Burrito-Inspired Salad

Name: Burrito-Inspired Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 1 onion; 200g minced meat; 2 tsp tomato paste; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp oregano; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 2 tsp dried parsley; 150g chopped tomatoes; 1/2 beef stock cube; 2 tsp brown sugar; 150g canned kidney beans; 100g sweetcorn; salt and pepper (to taste); 1/4 head of iceberg lettuce; 1 large tomato; 1 red bell pepper; 1/2 large English cucumber; 250g Greek yoghurt; 1-2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp pickle juice; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder; pinch of cayenne pepper; salt and pepper (to taste); 60g grated cheese (any cheese that melts, whatever is in your fridge)

Spiced minced meat with kidney beans and sweetcorn on a crunchy salad, with a tangy yoghurt dressing and cheese melting on top. A burrito-inspired dinner in a bowl.

Jump to the recipe

Preparation: 15 min
Cooking: 30 min
Servings: 2
Calories: 750

Ingredients

For the meat

1 onion
200g minced meat
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried parsley
150g chopped tomatoes
1/2 beef stock cube
2 tsp brown sugar
150g canned kidney beans
100g sweetcorn
salt and pepper (to taste)

For the salad base

1/4 head of iceberg lettuce
1 large tomato
1 red bell pepper
1/2 large English cucumber

For the dressing

250g Greek yoghurt
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp pickle juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper (to taste)

To serve

60g grated cheese (any cheese that melts, whatever is in your fridge)

Equipment

→ Pan for the meat
→ Wooden spoon
→ Chopping board and knife
→ Sieve
→ Bowl for the dressing
→ Cheese grater

Per serving

Calories: 750 kcal
Carbs: 53 g
Fat: 40 g
Protein: 44 g

These are estimates, worked out from standard nutrition values. The real numbers depend on the brands and exact amounts you use.

A bit of background

This salad takes its inspiration from a burrito: spiced minced meat, beans and sweetcorn, just served on a pile of crunchy vegetables instead of wrapped in a tortilla. I usually make a big batch of the meat as meal prep, and use it for salads and wraps throughout the week. Here, though, I am sharing a smaller version of 2 portions, so you can give it a try first. The yoghurt dressing with a splash of pickle juice is honestly what makes it, so do not skip that one. And if you end up liking it, it is easy to double or triple everything next time and have a batch of your own.

Instructions

Meat

Finely chop the onion.
Put your pan on a medium-high heat and add the minced meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and let it brown for about 8 minutes. The fat that comes out of the meat is enough to cook the onion in, so there is no need for extra oil.
Add the onion and let it cook along for about 5 minutes, until it is soft and see-through.
Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper and parsley, and let it cook for about a minute, until the spices smell fragrant.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the brown sugar, and crumble the stock cube over it. Give it a good stir and let it simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Drain and rinse the kidney beans in a sieve, then stir them into the meat together with the sweetcorn. I like mashing some of the beans with my wooden spoon, as it thickens the sauce. Let it warm through for about 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Salad base

While the meat is simmering, cut the iceberg lettuce into thin strips and dice the tomato, red bell pepper and cucumber.

Dressing

In a bowl, stir together the Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, the pickle juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and add the rest of the lemon juice if you want it a bit more tangy.

Serve

Divide the salad base over 2 bowls and drizzle the dressing over it.
Spoon the warm meat on top and sprinkle over the cheese, so it melts on the hot meat.

FAQ

Can I make the meat ahead?
Yes. Let it cool down and keep it in a closed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Warm it up in a pan with a splash of water, and only cut the vegetables and make the dressing right before eating, so the salad stays crunchy.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the minced meat and use a second can of beans (e.g. black beans) or some cooked lentils instead, and swap the beef stock cube for a vegetable one.
What can I use instead of pickle juice?
A splash of white wine vinegar or some extra lemon juice works as well. The pickle juice mostly adds a bit of sourness, so anything tangy will do.

Recipe at a glance

Read it from left to right: each box combines everything to its left.

1/4 iceberg lettuce	cut into strips	Divide over 2 bowls, drizzle with the dressing				Top with the warm meat and the cheese, let it melt
1 large tomato	dice
1 red bell pepper	dice
1/2 English cucumber	dice
250g Greek yoghurt	Stir together, season to taste
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp pickle juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
200g minced meat	Brown 8 min	Cook along 5 min	Cook 1 min until fragrant	Simmer 10 min until thick	Mash some of the beans, warm through 5 min, season
1 onion	chop
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried parsley
150g chopped tomatoes
1/2 beef stock cube	crumble
2 tsp brown sugar
150g kidney beans	drain and rinse
100g sweetcorn
salt and pepper
60g cheese that melts	grate