Our delicious Beef Burrito Bowl is a Mexican inspired cozy bowl of rice loaded with juicy flavorful shredded beef, pico de gallo, avocados, corn, and black beans, and topped with creamy avocado crema, a delicious homemade sauce.
Mexican Beef Burrito Bowl is such a convenient and versatile dinner option because you can cook the shredded beef in the slow cooker and easily customize the bowl according to your likings. It also makes for very tasty leftovers and meal prep!
Mexican Shredded Beef Burrito Bowl
Our slow cooker chicken burrito bowl has become one of my most frequented recipes on the blog, so I wanted to share a beef version as well!
This shredded beef burrito bowl recipe is definitely inspired by the beef bowl from Chipotle. It tastes similar but it’s not a direct copycat because I think it might be even better! 😉 What sets it apart: that avocado crema! Don’t skip that simple yet very delicious homemade sauce!
We are also using fresh ingredients for the beef burrito bowl so the product is healthier because we are able to control the quality of everything.
And yes, I love severing our homemade beef burrito bowl for dinners more than I like purchasing it at Chipotle. Budget-friendly, healthier, much tastier, and I get lots of leftovers…you really can’t beat that!
In short, here’s why I love these bowl so much:
- Quick and easy to put together. While preparing the beef burrito bowl requires a bit of prep work and planning ahead, when everything is ready, it takes very little time and effort to actually put the entire burrito bowl together.
- Shredded beef is cooked in the slow cooker. Which means, you can set it and forget it! Make it in the morning and have it ready by the time you get home.
- Customize your own burrito bowl. I’ll usually line all the beef burrito bowl ingredients on the kitchen counter and have everyone pick and choose how they want to build their own burrito bowl. It’s also a great meal to make for hosting dinners for a large number of people.
- Meal prep and leftover friendly. I love making a big batch and having leftovers for many days to come. That shredded beef gets even tastier after it sits in the fridge for a couple of days!
Ingredients
This beef burrito bowl recipe is made up of shredded beef combined with rice and a variety of vegetables, and topped with that dreamy avocado crema.
For the slow cooker shredded beef portion of this recipe, here are the ingredients:
- beef chuck roast – this is an inexpensive piece of beef that we will slow cook until it is tender. Go for a marbled piece of roast. It will yield a tastier piece of beef. Cubing the beef is not necessary, especially if you use a large slow cooker. However, if it helps you season the meat by cutting them up in chunks, go right ahead!
- dried oregano – we rub this dried spice onto the pieces of chuck roast before searing them
- ground cumin – another dried spice that will be rubbed onto the pieces of chuck roast
- ground coriander – another dried spice that will be rubbed onto the pieces of chuck roast
- chipotle pepper in adobo sauce – this comes in the form of a can and brings a lot of bold flavors and is pretty spicy. Feel free to use less or more to adjust the spice levels.
- garlic – use fresh garlic cloves for best flavor.
- chopped green chilis – comes in a can for quick and easy prep! These typically are not super spicy, buy canned chopped green chilis that has the level of spiciness that you prefer
- bay leaves – this aromatic herb will help to flavor our shredded beef burrito bowl. Bay leaves are added to the slow cooker and removed before serving.
- lime juice – it provides a citrus balance to the overall flavor
- water – a little bit of water is added to the slow cooker to keep the meat moist
- salt – this is absolutely critical in helping to open up the flavors of the meat as well as the other spices involved. This is used along with the a spice rub for the chuck roast and also to add into the slow cooker.
- black pepper – also rubbed onto the piece of chuck roast
For the toppings – pick and chose what you really want from my list of suggested toppings or just dump everything in! There are no rights or wrongs and there is something for everyone:
- sweet corn – fresh, canned, or de-thaw and defrost frozen corn
- black beans – for simplicity, canned black beans work just fine for this recipe. Drain excess water from the beans.
- pico de gallo – A mexican classic with a mixture of tomatoes, jalapeños, red onions and cilantro. Provides great flavor and great textures to the beef burrito bowls. I typically buy this from the store but feel free to make it if you prefer.
- avocado – brings a nice creminess to the bowls.
- cilantro – I personally love the fresh bites of this herb. If you don’t like cilantro, you can omit this.
- avocado crema – this homemade sauce is made using Greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic, cilantro and salt.
How to make it
There are three short phases in putting together this beef burrito bowl recipe:
Making the Beef for Burrito Bowl
The beef takes the longest time to make, and I typically make it in the slow cooker. It cooks in the slow cooker for an extended period of time so that the fibers of the meat are broken down and they become super tender.
Before bringing it to the slow cooker though, I season the beef and sear it on the stovetop so that we lock in the flavors and moistures. You can skip this step but I highly recommend it because it makes the beef tastier.
Add the seared beef along with green chilis, lime juice, chopped chipotle peppers, garlic cloves, salt, bay leaves and water and I usually set the slow cooker on high for 4.5-5 hrs or on low for 9-10 hours.
When it is done, use a fork to shred the beef. Beef should come apart really easily. If it doesn’t, go ahead and cook it for another 30 on high or 60 minutes on low until you can shred it easily.
This beef burrito bowl slow cooker recipe is one of those I-recommend-making-it-in-the-slow-cooker kinda meal, but you can also make it on the stovetop if you’d like. You’ll just have to babysit it a bit.
Assembling the beef burrito bowl
And now that the beef is done, the rest should come together super quickly! But first…let’s make the creamy avocado dressing!
To make the sauces, simply bring together smashed avocado, Greek yogurt, cilantro lime juice and salt in a medium bowl and mix them up until it is smooth.
Then let everyone assemble their own bowls by bringing the shredded beef along with all of these (or some of these) ingredients.
P/S: Over time, these have become my staple beef burrito bowl toppings because they require no/minimal cook time. Feel free to add on other toppings if you wish!
- Cooked rice
- Corn
- Black beans
- Avocado slices
- PIco de Gallo
- CIlantro
Then last, but certain not least, drizzle with that homemade avocado crema. And with that, dinner is served!
I hope this beef burrito bowl brings you and your people immense joy and yumminess.
Additional toppings
Here are some additional toppings to incorporate into your beef burrito bowl:
- lettuce
- jalapeño
- tomatoes
- shredded cheese
- lime wedge
- tortilla chips
Other Ways to Cook Beef
Besides the slow cooker, beef chuck roast can be cooked on the stovetop or the Instant pot too:
- Stovetop method: Season and sear beef in a Dutch oven, then bring chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cloves of garlic, green chilies, lime juice, bay leaves, and salt to the Dutch oven. Add water until beef chuck roast is submerged. Bring to a boil and then cover and let the beef simmer for a few hours until tender. Be sure to check every hour and add more water if the pot is drying up. Shred beef when it is done.
- Instant Pot method: Season and saute beef chuck roast in Instant Pot, then add chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cloves of garlic, green chilies, lime juice, bay leaves, and salt. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Shred beef when it is done.
Tips and Tricks
- Season the Meat: Use a combination of oregano, cumin, and coriander to generously season the chuck roast. Ensure that all sides are well-covered to infuse the meat with robust flavors.
- Searing for Flavor: Before slow cooking, sear the chuck roast on all sides. This step locks in juices and adds an extra layer of flavor to your beef, making a significant difference in the final taste. Avoid skipping this step!
- Slow Cooker Magic: Making the beef in a slow cooker allows the flavors to meld and gives the beef an unbeatable tenderness. For richer flavor, add beef bouillon granules if searing is skipped.
- Rice Variety: For a quicker prep, I cook my rice in the rice cooker or use pre-cooked rice.
- Freeze Extra Beef: Beef can be frozen separately for quick future meal preparations. This easy step is a time-saver and ensures a backup of flavorful meat ready whenever you need it.
- Make it Spicier: If you dare, add a kick of heat. Whether you choose jalapeño peppers or cayenne pepper, you can add it to the slow cooker along with the other seasonings and spices.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can also use the stovetop or Instant pot method. See “Other Ways to Cook Beef” section for more info.
Increase heat by adding more chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or fresh jalapeños. You can also mix in hot spices like cayenne pepper into the avocado crema.
Absolutely! The flavored beef can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Beef can also kept in the freezer for long term storage.
Quinoa, cauliflower rice or brown rice are great healthier alternatives to the traditional white rice in these beef burrito bowls.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Let us know how it was by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Delicious Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Grilled Steak Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Homemade Chunky Guacamole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Beef Burrito Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef
- 3 lbs chuck roast
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp pepper
Slow Cooker
- 3-4 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce chopped
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 oz green chilies chopped
- ½ cup lime juice
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
Avocado Crema
- 1 small avocado smashed
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp cilantro minced
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp salt
Extras for the bowl
- 5 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups frozen sweet corn thawed
- 1 16 oz canned black beans
- 4 small avocados diced
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl or dish, mix together the beef seasonings: oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper.
- Generously season chuck roast with seasoning mixture, making sure to cover all the sides.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Sear the roast by cooking each side for 1-2 minutes or until it begins to brown.
- While the roast is searing, toss the slow cooker ingredients into your slow cooker: chipotle peppers, garlic, green chilis, lime juice, bay leaves, and water.
- Once the roast is finished searing, add it to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 4.5-5 hours or low for 9-10 hours. It is finished cooking when the beef shreds easily. Shred beef. Taste to see if more salt is needed.
- While the beef is cooking, prepare Avocado Crema by combing all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Prep remaining bowl ingredients. Cook rice (if needed), warm up corn and beans, and dice avocados.
- Assemble rice bowls by adding rice, beef, corn, black beans, diced avocados, pico de gallo, and cilantro to each bowl, then drizzle with avocado crema.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Stovetop method: Season and sear beef in a Dutch oven, then bring chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cloves of garlic, green chilies, lime juice, bay leaves, and salt to the Dutch oven. Add water until beef chuck roast is submerged. Bring to a boil and then cover and let the beef simmer for a few hours until tender. Be sure to check every hour and add more water if the pot is drying up. Shred beef when it is done.
- Instant Pot method: Season and saute beef chuck roast in Instant Pot, then add chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cloves of garlic, green chilies, lime juice, bay leaves, and salt. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Shred beef when it is done.
