What to Do with Leftover Taco Meat and Refried Beans

You can use leftover taco meat and refried beans in a variety of recipes. If you have extra refried beans, try making your own burritos by adding some ground beef and cheese.

Alternatively, you can try making a veggie burrito. Use leftover refried beans, add a little rice, beans, and salsa and you’ll have a filling, easy meal.

If you have leftover taco meat, you can use it in place of chili con carne, or you can make a quesadilla. Simply add cheese and other toppings and bake until crispy.

But, there are plenty of ways to use them up.

Keep reading for more ideas!

See Also: What to Serve with Taco Soup? 30 Best Side Dishes

See Also: How To Make Taco Meat Without Tomato Sauce

What to Do with Leftover Taco Meat and Refried Beans?

Taco meat and refried beans are perfect for making a burrito bowl. You can start by spooning the beans onto a plate and topping them with shredded cheese. Then add some diced tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and salsa. Add your favorite taco meat and fold the ingredients together to create a delicious meal.

Looking for more ideas?

Then keep scrolling!

Breakfast Tacos

Take your leftover taco meat and refried beans and make breakfast tacos!

Just scramble an egg with some cheese, heat up the tortillas, and serve with salsa, sour cream, and avocado.

You can even make this into a breakfast burrito by adding some scrambled eggs to the mix.

Taco Salad

Take your leftover taco meat and refried beans and mix it up with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, avocado, salsa or hot sauce—the options are endless!

Then pile it on top of a bed of shredded cheese (and maybe some corn chips).

This is also a great way to use up any other leftovers from dinner last night too!

Chili

Mix together all your favorite chili ingredients—ground beef or turkey meat, diced onion and bell peppers (and maybe some mushrooms), diced tomatoes or tomato sauce (or both), kidney beans (or black beans), chili powder or cumin powder—and simmer away until it’s thick enough to eat on its own without any extra toppings.

Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips for dipping if you’d like!

Use as A Filling for Enchiladas

This is one of our favorites because it’s super fast and easy, plus your kids will love helping with it.

1. Just mix together some cooked ground beef or turkey (or both), refried beans, and cheese.
2. Then roll up the mixture in corn tortillas and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until heated through.
3. Serve with salsa if desired!

Make Nachos

These are great when paired with some guacamole and salsa—a perfect snack or appetizer for guests who aren’t quite ready for dinner yet but still want something substantial enough to hold them over until dinnertime rolls around again later on tonight (or tomorrow morning… whatever).

Make a Burrito

Make a quick breakfast burrito by spreading refried beans on a tortilla, topping it with scrambled eggs and cheese, then folding it over into a half circle.

Fry in a pan until golden brown on both sides (or just microwave if you’re feeling lazy). Slice into wedges—or keep them whole!—and serve with hot sauce or salsa for dipping.

Make a Quesadilla

We know how it is, you’re busy and you’ve got a lot going on.

Sometimes you just need to throw together something quick and easy that doesn’t take any time at all—and this quesadilla recipe is the perfect solution!

You already have leftover taco meat and refried beans in your fridge.

That’s what we use in this recipe, but if you don’t, don’t worry—you can easily make your own versions of either of those ingredients.

All you need to do is grab some tortillas (we recommend corn!), spread both ingredients on each side of one tortilla, fold over like a burrito (or just fold in half), and place in a frying pan with a little bit of oil until browned on both sides.

That’s it!

You now have an easy-to-make meal that will satisfy your cravings without taking up too much time or requiring any new ingredients.

Use Them as An Ingredient in A Breakfast Casserole

This is an easy way to use up leftovers and make something new.

You can use any type of bean, but if you have black beans, they make the dish look really nice.

1. To make this dish, start by browning the meat in a skillet on medium heat.
2. While that’s cooking, mix together all of your ingredients: eggs, milk (or water), cheese, salt and pepper.
3. Then add in the cooked meat and beans.
4. Put it all into a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until cooked through.

Add Them to A Soup or Stew for Some Extra Heartiness

If you haven’t tried this, then you’re missing out!

1. To make the soup, mix together 1 cup of leftover taco meat with a can of black beans and a can of kidney beans.
2. Heat the mixture in a large pot on the stove until hot.
3. Then add it to a large pot of chicken stock and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve topped with chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips.
4. To make the stew, heat 1 cup of leftover taco meat and 3 tablespoons refried beans in a skillet over medium heat until warm.
5. Add 1 cup each of diced tomatoes and corn kernels, 1/2 cup frozen green peas (thawed), 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon), 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper, and any other seasonings you’d like (like garlic powder).
6. Stir everything together well until combined then transfer to an oven safe dish or Dutch oven along with 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth).
7. Cover tightly with aluminum foil then bake at 350° for 30 minutes until heated through.

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