Black Bean Burritos

I’ve been thinking about how much meat we eat, and trying to cut back a little.  That’s not an easy task with a house full of boys.  These black bean burritos, however, were an instant hit.  I’ve made them a few times, and added chicken once just to see what happened.  It turns out they’re best without the meat.  I like my flour tortillas a little toasted, like with quesadillas, so I brown the assembled burritos in a fry pan before serving.  I think that extra step makes all the difference.

As for filling, there are many options.  I like to fill my burrito with cheese, cilantro lime rice, seasoned black beans, and maybe a little taco sauce.  You can make your own taco seasoning mix for the black beans, or you can buy it in the little packets. I add pico de gallo and guacamole on the side afterwards.  You could also add them to the inside before rolling up the tortilla. 

And speaking of tortillas, you need to start with a large thin tortilla.  If yours are a little stiff, pop them in the microwave to soften them up a little before filling and rolling them.  Our tortillas here in New Mexico are always super fresh, so I don’t generally need to do this step.

Don’t be intimidated by the number of steps in this recipe.  Most of them are just combining chopped veggies.  I also tried to describe how to fold a burrito.  Hopefully the pictures are better than my description.  Buttering or oiling the outside of the tortilla helps the burrito hold together and helps the tortilla to brown nicely.  

To assemble the burrito, start by buttering one side of the flour tortilla. Flip the tortilla butter side down on a plate or cutting board.  Add a handful of shredded cheese to the center of the tortilla, covering an area about 5-6 inches long and 3 inches wide. 

Next add a scoop of rice and a scoop or two of seasoned black beans.  

Fold up the two ends of the tortilla along the short sides of the filling.  

Now holding those in place, fold up the other two sides and turn the assembled burrito into a hot fry pan, seam side down.  

If you’re a college student and trying to cut down on prep time, you could substitute salsa for the pico de gallo, and skip the guacamole.  To make a smaller batch, start with just one can of black beans.  Minute Rice speeds up the cilantro lime rice.  This can be a really quick and easy meal that also easy on the budget.

Black Bean Burritos

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 5-6 large flour tortillas
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Seasoned black beans

• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 cans black beans mostly drained
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix or about 1 packet

Cilantro lime rice

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Pico de Gallo

• 3 Roma tomatoes chopped
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño pepper finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Guacamole

• 2 large avocados mashed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• Garlic salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Start by getting the rice cooking, according to package directions.
• Chop up about 1 cup of onion, or the equivalent of one medium sized onion.
• Add half of the chopped onions to a small saucepan with a little swirl of olive oil, and let them cook for a few minutes until softened and translucent. Add the black beans and taco seasoning mix, and heat to a gentle boil.
• Chop the tomatoes, cilantro, and pepper for the pico de gallo. Add them to a bowl, along with the chopped onion, and toss with the lime juice.
• Get the guacamole started by slicing open the avocadoes and scooping them out and into a small bowl. Mash them with a fork.
• Once the rice is cooked, add the lime juice, butter, and cilantro. Add some garlic salt, stir, and taste. Continue adding garlic salt until it tastes right to you.
• Lightly butter one side of each tortilla, or spay it with cooking spray.
• Flip the tortilla butter side down on a plate or cutting board to start the assembly process. To the center of the tortilla, add a handful of shredded cheese, covering an area about 5-6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
• Next add a scoop of rice and a scoop or two of seasoned black beans.
• Fold up the two ends of the tortilla along the short sides of the filling.
• Now holding those in place, fold up the other two sides and turn the assembled burrito into a hot fry pan, seam side down.
• Assemble the remaining burritos and add them to the fry pan, or work in batches.
• Let the burrito brown for a few minutes, then carefully flip it over and brown a few more minutes on the other side.
• While the burritos are browning, finish the guacamole by adding lime juice, salsa, and garlic salt to taste.
• Serve the burritos with sides of pico de gallo and guacamole. Or add them to the inside of the burrito before browning if you prefer.