Super Bean Burritos
These super, homemade bean burritos freeze beautifully and make a wonderful and healthy lunch or dinner option to enjoy on a busy day.
I think I mentioned a while back that I was on a quest, The Great Bean Crusade to be precise, to get my children to eat beans (the non-green bean variety since they eat those pretty well) without gagging and complaining.
In my efforts to do so, I gathered bean recipes from all of my family and friends.
These Super Bean Burritos were among them. And they have since appeared at our dinner table no less than five times, and that doesn’t even count the ones we’ve pulled from the freezer to eat for a quick lunch.
From my cousin-in-law, Julianne (the same one who brought us the Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast), these bean burritos are more delicious than a bean burrito has any right to be.
Packed with incredible flavor, including but not limited to garlic, onion, jalapeno (not spicy, just flavorful, I promise!), light hint of tomato, beans and of course cheesy goodness, these burritos are downright fantastic.
The biggest plus is that they freeze beautifully and make a wonderful and healthy lunch option for my husband to take to work and for the boys and I to enjoy on a busy day.
What to Serve With This
- Homemade Refried Beans {Slow Cooker}
- Green salad, or My Favorite Coleslaw
- Fresh, seasonal fruit
Super Bean Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or white rice, or 2 cups already cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or use 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black beans)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 16 burrito-sized flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
- Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.
- Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through.
- Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
- Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired — or, to freeze for later consumption, put the baking sheet of burritos into the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until very cold so that they don’t come apart in the wrapping process.
- Remove them from the freezer and wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and place all the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze up to three months.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Julianne W.
Easy, always have ingredients on hand and delicious
This recipe was great. I made it as a take in meal for a vegetarian family and will make it in the future for my family. I only used 1/3 cup filling for each burrito and it only made 9 burritos. I don’t know how anyone could put in 2/3 cup and have 16. Any ideas why my amounts are so different? Did I cook it down too much?
Hi Meg, it could be that the filling cooked down a bit more for you. What size burritos did you use? I haven’t made these in a while, but next time I do, I’ll measure exactly and see if the measurements for number of burritos is correct.
I live this recipe. These burritos are very yummy. I have added a few things that are personal preference. I usually double the recipe and just one 6 oz can of tomato paste. To to the doubled recipe I then add 2 cups quinoa, which I then cook separately like the brown rice and I added 3 colored peppers. Sometimes I add cilantro and I have been known to add lime cilantro rice if I have some sitting around though I will substitute that for the rice in the recipe. I also just throw in some extra spice amounts to accommodate the added ingredients. I use them for lunches.
Hi Mel! Which burrito recipe would you recommend for me to try out of the ones you have posted? I’ve never tried making burritos before and really want to find something that will win me over? Thanks!
Hi Elena, these ones are a fabulous recipe to start with (but the easy beef and bean burritos are great too..the consistency is a little softer and “wetter” than this recipe).
I made this recipe for the first time in 2014 just before my son was born. I wanted to have something easy to eat in the freezer. I doubled the batch and had so much food! It was a life saver when I had my newborn. Since then I have made these burritos more times than I can count. I always want to have these burritos in the freezer so I can have a quick and easy lunch. I ran out last week and now, 5 years after I made them for the first time, I’m making yet another batch. The recipe is perfect!
I’ve now made this recipe 3 times! Everyone loves them including the 2 great old who can be really picky at dinner.
The first time I was using up leftovers in the fridge and threw these together for the freezer to eat after the baby comes. I doubled it the second time and took half of the warm burritos with salad, chips, and dessert to a family who just had a baby. We enjoyed the rest. I ate leftover burritos for breakfast the next day.
I was craving them again yesterday but had no pinto beans. So after sauteing the onions and chilies, I added a can of refried beans and a can of undrained black beans. Then continued with the recipe. They were great, too! I just ate one of the few leftover for a snack.
Thanks for satisfying my pregnancy cravings!
This is a staple in our house. We feeeze them individually in foil and pop however many we need in the oven for a delicious, healthy meal. Thanks Mel!
The measurements are definitely way off, but these are phenomenal.
Like someone else mentioned 2 cups of cheese at 1/4 per burrito = 8 burritos.
We made ten, total. Any less and the burritos would have been way too much tortilla and way too little filling.
I used one can of refried beans and one can of black beans.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper.
I’ve made these several times and love them. I love that I can freeze the leftovers and have a quick lunch or dinner option. When I make them, I usually add fresh (when in season) tomatoes or canned tomatoes drained of the excess liquid. I also like to use yellow rice instead of white or brown. Great recipe and so easy to make!
My husband and I love this! I made it for dinner last night and we only have a few left-over. So I had it for lunch and I think it was better! Thank you for all your great recipes!
We love these! Last time I made a double batch to stock the freezer and I love having them in there for a quick meal. Thanks for the recipe!!