messy).
And, if you’re using pre-shredded cheese, sometimes it doesn’t melt as nicely. Give it a little extra time.

Burning Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked

Do I have to use nacho cheese sauce? Nah. I’ve totally used a bit of Philly cream cheese swirled with cheddar before—it’s not the same, but close enough.
How spicy are these? Basically, as spicy as you want! The recipe as written is mild, but one friend adds ghost pepper sauce (brave soul, honestly).
Can I freeze them? You probably could, but when I tried, the tortillas were kinda sad after thawing. Better to keep ‘em fresh.
Is this healthy? Define ‘healthy’—emotionally? Yes. Nutritionally—eh, maybe not. But it’s comfort food, after all.
What if my cheese crust sticks? Happens to all of us. Let it cool a sec, then use a spatula to scrape up the crispy bits. They’re the best part, honestly.
I don’t eat beef, what’s the best swap? Try spicy black beans or jackfruit—both were hits the last time my veggie auntie came over.

So that’s my very imperfect—and highly snackable—take on the Easy Grilled Cheese Burrito. If you come up with a wild tweak, do let me know. Unless it involves raisins. Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.

Easy Grilled Cheese Burrito (Taco Bell Copycat) at Home

Well, Here’s My Cheesy Tale With This Burrito

Why You’ll Love This—Or At Least, Why I Do

What You’ll Need (And What I Usually Sub)

How I throw this all together (with the occasional hiccup)

Stuff I Learned The Hard Way (AKA Notes)

Variations I’ve Tried (And One That Flopped)

Do You Need Special Gear?

How To Store Leftovers—Though, Should We Pretend That’s Needed?

This Is How I Like To Serve ‘Em

Lessons Learned (My So-Called ‘Pro Tips’)

Burning Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked

Easy Grilled Cheese Burrito (Taco Bell Copycat)

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

Nutrition Disclaimers

Did you make this recipe?