Taco Bell sadly revamped their menu and pulled the quesarito (they did replace it with the grilled cheese burrito, so I can’t complain that much). Solution? Learn to make quesaritos at home.

For the homemade flour tortillas, this is my go-to recipe courtesy of NYT Cooking. They’re perfectly pliable and they taste so much better than store-bought. Worth the effort. The recipe makes 12 taco-sized tortillas, so to make giant burrito-sized tortillas, divide the dough into 4 balls instead of 12. If you’re hangry and don’t have the time to make tortillas from scratch, store-bought tortillas still work fine. Try to find the thinnest ones you can find and microwave them for 20 seconds on low heat under a damp paper towel to soften.

Ingredients

For the seasoned beef:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 white onion, grated
• 1 lb ground beef, preferably 80%/20% or 85%/15% grass fed
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

For the queso:

• 8 oz Velveeta
• 10 oz can of Rotel
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp whole milk

For the quesarito:

• Large burrito-sized flour tortilla
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup seasoned beef
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• Juice and zest from one lime
• Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup queso

Directions

1. To make the seasoned ground beef, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add grated onion and cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the ground beef, stirring occasionally and breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon. Once the beef has browned, add in the seasoning packet, cayenne pepper (if using) and 1/4 cup water. Simmer until the water is evaporated and the meat is coated with the spices, another 1-2 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly.
3. To make the queso, add the can of Rotel and cilantro to a blender or food processor and pulse until only very small chunks remain. Add the Rotel, Velveeta, and milk to a saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the cheese is fully melted, season to taste with additional salt as needed. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. QUESARITO time. In a bowl, stir together the rice, cilantro, and the zest and juice from the lime. Set aside.
5. Heat a grill pan (or a skillet) over medium-high heat while you prepare the burrito.
6. Place the tortilla on a plate and sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the tortilla (see note above if using store-bought tortillas). Microwave for 20 seconds until the cheese is mostly melted.
7. Add the rice and seasoned beef in the middle of the tortilla. Top with queso. Roll into a burrito (how-to here if you need some assistance).
8. Place the burrito in the grill pan, seam side down, and grill until golden brown. Flip and grill on other side, approx 1-2 minutes per side.
9. Enjoy with a ton of hot sauce.