How Many Calories are in a Beef and Bean Burrito? A Closer Look

Burritos are a popular Tex-Mex food that have become a staple in many households and restaurants across America. The convenient folded tortilla packets are filled with a delicious combination of ingredients like rice, beans, cheese, and meat. While tasty, the calorie count of burritos can quickly add up, especially in larger fast food versions. If you love burritos, you may have wondered just how many calories are hiding inside your favorite beef and bean burrito. Let’s take a closer look!

The Classic Beef and Bean Burrito

The traditional beef and bean burrito contains a flour tortilla stuffed with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, tomato salsa, shredded cheese, and other extras like rice, onions, cilantro, etc. It’s a simple yet hearty and satisfying meal when you’re craving Mexican food. Most burrito joints, taquerias, and Tex-Mex chains offer some version of the popular beef and bean burrito.

When examining the calorie content, there are a few key factors that impact the totals:

• Tortilla size – A standard burrito uses a 10-12 inch flour tortilla. Larger oversized tortillas can add 70-150 extra calories Smaller “street taco” size tortillas reduce the calories

• Fillings – The amounts of beef, beans, rice, cheese, etc affect the calorie density. More generous fillings mean more calories.

• Cooking methods – A deep fried burrito shell significantly increases the calorie content versus a plain or grilled tortilla.

• Add-ons – Ingredients like guacamole, sour cream, bacon, corn, etc further increase calories.

With these variables in mind, a typical beef and bean burrito from a fast casual restaurant or food truck contains 500-800 calories on average. Handheld homemade burritos are often smaller with 300-500 calories. Larger burritos from Mexican chains and fast food joints can easily top 1,000+ calories.

Calories in Specific Beef and Bean Burritos

To get a better idea of the calorie counts, let’s examine some popular beef and bean burritos from major chains and brands:

• Chipotle Burrito Bowl with Rice, Beans, Steak – 705 calories – While not a classic wrapped burrito, Chipotle’s burrito bowls provide a good basis for comparison. This popular order with rice, pinto beans, fajita veggies, and steak packs over 700 calories before any additional toppings.

• Taco Bell Beef Burrito Supreme – 510 calories – With seasoned beef beans red sauce, sour cream, cheese, and onions, Taco Bell’s take adds up to 510 calories. One of their lighter options.

• El Monterey Beef & Bean Burrito – 290 calories – This convenient frozen beef and bean burrito contains 290 calories, making it a lighter choice for a quick microwaveable snack.

• Del Taco Classic Beef & Bean Burrito – 420 calories – Del Taco’s classic stuffed burrito comes in at 420 calories when ordered by itself. Their epic 1/2 lb. burritos tip the scales at over 800 calories.

• 7-Eleven Beef & Bean Burrito – 370 calories – 7-Eleven’s grab-and-go beef and bean burrito packs 370 calories. Great for a quick breakfast or lunch on-the-go.

• Freebirds World Burrito Beef & Guac Burrito – 865 calories – Custom burrito chains like Freebirds allow you to pile on the fillings, pushing up the calorie counts. This monster burrito tops 800 calories easy.

As you can see, the calorie content ranges widely from around 300 calories for a basic homemade beef and bean burrito to over 1,000 calories for loaded fast food versions or specials with extra fillings and toppings.

Estimating Calories in Homemade Beef and Bean Burritos

When making beef and bean burritos at home, you can control the ingredients and portions to keep calories in check. Here are some tips for lighter burritos:

• Use 10-inch flour tortillas (around 150-180 calories each)
• Limit fillings to 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1/2 cup beans per burrito
• Choose lean ground beef or turkey for less saturated fat
• Load up on veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers
• Stick to 1 oz shredded cheese per burrito
• Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
• Add hot sauce for flavor over heavy sauces
• Skip the deep frying! Lightly pan fry instead.

Following these guidelines, a reasonably filled homemade beef and bean burrito will have around 400-550 calories. To customize your own burritos, you can log the ingredients individually in a calorie counting app or use an online recipe calculator. This allows you to tweak portions and ingredients to meet your calorie goals.

Healthier Beef and Bean Burrito Options

If you’re looking for ways to lighten up your favorite burrito recipe, there are many easy substitutions to reduce the calories, fat, and carbs:

• Use lettuce wraps – Swap the tortilla for a lettuce leaf wrap to save 100+ calories.

• Load up the veggies – Double down on nutrient-dense fresh veggies like onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, etc.

• Pick whole grain tortillas – Upgrade to a 100% whole wheat or corn tortilla for extra fiber and nutrients.

• Ditch the rice – Skipping the rice can eliminate 100 or more calories per burrito.

• Go easy on the cheese – Limit cheese to 1/4 cup per burrito to scale back on saturated fat.

• Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream – Nonfat Greek yogurt provides creaminess with less fat and calories.

• Use leaner ground meat – Opt for lean ground turkey or a veggie-beef blend instead of just ground beef.

• Add more beans – Beans pack protein, fiber, and nutrients. Fill up on them!

With a few simple substitutions, you can shave off calories, fat, and carbs from your beef and bean burritos while pumping up the nutrition. This allows you to still enjoy the delicious flavors while making your burritos a healthier meal.

How Many Calories Should You Eat in Burritos?

Calorie needs vary widely depending on age, gender, activity level, and health goals. As a general guide:

• Women should aim for 2000 to 2400 calories daily
• Men should aim for 2400 to 3000 calories daily

Based on these estimates, and assuming three meals per day, burritos containing 700 to 800 calories would account for 25-30% of your total daily calorie intake. So for most people, a 700-800 calorie beef and bean burrito is a perfectly reasonable option for a meal when eaten alongside nutritious sides and snacks.

However, people wanting to lose weight would likely want to aim for burritos in the 500 calorie range at most when factoring in other meals and snacks. Those with higher calorie needs could consume 1000+ calorie burritos more comfortably within their daily intake.

The key is balancing out higher calorie burritos with lighter meals and snacks for the rest of the day. Mixing up your protein and produce choices is also important to get a variety of nutrients.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to the ever-popular beef and bean burrito, the calorie count ultimately comes down to the size and specific ingredients used. Traditional homemade beef and bean burritos clock in around 400-550 calories. Restaurant and fast food versions range from 300 calories for basic burritos up to 700-1000+ calories for stuffed specialty options.

There are also many easy ways to lighten up beef and bean burritos by using healthier ingredient swaps and looking for ways to increase the vegetables and fiber. This allows you to keep enjoying satisfying burritos while maintaining a balanced diet and meeting your daily calorie goals. So don’t be afraid to work a beef and bean burrito into your meal plan – just be mindful of portions and what goes into it!