Bean and Cheese Burritos

By Kay Chun

Published March 18, 2023

  • A pan-toasted bean and cheese burrito is cut in half and ready to eat on a green plate. More burritos, as well as a small blue bowl of sour cream and pico de gallo sit nearby.
    Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Hadas Smirnoff. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgepeth.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(7,472)
Comments
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Mexican refried beans are a cinch to make at home on a weeknight thanks to some staple pantry items and a few basic fresh ingredients. Buttery canned pinto beans are perfect in this dish, breaking down into a creamy, silky mixture. (Black beans would also work great.) While the beans are often fried in lard or bacon drippings, this vegetarian version builds flavor with caramelized onion, bell pepper, garlic and smoked paprika instead. Pico de gallo adds a touch of tang to counter the rich beans. Pan-frying the wrapped burritos guarantees a golden, irresistibly crispy exterior and an interior that oozes with melted cheese.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 burritos

  • 4 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

  • ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion (from ½ medium onion)

  • ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper (from ½ pepper)

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, ½ cup of bean liquid reserved and the rest drained

  • ½ cup store-bought or homemade pico de gallo or salsa

  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 6 (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas

  • 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar (8 ounces)

  • Sour cream and hot sauce, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

58 grams carbs; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 563 calories; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 10 grams fiber; 1060 milligrams sodium; 23 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pinto beans, pico de gallo, smoked paprika, reserved bean liquid and ½ cup of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing occasionally with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer refried beans to a bowl, and wipe out skillet.

  2. Step 2

    Spread ½ cup of the refried beans in the center of each tortilla and top each with ⅓ cup of the cheese. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling; fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling and tightly roll.

  3. Step 3

    In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium. Add 3 burritos seam side down and cook until golden, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 burritos. Serve warm with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
7,472 user ratings
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Comments

patricia

One of the greatest pleasures of this wonderful site is reading people's suggestions/substitutions. That doesn't prevent others from following the recipes as is.

John

Instead of green bell pepper, use a poblano or seeded jalapeno peppers. If those are not available, try canned diced green chiles.

Emerald

Stirring in a tablespoon of ghee at the end of cooking makes the beans rich and savory, like taqueria beans cooked with lard. Cumin, added at sauté, a bay leaf and oregano are good seasoning options too.

Tricia

If you double or triple the recipe, like I do, know that the simmering time will be much longer. For that reason, I typically put in a little less water and bean liquid. I also like to make the beans one day, then wrap and fry them the next. Filling the burritos with the cooled mixture is much easier than when it’s hot. My only sub is using salsa verde instead of pico de gallo.

Leah

Great recipe - even kid and family friendly! Only note would be to eliminate the 1/2 cup water - it will take much less time to refry the beans.

marksmans

I’m a long time fan of bean and cheese burritos, but couldn’t help “personalizing” these. Added finely chopped/shredded crispy bacon and a leftover pan fried pork chop, roasted and chopped Poblano and smoked jalapeño salt instead of the green pepper and paprika - all tailored to my taste- and they are terrific! Easy stash of breakfast burritos! Thanks for an excellent recipe

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