Easy Bean Burrito Salad
This easy bean burrito salad is loaded with all the flavours of a classic burrito in a fresh, crunchy bowl. Seasoned ground beef, black beans, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, creamy guacamole and sour cream come together for a quick and satisfying dinner. Add a handful of crunchy tortilla chips for scooping, and you have an easy Mexican-inspired salad that is hearty enough for dinner but still fresh and colourful.
A Quick Look at This Bean Burrito Salad
This easy bean burrito salad is a fresh, filling dinner made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream and crunchy tortilla chips. It has all those familiar burrito flavours, just piled into a big salad bowl.
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Burrito Salad
This bean burrito salad recipe is hearty enough for dinner but still feels fresh because of all the lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro. I like that the warm beef and bean mixture softens the lettuce just a little without turning it soggy, especially if you let the meat cool for a few minutes first. The guacamole and sour cream make everything creamy, and the tortilla chips give you that salty crunch in every few bites. It is also easy to adjust depending on what you have in the fridge.
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Perfect for Busy Nights and Casual Dinners
Serve this easy burrito salad with ground beef and black beans for a quick weeknight dinner, casual family meal or easy weekend lunch. It is especially good when you want something that feels a little lighter than a full burrito but still has plenty of flavour and substance. I also like serving the tortilla chips on the side so everyone can scoop up the salad and add as much crunch as they want.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Bean Burrito Salad
Let the beef cool for a few minutes. The seasoned ground beef should still be warm, but not piping hot when it goes over the lettuce. This helps keep your bean burrito salad crisp instead of wilted.
Drain the black beans really well. I usually give them a quick rinse too. Too much liquid can settle at the bottom of the bowl and make the salad watery.
Brown the corn for extra flavour. If you have a couple of extra minutes, let the corn sit in the skillet until a few pieces get lightly golden. It adds a nice roasted flavour and looks great in the finished salad.
Use sturdy lettuce. Romaine or iceberg lettuce works best for this easy burrito salad recipe because both stay crunchy under the warm beef, beans and toppings.
Add the guacamole and sour cream at the end. Spoon them right on top just before serving. They naturally mix into the salsa and meat juices as you eat, almost like a creamy burrito salad dressing.
Keep the tortilla chips crisp. Don’t mix them into the salad too early. I like serving a few whole chips on the side for scooping and crushing a handful over the top just before eating.
Taste the beef mixture before assembling. Black beans and corn can soften the seasoning a little, so this is a good time to add another pinch of salt, chili powder or cumin if needed.
Chop everything fairly small. Smaller pieces of tomato, onion and lettuce make this ground beef and black bean burrito salad much easier to scoop onto a tortilla chip. It also means you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Serve it right away. This salad is at its best when the lettuce is cold and crunchy, the beef is still slightly warm, and the guacamole is fresh. That contrast is what makes it so good.
Easy Variations for Bean Burrito Salad
Swap the ground beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken both work well in this easy bean burrito salad. Just season them the same way and cook until nicely browned.
Make it vegetarian. Skip the meat and add extra black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans. A mix of beans and corn still makes this burrito salad recipe filling enough for dinner.
Add cheese. Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Mexican-style cheese blend adds a little extra richness. I like adding it while the beef is still slightly warm so it softens just a bit.
Turn up the heat. Add sliced jalapeños, hot salsa, crushed red pepper flakes or a little cayenne to the beef mixture. Start small. It is easier to add more heat than fix an overly spicy salad.
Use different beans. Black beans are great here, but pinto beans are just as good and give the salad a more traditional burrito-style flavour.
Add avocado instead of guacamole. If you do not have guacamole, diced or sliced avocado works perfectly in this ground beef burrito salad. A squeeze of lime keeps it fresh.
Make it extra crunchy. Add crushed tortilla chips, toasted pepitas or even a few corn chips right before serving. Do not add them too early or they lose that good crunch.
Add rice for a burrito bowl twist. A scoop of cooked rice turns this into more of a burrito bowl salad and makes it even more filling. Cilantro lime rice works especially well.
Change up the toppings. Try green onions, sliced olives, fresh jalapeños, pico de gallo or extra cilantro. This is one of those salads that is easy to adjust depending on what is already in the fridge.
Storage Tips for Bean Burrito Salad
Store the ingredients separately. For the best leftover bean burrito salad, keep the cooked beef and bean mixture separate from the lettuce and fresh toppings. This prevents the salad from getting soggy.
Refrigerate the beef mixture promptly. Once cooled, transfer the seasoned ground beef, black beans and corn to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keep the lettuce dry. Store chopped romaine or iceberg in a separate container lined with a paper towel. A little moisture can make lettuce limp surprisingly fast.
Store guacamole separately. Keep guacamole in a small airtight container and press plastic wrap directly against the surface to help slow browning. It is best used within 1 to 2 days.
Keep sour cream and salsa chilled. Store both separately and add them only when you are ready to serve your easy burrito salad.
Do not refrigerate the tortilla chips with the salad. They will soften quickly. Keep them sealed at room temperature and add them just before eating so they stay crisp.
Reheat only the beef and bean mixture. Warm it gently in the microwave or a skillet, then let it sit for a minute or two before spooning it over cold lettuce. That warm-and-cool combination is really good.
For meal prep, assemble just before eating. You can portion the lettuce, tomatoes and beef mixture into separate containers ahead of time. Add the guacamole, sour cream and tortilla chips at the last minute for the freshest ground beef burrito salad.
Freezing is not recommended for the assembled salad. Lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole do not freeze well. The cooked beef and bean mixture, however, can be frozen separately for up to 2 months.
Easy Bean Burrito Salad
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Colander for rinsing the black beans
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large salad bowl or serving platter
- Small bowl for sour cream or dressing
- Serving spoon or salad tongs
Ingredients
For the Beef and Bean Mixture
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn drained or thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup salsa
For the Burrito Salad
- 6 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1/3 cup finely diced white or red onion
- 1 cup prepared guacamole
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion and cook for about 6–8 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Season the beef. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the beans and corn. Stir the black beans, corn and salsa into the seasoned beef. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes so it doesn't wilt the lettuce.
- Build the salad. Spread the chopped lettuce in a large shallow serving bowl. Spoon the warm beef and black bean burrito mixture over the lettuce.
- Scatter the diced tomatoes and onion over the top. Add generous spoonfuls of guacamole and sour cream in the centre.
- Finish with plenty of fresh chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips for scooping, or lightly crush some chips over the salad for extra crunch.
Easy Burrito Salad Dressing - optional
- You really don't need a separate dressing because the salsa, guacamole and sour cream mix together as you eat the salad and make a creamy, flavourful dressing.
- For an extra saucy salad, stir together:
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons salsa
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Pinch of salt
- Drizzle it over the salad just before serving.
Notes
- Let the beef cool slightly. Adding piping-hot ground beef directly to the lettuce can make your burrito salad wilt quickly.
- Drain the beans well. Extra liquid can make the bottom of the salad watery.
- Char the corn for more flavour. Cook the corn for a few minutes in the skillet before adding the beef for those browned corn pieces visible in your photos.
- Keep the tortilla chips separate until serving so they stay crisp.
- Use chunky guacamole rather than a very smooth version to give the salad the fresh avocado texture shown in the photos.
- Romaine gives this bean burrito salad a good sturdy crunch, although iceberg lettuce also works very well.
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.
For even more fresh Mexican-inspired flavour, serve this easy bean burrito salad with our Fresh Garlic Salsa (Chunky Style). The juicy tomatoes, fresh cilantro, lime and garlic are perfect with the seasoned beef, black beans, guacamole and crunchy tortilla chips.
