How Many Calories are in a Beef and Bean Burrito?

Beef and bean burritos are a popular Tex-Mex food that combines flavorful seasoned beef, beans, cheese, and other ingredients wrapped in a flour tortilla But with all those delicious ingredients packed into one convenient handheld meal, many burrito lovers wonder – just how many calories are in my beef and bean burrito? In this article, we’ll break down the typical nutrition facts and calories for different sizes and types of beef and bean burritos from various restaurants and frozen brands

Calorie Count in Beef and Bean Burritos

According to the USDA, a 6-inch beef and bean burrito contains approximately 300-500 calories on average. However, the exact calorie count can vary significantly based on the size of the burrito, ingredients used, cooking methods, and where you get it from.

Here’s a quick overview of the approximate calorie ranges for different common beef and bean burrito sizes and varieties:

• Small or Mini (4-5 inches): 200-350 calories
• Regular or Medium (6 inches): 300-500 calories
• Large, Grande, or Jumbo (8-10 inches): 500-800 calories
• Frozen pre-made: 300-600 calories
• Fast food chain (e.g. Taco Bell): 300-700 calories

As you can see, burrito sizes at restaurants and in the freezer aisle can really run the gamut from petite snacks to ultra-stuffed meals. And the ingredient variations from place to place also cause big calorie fluctuations.

What Impacts the Calories in Beef and Bean Burritos?

Several factors contribute to the calorie content in beef and bean burritos, including:

Ingredients

• Tortilla Flour tortillas can have 100-300 calories, while corn tortillas are around 50-100 calories Larger tortillas mean more calories

• Beef Seasoned ground beef adds protein and fat. A 1/2 cup cooked crumbled beef ranges from 200-250 calories More meat increases calories

• Beans: Refried pinto beans add fiber, carbs, and protein for around 100-150 calories per 1/2 cup. Black or other bean varieties have similar counts.

• Rice: If included, rice contributes about 100-200 calories per 1/2 cup cooked.

• Cheese: Cheese increases fat and calories substantially. Just 2 ounces of cheddar or Mexican blend cheese adds around 225 calories.

• Sauces: Salsa is low calorie, but sour cream, guacamole, salad dressings, and other creamy sauces add more fat and calories.

• Extras: Ingredients like lettuce, onions, tomatoes, etc. add minimal calories. But fried shells, tortilla chips, and other extras pile on more.

Cooking Methods

• Frying in oil increases calories more than baking or grilling. Deep-fried chimichangas can have 700+ calories.

• Pre-made frozen burritos tend to be smaller but can still be high in fat and calories depending on ingredients.

Restaurant Portion Sizes

Larger chain restaurants are known for their oversized portions, which can turn a standard burrito into a calorie bomb. For example:

• Taco Bell’s Beefy 5-Layer Burrito: 780 calories
• Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl with beef, rice, beans, etc.: up to 1,000+ calories
• Local restaurants often have even more generous portions

Tips for Lightening Up Your Beef and Bean Burrito

If you want to enjoy beef and bean burritos but avoid excess calories, here are some tips:

• Choose smaller tortillas around 6-inches rather than mega-sized overflowing tortillas

• Opt for leaner ground beef or swap half the meat for beans

• Load up on low-cal veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers

• Use moderate amounts of cheese, salsa, guacamole, etc.

• Skip the sour cream, rice, tortilla chips, or creamy sauces

• Choose corn over flour tortillas when possible

• Share a large burrito or only eat half and save the rest

• Pick restaurant burritos that are less than 500 calories

• Compare nutrition info and calories before ordering at restaurants

Healthiest Beef and Bean Burrito Options

To keep your burrito relatively light while still satisfying your Tex-Mex cravings, choose healthier options like:

• home-cooked burritos with lean beef, whole grain tortillas, beans, veggies

• burrito bowls without the tortilla shell

• smaller frozen burritos around 300 calories

• build your own burrito with light ingredients

• salads with burrito-inspired Tex-Mex flavors

The Bottom Line

Beef and bean burritos can range from 300 to over 1,000 calories depending on the size and what goes into them. Your healthiest options are smaller burritos with 6-inch tortillas, lean beef, lots of beans, vegetables, and moderate amounts of cheese and sauces. Limit large tortillas, fatty meats, rice, chips, sour cream, and other high-calorie extras. With some adjustments, you can still enjoy burrito flavors while maintaining balanced calories and nutrition. Just be mindful of portion sizes and ingredients whenever you get a beef and bean burrito craving!