High Protein Freezer Burritos

These high-protein burritos are packed with great taco flavor, plenty of protein (50g per burrito!) and they pack in 30 grams of fiber, too. They’re macro-friendly and perfect for meal prep. I’ve made a lot of burritos over the years and this version hits the sweet spot between healthy and something you’ll genuinely look forward to eating. They’re very beef-forward since I designed them for maximum protein content, but they’re balanced with a light layer of beans and a little cheese, too. I’ll eat these for lunch at home, my kids grab them after school or for a quick meal on the go, and on busy nights they can always be a no-brainer dinner. Below I’m including a LOT of helpful tips when it comes to making, freezing and storing these, so make sure to take a peek before jumping to the recipe!

burrito on a white plate cut in half stuffed with bean, beef, and cheese.

Ingredients Needed

This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.

Extra lean ground beef – I use 96% lean. Using an an extra low-fat beef helps keeps the macros where I like them, and allows room for fat elsewhere, like with cheese or optional avocado.
Oil– simply for spraying the pan
Seasonings – cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder onion powder, salt and pepper.
Lime – I often use True Lime powder here if I don’t have a fresh lime.
Worcestershire sauce
Enchilada Sauce (or Salsa) – you can use red or green enchilada sauce, depending on your preference. I use red! Salsa would be a good substitute.
Plain Greek Yogurt – non-fat or low fat
Shredded Cheese – you can use any cheese of your choice. Though I don’t recommend reduced fat cheese for many recipes, I do use it here.
Low Carb/High Fiber tortillas – see below for my recommendations. I use the Mission Carb Balance ones, which is where my fiber content comes from.

Low Carb/High Fiber Tortillas (that actually taste good!)

The days of high fiber tortillas tasting like cardboard are over. These aren’t the only good options out there, but they’re easy to find at most major grocery stores.

One thing to know: when a tortilla is labeled as “low-carb” or “Keto-friendly” that usually just means it’s high in fiber. They still contain carbohydrates. The reason they’re considered “low carb” is becuase the fiber is subtracted from the total carbs to get what’s called “net carbs.” So the carbs are there, the fiber just changes how they’re counted.

I’ve purchased all of these brands regularly and enjoy them all. For my burritos, I usually use the Mission brand ones for this recipe. I love the increased protein and fiber and they crisp up nicely if I’m pan-crisping. The Xtreme Wellness ones have a slightly less traditional look. They’re super soft and I actually prefer them for salad wraps, like these Chickpea Chimichurri Wraps. The La Banderita are similar in taste and texture to the Mission brand ones.

I’ll include some quick numbers from their nutrition labels for comparison- take note that these are all the largest “Burrito” size, which is what you’ll need for my freezer burrito recipe.

Mission Carb Balance

10g Protein
28g Fiber
32g Carbs
6g Fat
110 cals

Xtreme Wellness

6g Protein
19g Fiber
25g Carbs
2.5g F
100 cals

La Banderita Carb Cntr

5g Protein
18g Fiber
23g Carbs
2g Fat
90 cals

packaging for la banderita carb counter tortillas

How to Make High Protein Freezer Burritos

This section is a quick overview. Take a peek at the photos and an outline of the process so you can know what to expect. Keep scrolling for a printable recipe page.

greek yogurt and enchilada sauce on ground beef

How to Make

Start by browning some extra lean ground beef with seasonings to lock in flavor. Because it’s super lean, you shouldn’t need to drain fat off of it.
To the cooked seasoned ground beef you’ll add some seasonings, enchilada sauce, and some plain Greek yogurt. This creates a really flavorful, creamy sauce.
To assemble the burritos, I spread re-fried beans on each tortilla, top with meat mixture, and then add some cheese.
Roll them up, wrap them up, and store in the freezer.

Here’s a quick video on how I roll:

I will say, I’m eating these most often, hand-held. I’ll wrap the bottom of a hot burrito in a paper towel and then foil or parchment and take it in the car with me sometimes If I’m heading out!

a person's hand holding a burrito wrapped in foil

If I’m adding a little more to it for a meal, I love cutting it in half and stuffing in some toppings like avocado, chopped tomato, and onion, and replacing after each bite haha.

hand holding a burrito stuffed with bean, beef, and cheese.

Ingredient and Equipment Tips

Pan Size: You’ll want to use a very large skillet to brown 3lbs of meat. I recommend a 14″ skillet- this is my favorite from Hexclad that I use daily! An electric skillet is also a great option for larger quantities. If you don’t have either of those, you may need to brown your meat in separate batches.
Macros: When I make these for my own family, we’re going for optimum macros, meaning high protein, lower in fat and moderate carbs. Because of that I choose extra lean ground beef, low-carb tortillas (as outlined above) and reduced-fat cheese. If that’s not an important factor for you, of course feel free to make this with any variation of the above products that you enjoy.

burrito stuffed with bean, beef, and cheese.

burrito cut in half stuffed with bean, beef, and cheese.

Freezing, Re-Heating and Other Tips

Freezing

You can store your burritos how you like. I buy single sheets of deli foil so sometimes I wrap each tightly and then place in a sealed freezer bag.
Another option, if you’d like them to last longer in the freezer, is to flash freeze burritos and then seal them individually in a food saver (this is the one I have). I flash freeze first so they burritos don’t become misshapen as they vacuum!

frozen burritos wrapped in food saver bags

Reheating
Everyone’s microwaves are different, so you can experiment with this on your own, but a our house this is what works well:

Thaw and Cook: For best results, thaw burritos in the fridge overnight first. We will sometimes take 2 or 3 out from the freezer and keep in the fridge for a few days for quick eating. In this case, cover with a damp paper towel, and simply warm up in the microwave, ours takes about 90 seconds or so.
From frozen: remove foil and wrap burrito in a damp paper towel on a microwave safe place. All microwaves cook differently so this will be a bit of trial and error. For me, I cook for 4 minutes at 50% power, rotate, and cook for 1 minute 30/45 seconds on full power. (Test in your own microwave though!)
Crispy Burritos: Once cooked, place in a hot skillet with a little oil and cook until browned and crispy on each side. You can also rub cooked burrito lightly with oil and cook in an airfryer for 3-5 minutes at 400°
Oven Method: I have yet to try this, but I’m sure you could put frozen burritos in the oven. When I have the chance to test, I’ll update this!

styled burrito on a white plate with sour cream on top

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just add the refried beans to the meat mixture and mix it all together?

You can, but I prefer it separately. I’ve actually tested it both ways. If for some reason you don’t really like refried beans, they’ll be hidden if you mix it all in. You won’t even notice there’s beans in there. That is precisely why I like to spread them on the tortillas separately. Since these burritos are very meat-heavy, I like having the balance of a noticeable bean layer.

How long do freezer burritos last in the freezer?

When wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, up to 3 months. Longer if vacuum-sealed!

Can I make these ahead of time without freezing?

Sure. Store assembled burritos in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They’re great for weekly meal prep if y ou plan to eat them quickly.

Can I customize the filling?

Of course. You could add different bean, change the cheese, or included some cooked sauteed vegetables, or sliced avocado. Just keep in mind they are stuffed pretty full already so there’s not a lot of room for extra volume.

How do I keep my tortillas from cracking once re-heated?

Start with a freshly opened pack of tortillas when you assemble them. When reheating, wrapping/covering the frozen or thawed burritos in a damp paper towel that’s been wrung out helps keep them moist and crack free.