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This healthy High-Protein Burrito is lower in calories but loaded with lean protein and fiber, making it a balanced, satisfying meal you can feel good about. It’s a smarter take on a traditional burrito without sacrificing flavor. Easy to make, meal-prep friendly, and customizable with gluten-free tortilla options, this is a high-protein burrito that actually keeps you full!
High Protein Burrito at a Glance
- Protein per burrito: 40g
- Calories per burrito: 436 calories
- Fiber: 25g
- Meal prep friendly: Yes
- Freezer friendly: Yes
- Best for: High-protein lunches or dinners, just like my protein egg salad or high protein chicken salad.
Looking for an easy meal that’s healthy, lower in calorie and still is satisfying and filling? You hit the jackpot today! This Healthy High Protein Burrito recipe is delicious with a capital D. It’s also super simple to make!
As always, I’m just swapping a few ingredients to make this recipe higher in protein and lower in calories without sacrificing flavor! Explore my high-protein breakfast burrito for a yummy breakfast option!
Table of Contents
- High Protein Burrito at a Glance
- What Makes this a High Protein Burrito
- Ingredients
- Variations and Dietary Modifications
- How To Make High Protein Burritos
- Expert Tips
- How to Meal Prep Healthy Burritos
- Storage & Freezing
- Serving Suggestions
- High Protein Burrito Recipe FAQs
- More High Protein Lunch Recipes
- High Protein Burrito Recipe
What Makes this a High Protein Burrito
A high-protein meal typically contains at least 25–30 grams of protein per serving. This burrito delivers 37 grams of protein, making it a true protein-forward option.
- Lean Ground Beef is Our Protein Anchor: Lean ground beef does the heavy lifting here. It provides a concentrated source of protein while keeping fat controlled, so you get strong protein density without excess calories.
- Black Beans Means Protein + Fiber Boost: Black beans add additional protein, but they really shine in the fiber department. With 17 grams of fiber, this burrito supports fullness, digestion, and blood sugar balance. That’s something most traditional burritos lack.
- Strategic Ingredient Choices: Instead of loading up on high-calorie fillers, this recipe prioritizes lean protein and fiber-rich ingredients. The result is a 394-calorie burrito with balanced macronutrients that keeps you satisfied longer. A focus I share with all my weight loss clients.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make a high protein beef burrito.
- Corn, Tomatoes, and Red Onion: Added to bulk up the meat mixture as well as layer in additional flavor.
- Jalapeno: These add a bit of spice. Be sure to remove the seeds and membrane for less spice. If you do not like jalapenos or want a less spicy burrito, you can omit it.
- Black Beans: Black beans are perfect with burritos, but any canned beans work with this recipe. Try pinto beans, white beans, green peas, or cooked lentils as substitutions. If beans or peas don’t work for you, you can omit them and add rice instead, or you could do a Chipotle-style wrap with a mix of beans and rice.
- Taco Seasoning: I prefer to make homemade taco seasoning used in this taco bowl recipe. It uses standard spices like paprika, cumin, chili powder, and garlic, but allows me to control the amount of salt in the seasoning. You can also use store-bought taco seasoning. I use the same seasonings in these zucchini taco boats.
- Low Carb Tortilla Wraps: I use a lower-carb tortilla wrap for this healthy burrito recipe. Other healthy tortillas like these egglife wraps, zero net carb tortillas, or whole grain tortillas also work.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post for the ingredient measurements, full instructions, nutritional data, and to print this recipe.
Variations and Dietary Modifications
- Swap the Meat: Instead of lean ground beef, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, lean ground pork, shrimp, shredded chicken or mahi instead. You might also try these salsa verde chicken tacos too!
- Vegetarian: Swap the lean ground beef with tofu, tempeh, seitan or any type of plant-based meat you enjoy.
- Add Cheese: I omitted the cheese from this recipe to keep the calories lower. You could certainly add a little if you like! Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Pepper Jack are some that work well with these flavors. I recommend using low-moisture if you add cheese.
- Gluten Free: Swap the tortilla for a gluten-free one! As a note, many grain-free tortillas and almond flour tortillas tend to be lower in fiber and higher in calories, so keep that in mind when choosing one.I really like this grain-free tortillas, gluten-free high fiber tortillas, and chickpea flour tortillas.
- Add Veggies: Add riced broccoli, Mexican cauliflower rice, zucchini, bell peppers, or regular rice instead of the corn or in addition to it.
How To Make High Protein Burritos
Here’s how to make a burrito wrap with fewer calories and higher in lean protein!
- Step 1: Brown the Meat. Brown the lean ground beef in a skillet on medium-high heat with the taco seasoning. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, and then drain the meat.
- Step 2: Add the Veggies. Add the red onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, black beans, and corn to the skillet. Simmer until the veggies are soft, and then add the cooked meat back to the skillet. Divide the beef and veggie mixture into 4 portions and add to the center of your tortilla wrap.
- Step 3: Roll It. Roll each tortilla around the beef and veggie mixture by tucking the ends in and rolling. Then place the wrapped tortilla in a skillet over medium heat to brown the tortilla, turning every 1-2 minutes or until the tortilla appears browned.
- Step 4: Serve. When ready, serve your burritos with salsa and enjoy! Even better try this creamy salsa dip on your burritos for creaminess and spice.
Expert Tips
- Use lean protein (90–93% lean beef): This keeps protein high while preventing excess grease that can make burritos soggy during storage.
- Simmer off excess moisture: If the meat or beans look watery, cook them a few extra minutes uncovered to reduce liquid and concentrate flavor.
- Warm tortillas before assembling: A quick 10–15 seconds in the microwave makes them pliable and prevents cracking or tearing.
- Don’t overfill the burrito: Overstuffing causes splitting and uneven reheating. Keeping portions controlled makes them easier to roll, store, and freeze.
How to Meal Prep Healthy Burritos
This healthy burrito recipe is perfect for batch cooking and storing for the week. A little strategy goes a long way in keeping them fresh and preventing soggy tortillas.
- Batch Cook the Protein: Cook the lean ground beef mixture all at once and let it fully brown and develop flavor. This saves time during the week and ensures each burrito has consistent protein and seasoning.
- Cool the Filling Before Wrapping: This step is important. Let the filling cool completely before assembling. Wrapping hot filling traps steam inside the tortilla, which leads to sogginess. Cooling first keeps the texture intact.
- Prevent Breakage: Don’t overfill the tortilla. That’s the #1 cause of splitting. Warm tortillas slightly before assembling so they’re flexible, then fold in the sides first and roll tightly from the bottom up.
Storage & Freezing
- Refrigerator Storage: Store the wrapped burritos in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Let them cool completely before storing to avoid excess moisture buildup.
- Freezing Instructions: Wrap each burrito tightly in parchment paper or foil, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating — or reheat directly from frozen using a microwave, oven, or skillet until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this healthy high protein burrito recipe.
- Make a Bowl: Skip the wrap and assemble all the ingredients into a large bowl, Chipotle-style, and top with your favorite burrito toppings. Crumble tortilla chips on top or add a serving of brown rice, quinoa, barley, Mexican rice, or white rice in place of the wrap.
- Add More Veggies: Add some fajita veggies (bell peppers and onions), leafy greens, or street corn salsa for delicious low-calorie filings, that make your meal higher volume.
- Sides: Enjoy with a side of cooked veggies like roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower, or a salad like this healthy Mexican corn salad.
- Extra Toppings: Feel free to add salsa or pico de gallo for extra spice or avocado or guacamole for a creamy element. You can also mix together guacamole with some plain yogurt or yogurt and salsa to use as a healthy burrito sauce.
High Protein Burrito Recipe FAQs
Soggy burritos usually happen because steam gets trapped inside the tortilla. To fix, simply let your filling cool before assembling. Wrapping hot ingredients traps moisture and softens the tortilla quickly. Also, avoid layering very wet ingredients (like salsa or yogurt-based sauces) directly against the tortilla. Keep them in the center, and don’t overfill. Warming the tortilla briefly before rolling helps prevent cracking, and if you want extra insurance, you can lightly toast the wrapped burrito in a skillet for a minute or two to seal and crisp the outside.
Focus on increasing protein density while trimming back calorie-dense extras. Choose a lean protein like shredded chicken breast, lean ground beef, or turkey as your base. Swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt to keep the creamy texture with added protein. Look for a high-fiber or lower-calorie tortilla, and be mindful of portions of rice, beans, avocado, and guacamole since they can add up quickly.
The goal isn’t to remove everything, but to prioritize lean protein first, then layer in the higher-calorie ingredients strategically.
Yes, you can bake burritos in the oven! To bake burritos in the oven, preheat the oven to 350° F and place the rolled tortillas onto a sheet pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the outside of the wrap crisps and browns. You may want to turn it over at least once halfway through cooking.
The healthiest wraps for burritos are ones that are slightly lower in calories and higher in protein. They should also be something you enjoy!
Because this high protein burrito recipe is already higher in fiber from the beans, it’s not as important to find a high fiber wrap for this meal.
Remember getting healthier and losing weight is about finding simple food swaps that are a level up from where you are today and something you can see yourself doing until the day you die!
Here are a few healthier tortilla wraps I recommend: low carb tortillas, egglife wraps, zero net carb tortillas, whole grain tortillas.
More High Protein Lunch Recipes
If you tried this High Protein Burrito recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
High Protein Burrito Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- ½ cup Red Onion, diced
- 1 Jalapeno, diced
- 15 oz Black Beans, canned and drained
- 15 oz Diced Tomatoes, canned and drained
- 1 cup Corn
- 1 packet Taco Seasoning
- 4 High Fiber Tortilla Wraps, large
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat with the taco seasoning. Cook the meat 5-7 minutes until it is no longer pink then drain the meat.
- Add the red onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, black beans and corn to the skillet. Cook until the veggies are softened then add the ground beef back into the pan.
- Divide the beef and veggie mixture into 4 portions and add each portion to a low carb tortilla wrap.
- Roll each tortilla around the beef and veggie mixture by tucking the ends in and rolling. Then place the wrapped tortilla in a skillet over medium heat to brown the tortilla, turning every 1-2 minutes or until the tortilla appears browned. Turn and cook again then serve warm!
Notes
- One serving equals one burrito.
- I used large tortilla wrap for this recipe. You may have a bit of extra burrito meat and beans leftover, depending on the size of the wraps you use. You can make additional burritos if your meat mixture does not fit into the wraps you buy.
- Use 90–93% lean ground beef to keep protein high and prevent excess grease.
- Simmer off any extra liquid in the meat or beans for better texture and flavor.
- Warm tortillas briefly before assembling so they roll without cracking.
- Don’t overfill. Keep portions controlled prevents tearing and the burrito reheats more evenly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent!! This is a real keeper!❤️
So glad you enjoyed it Nancy!