Thrifty Thursday Recipe: Bean, Rice, and Cheese Burritos

I am thrilled when I can get a recipe to feed 4 people for under $5. So, when I can get a recipe for under $4, I am pretty much jumping for joy.

This meal makes 15 burritos, is filling, nutritious, and tastes great. I almost always add a side of corn (which will add another $1 to the cost) or a nice green salad. If I have extra money in the budget, I'll add sour cream and avocados. Right now avocados are on sale in my area-3 for .99. Score!

The cost for me broke down to this:

Beans .75

Cheese (half block) $1.25

Tortillas (15,  leftover from a previous meal), estimating $1.25

Brown rice (1/2 bag from a 4 bag box) estimating .33

1/4-1/2 c salsa, estimating .25

Total $3.83

Here are the ingredients I used:

Brown rice, refried beans, medium salsa, flour tortillas, half a block of cheddar cheese. Note that the cheese and tortillas are leftover from a previous meal, so this cuts costs as well.

Grate your cheese or use shredded bagged cheese.

Add around 1/4 cup salsa to the can of beans. I usually have trouble spooning the beans all out of the can, so I spoon out half, add a few tbsp of hot water to the can, swish around, and the remainder pours out easier. This also stretches our beans a bit. It won't look very appetizing, but it's going to taste great, trust me!

Microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds and stir well.

Next, prepare your rice. I used brown 10 minute rice, and only half of the cooked bag. Save that other half, though! It will make its way into another meal. If your family is big on rice, you could even use the whole bag. Mix your rice into your beans. 

Next, line a 13 x 9" pan with foil if you hate clean up like me, and lay a tortilla flat. Add 1 tbsp of your bean and rice mixture and around 1/2 tbsp of cheese. It should look like this:

Roll. Here is how I roll (haha):

Fold up the bottom about an inch. 

Fold in the left side until it meets the right side.

Smoosh (that can be a word!) the filling back toward the closed side so it does not fall out and roll. 

It should now be seam-side down.

Finish all your burritos and sprinkle any remaining cheese on top. I also add salsa to me and my husband's burritos. (You can prepare to this point and bake later, or even freeze. The price is so good on this meal, that doubling the recipe and freezing for an easy dinner is a no-brainer.)

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes and enjoy!