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    Home » Real Food » 30-Minute Meals

    Easy Bean Burritos

    May 1, 2020 | By Kristen Chidsey | 27 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Bean Burritos are one of the easiest meals to prepare. Made with a few pantry staples and minutes of work, this simple vegetarian recipe is flavorful, cheap, and a family favorite. When you are short on time, these Bean Burritos make a quick and healthy dinner option that can be on the table in less than 15 minutes. They are also great to prep in advance and store in the freezer for a quick lunch on the go or at home. 

    Bean Burritos are one of the easiest meals to prepare. Made with a few pantry staples and minutes of work, this simple vegetarian recipe is flavorful, cheap, and a family favorite. 

    When you are short on time, these Bean Burritos make a quick and healthy dinner option that can be on the table in less than 15 minutes. They are also great to prep in advance and store in the freezer for a quick lunch on the go or at home.

    Bean Burrito cut open on wooden cutting board

    Bean Burritos is one of the easiest, cheapest recipes I make.

    In fact, I even debated whether to share with you this recipe because it is truly beyond EASY.

    But you, like me, LOVE easy recipes and I have a few trade secrets that make these bean burritos the best--and a few tips on how to make them a bit healthier as well!

    Secrets for the BEST Bean Burritos

    • Homemade is best. If you have the time, I HIGHLY recommend starting this recipe with homemade refried beans. However, in a time crunch a can of refried beans works. If starting with canned beans, be sure to use fat-free refried beans so that there is no lard or trans fat added to your beans. And to REALLY step up the flavor, use homemade tortillas as well.
    • Season! Instead of just spreading refried beans onto a bean burrito, amp up the flavor by adding taco seasoning. Salsa is another great addition to the refried beans, but beware--picky kids may object to the texture or spice when salsa is added.
    • Add in vegetables. YES, you read that right. I know it may sound crazy, but hear me out on this. I mix my refried beans with pumpkin puree, squash puree, or carrot puree for a couple of reasons. The vegetable puree not only adds some vitamin A and fiber but also adds natural sweetness to these burritos. Trust me on this, it is a great way to sneak in some veggies!
    • Heat the RIGHT way. You can make crispy or soft bean burritos. It is all in HOW you heat the assembled burritos. I have included directions for both crispy and soft exteriors and how to heat from frozen.
    Indgredients for bean burritos on wooden tray

    How to make Bean Burritos

    Whether you start with homemade refried beans or canned refried beans, these bean burritos come together effortlessly.

    • Mix refried beans with pumpkin puree and taco seasoning.
    • Spread the mixture on a tortilla of your choice. You want to spread the bean mixture out to a thin layer, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges of the tortilla. This prevents the bean mixture from oozing out the sides of the tortilla when wrapped.
    Bean puree being spread onto tortilla
    • Fold in the sides of the tortilla towards the center, but not all the way--you do not want the edges touching. Roll the tortilla up by bringing the top edge of the burrito down over the fillings and wrap it underneath them so it stays in place.
    • At this point either wrap each tortilla in plastic wrap to store in the refrigerator or freezer or heat through to serve.
    • You can heat each burrito in the microwave, oven, or in a skillet depending on if you want a soft burrito or a crispy burrito. For a soft burrito, wrap each burrito in a damp paper towel and heat for 1 minute in the microwave. For a crispy burrito, heat in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side, adding in a bit of oil for a really crispy exterior. To heat in the oven, wrap each burrito in foil and bake at low heat until just warmed through.
    • Serve Burritos with guacamole, sour cream, queso (a guilty pleasure of mine), or salsa for dipping.

    Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions

    I LOVE stocking my freezer with homemade bean burritos. They reheat beautifully and they are a quick item to grab for a meal on the go or for packing lunch.

    • Prepare the burritos as directed, skipping the step of warming once assembled.
    • Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or sealable container.
    • Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up 3 months.
    • To serve from the freezer, unwrap the plastic wrap and wrap the burrito in a damp paper towel--this keeps the tortilla from drying out. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, flip the burrito over and microwave for another minute, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can heat the burritos in the oven. Remove plastic wrap and wrap the burrito in foil. Place in a 250-degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

    Serve Bean Burritos with:

    • Instant Pot Spanish Rice
    • Mexican Corn on the Cob
    • Mexican Quinoa Salad

    The next time you need an easy recipe using pantry staples, these Bean Burritos are a great-go to that everyone will love!

    refried bean burrtio cut in half to show filling of refried beans with 3 whole bean burritos to the side

    Easy Bean Burritos

    Refried beans are combined with pumpkin or sweet potato puree and taco seasoning for a healthier spin on a classic bean burrito. 
    5 from 24 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute
    Total Time: 6 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 289kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups refried pinto beans (one 15 ounce can)
    • 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree
    • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
    • 8 burrito sized tortillas (8-10 inch tortillas)
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Place the beans into a large bowl. If using canned refried beans, use a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. This will make the beans easier to mix with the remaining ingredients.
    • Add the pumpkin puree and taco seasoning to the mixture and mix until well combined.
    • Spread ¼-1/3 cup mixture on each tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, if using.
    • Roll up tortillas by folding in sides of tortilla and then rolling up tightly.
    • Warm the bean burritos.
      Microwave: Wrap each burrito in a damp paper towel and heat for one minute each.
      Oven: Wrap each burrito in foil and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
      Stove-Top (For Crispy exterior): Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray or add in a drizzle of olive oil. Heat each burrito for 2 minutes per side, or until warmed through. 
    • Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole for dipping.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead Instructions:
    • Prepare the burritos as directed, skipping the step of warming once assembled.
    • Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or sealable container. 
    • Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up 3 months. 
    • To serve from the freezer, unwrap the plastic wrap and wrap the burrito in a damp paper towel--this keeps the tortilla from drying out. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, flip the burrito over and microwave for another minute, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can heat the burritos in the oven. Remove plastic wrap and wrap burrito in foil. Place in a 250-degree oven for 25-30 minutes. 
    Notes on Ingredients: 
    • Use carrot, squash, or sweet potato puree in place of the pumpkin puree. OR omit the vegetables altogether and use 1 cup more of refried beans.
    • I recommend using pinto beans for these refried bean burritos because the pinto beans pair beautifully in color and flavor with pumpkin or sweet potato. If you were to mix pumpkin with black bean puree the color would be a bit off-putting.
    • To make gluten-free bean burritos, use gluten-free tortilla shells or corn tortillas and be sure to use homemade taco seasoning, as some store-bought blends have gluten.
    • If using corn tortillas, be sure to heat the tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds on each side over medium-high heat, making the corn tortilla easier to work with.
    • To make vegan bean burritos, omit the cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 871mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4987IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 3mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in 2016 but was updated in 2020 with new tips.

     

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    Categorized Under: 30-Minute Meals, Budget Cooking, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Main Courses, Real Food, Vegetarian Recipes

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Jess Lahti-Coplans

      October 13, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      I made these in advance for my husband and myself’s lunches. I used the whole wheat carb balance tortillas, black bean refried beans, and also rolled them incorrectly and stored them incorrectly. The last two were on me, lol. I really can’t taste the pumpkin! So much added nutrition and it’s invisible! I bet kids would like these too. Great substitute from our usual sad sandwiches!!!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        October 14, 2022 at 6:54 am

        I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed! Even if you did roll and store them incorrectly 😉

        Reply
    2. Lindsay

      July 19, 2022 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      Pumpkin? Who would have thought I could clear those pumpkin cans off the shelf AND level up a bean burrito?! Five stars for a ridiculously easy and delicious crowd-pleaser. We had this last night and it’s definitely going to be a regular in the emergency-weeknight-pantry meal category. Nope, I’m not getting paid. I just got really excited over a bean burrito 🤪😅

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 19, 2022 at 1:07 pm

        LOL! Love it! These burritos are a staple at our house, so happy to hear they will be at your house now!

        Reply
    3. Bina

      January 20, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      Hi
      I’m looking for easy freezable lunch box recipes and I love the sound of this.
      Would you put in a lunchbox straight from frozen? It can’t be reheated at school.
      Looking forward to trying this out and seeing what other brilliant ideas you have to save the lunch-box-stress 🤯😵‍💫
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 20, 2022 at 4:16 pm

        Hi Bina! I recommend pulling from the freezer the night before. These burritos are a bit thicker and you want to ensure they are fully defrosted for lunchtime. I throw them in with an ice pack and my kids enjoy them cold.

        Reply
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