Chopped Cheese Wraps
This is a New York chopped cheese, done properly and rolled up for meal prep. Beef mince smashed thin on a hot pan, chopped through soft onion, melted under cheese. Classic bodega sandwich, just wrapped tight enough to actually survive a few days in the fridge.
25 minutes, 5 wraps.
They freeze well for up to 3 months too — just hold the lettuce and tomato back until you’re ready to eat. More on that, and how to actually get a crust on the beef, in the Chef’s Tips below.
Chopped Cheese Wraps
MEAL PREP · DINNER · EASY
Smashing the Beef Is What Makes This One
Smash the mince flat against a hot pan, in batches, and leave it alone for a couple of minutes. That's the whole trick. It builds a proper crust instead of just going grey and mushy, and that crust is most of the flavour in this dish.
25 minutes for 5 wraps, and the beef freezes on its own for up to 3 months. Double the batch on a Sunday and you've got lunches sorted for a while.
Roll it tight and tuck the sides in. Skip that step and it falls apart by day four.
Chopped Cheese Meal Prep
Ingredients
Chopped Cheese
- 900 g Beef Mince 10% Fat
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 4 g Onion Powder
- 4 g Ground Cumin
- 4 g Ground Coriander
- 2 g Dried Oregano
- 4 g Smoked Paprika or Achiote Powder
- 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
- 140 g American Cheddar or Cheese of Choice
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce Shredded
- 2 Roma Tomatoes Sliced
- 5 large Tortillas or Wraps
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Quick Garlic Mayonnaise
- 200 g Mayonnaise
- 1 Garlic Clove Grated
- 1 wedge Lemon Juiced
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Method
- Start with the garlic mayonnaise so it's ready to go: stir the grated garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice through the store-bought mayonnaise, season to taste, and set aside in the fridge until needed.
- Divide the beef mince into batches, whatever fits your pan in a thin, even layer without overcrowding. Working one batch at a time, add the mince to a hot pan and smash it flat against the base with a spatula, spreading it out thin — this is what builds the crust. Season generously with salt, pepper, and the sazón spice mix (garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and smoked paprika or achiote) and leave it undisturbed for 2-3 minutes so it actually sears rather than steams.
- Once a deep crust has formed, scrape and chop the beef into bits directly in the pan, mixing through some of the diced onion as you go — keep some larger chunks rather than breaking it down too fine; that's what gives chopped cheese its texture. Repeat with the remaining batches and onion, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F). Once all the beef is cooked and chopped, bring it back together in the pan, add the cheese, turn off the heat, and put a lid on until it's fully melted. Remove from the heat.
- Spread each tortilla with a generous layer of garlic mayonnaise, add a portion of the chopped cheese beef, then top with sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Roll tightly, tucking the sides in as you go to seal it properly — this is what keeps a wrap intact rather than falling apart days later in a meal prep container.
- Portion the wraps into containers, or wrap individually in foil or wrap paper for grab-and-go.
Why isn't my beef getting a crust?⌄
You're probably overcrowding the pan. Too much mince at once and it steams instead of sears. Work in smaller batches, spread it thin, and don't touch it for the full 2–3 minutes.
Can I use turkey or chicken mince instead of beef?⌄
You can, but it won't crust up the same way since there's less fat to render. Cook it to 74°C (165°F) instead of the 71°C (160°F) used for beef, and expect a softer texture.
Why did my wrap fall apart in the container?⌄
Either the roll was too loose, or there was too much moisture from the tomato. Roll it tight, tuck the sides in, and pat the tomato dry with paper towel before it goes in.
Can I freeze these, and what about the lettuce and tomato?⌄
Yes, they freeze well for up to 3 months wrapped in foil or wrap paper. Just leave the lettuce and tomato out before freezing and add them fresh once it's thawed and reheated.
