Bean and rice burritos are perfect for an easy, wholesome hot lunch or dinner with little effort but big flavor. These vegetarian burritos can be customized with your favorite extra add-ins and your favorite toppings.
This post is sponsored by the American Dairy Association Mideast. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
We are back from a weekend family camping trip in the mountains and it did my soul good.
I love getting to live outdoors for a couple of days and just be closer to nature. It's a great chance to breathe a little more deeply, feel a little more calm and reconnect - both to each other and ourselves.
We had a good bit of rain, but made the most of it. I packed tons of yummy food for us to fix and eat, we had lots of books and games and we were able to get in some hiking and kite flying when it was dry.
All in all, I'm feeling refreshed and ready for a new week. (Though I sure am glad my kids and I have off of school and work today! There's a lot of unpacking and resettling to do.)
If your family loves camping, too, check out these 12 easy camping dinners I rounded up for keeping things simple and delicious.
But OK, let's talk food and today's new recipe.
These vegetarian bean and rice burritos are stuffed with steamed rice, seasoned black beans and cheese and then quickly seared in a pan for a tasty hot lunch or easy meatless dinner.
They’ve got just the right amount of seasoning and they are seriously delicious.
My whole family is a fan. They always cheer when burritos are on the menu (including freezer breakfast burritos in the morning) and these did not disappoint.
Here was the run-down the last time we enjoyed these:
- My 7-year-old finished his entire burrito.
- My never-hungry 9-year-old almost finished hers (I was amazed!)
- My husband ate 2 and was considering a third.
- I had 1 and got extra of the filling for a bonus little “burrito bowl” for my seconds.
And then we all fought over the remaining burrito the next day.
These really are so tasty, so filling and perfect for an easy meatless meal that you can whip up for a hot lunch or dinner.
(And if you have leftover rice on hand to use, these can be ready in just about 15 minutes. )
I’m also so thrilled to be partnering again with the American Dairy Association Mideast to bring you this recipe.
Cause, did you know? It’s National Farmer’s Day today! (It's also National Cheese Month, woo hoo! )
That’s right, it’s time to celebrate our hard working farmers, who work daily - no holidays for them - to bring us healthful products to nourish our families.
Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers are among those that, during these challenging times, are still committed to producing safe, nutritious dairy foods for our families and communities.
Fun fact: My 7-year-old son wants to be a farmer when he grows up. And my daughter always reminds him how it’s such hard work. (I have probably mentioned that a time or two cause I have seen up close the dedication today’s farmers have.)
Also, since I’m a health and nutrition editor and all-around nerd, I had to share that dairy foods are a great complement to a plant-based diet. They can help supplement many of the nutrients we don’t get enough of, such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium.
In fact, milk, cheese and yogurt contain a unique package of nine essential nutrients. That’s a lot of goodness in a really affordable - and delicious - package.
And since this recipe features cheese, I had to share that there are more than 300 different cheeses in the U.S. Something for everyone! (Find your perfect cheese match here!)
But OK, back to the recipe at hand.
Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make bean and rice burritos. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making bean and rice burritos:
- Brown rice is our go-to and it gives these a bit of extra heft and flavor. However, you could certainly substitute white rice. Or you could use a yellow rice for a different take.
- The recipe calls for a can of black beans, but you could substitute pinto beans as well. Or use black beans that you cooked yourself, such as Instant Pot black beans. (They have tons more flavor!)
- I love these with a sharp white cheddar, which is our favorite. But you could use regular cheddar, Monterey Jack or even a Pepper Jack cheese for a little kick. Or use a pre-shredded Mexican style cheese mix. Whatever you’ve got!
- We always go for whole wheat tortillas - again, I love the whole grains! - but any kind will work. You could even substitute a gluten-free tortilla if you want this recipe to be gluten-free.
Want to add some extra veggies? You know I support that.
Here are a few options, along with some other additions you could toss in with these burritos if you’d like.
Veggies and other add-ins:
- You could sauté some onions, peppers and/or zucchini to go with the bean and rice filling.
- Or, grate a zucchini and add that to the skillet with the beans. It pretty much melts in but adds some extra nutrition. (I do this a lot when making taco meat.)
- Use a small can of diced green chilies.
- Add some canned or frozen corn to the skillet to mix in.
- You could also add a smear of refried beans to each tortilla if desired.
Very flexible.
Plus, you can really customize these burritos with how you serve them. I like to let everyone pick their favorite toppings and customize their own plate.
(That’s always a good way to help ensure everyone comes to the table with a smile!)
Here’s a few ideas to get your thinking.
Topping ideas for bean and rice burritos:
- Extra cheese
- Diced avocado or dollop of guacamole
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Salsa or fresh pico de gallo
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños
Gotta love endless options, right? A little something for everyone. Or maybe a lot of something.
Lastly, let’s talk about extras.
First, if you want to make more (the recipe makes 6-7 burritos, depending on the size of your tortillas and how full you stuff them), you can double the recipe and get 12-14 burritos.
You can either follow the recipe and sear them each in a pan, doing it in batches.
OR, if you don’t want to stand and flip them over and over, you can place the wrapped burritos seam-side down in a 9x13 pan.
Bake then in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes, until the tops are browned.
(That’s how I cook batches of my homemade hot pockets, so the same method would work here.)
And here are my tips on storing leftovers.
Storage tips for leftover burritos:
- Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap to keep it tightly together. (I tend to store them soft, before searing.)
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm in the microwave and then sear in the pan if you want that crispy edge.
- These also freeze great! Wrap the burrito in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label and date the foil and place directly in the freezer or group a bunch of burritos together in a freezer plastic bag that you’ve labelled and dated.
- Thaw the burritos overnight in the fridge. Then warm through in the microwave and sear in the pan to get the crispy edge. (You can try defrosting in the microwave if you want to enjoy straight from the freezer.)
And now you are all set to make and devour these!
I hope you give these a try for a quick and healthy lunch or dinner. And send some love to our farmers this month. ❤️
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also love these bean and rice bowls or this taco-flavored vegetarian power bowl.
Bean and rice burritos
Bean and rice burritos are perfect for an easy, wholesome hot lunch or dinner with little effort but big flavor. These vegetarian burritos can be customized with your favorite extra add-ins and your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup packed, roughly chopped baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (see notes)
- 6-7 whole wheat tortillas (8-inch size)
Optional toppings:
- Extra salsa or fresh pico de gallo, extra cheese, avocado slices or guac, Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha, pickled red onions, pickled or fresh jalapeños, etc.
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 ½ teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the black beans, spinach, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are warmed through and the spinach is slightly wilted, 2-3 minutes.
- Lay a tortilla flat on a plate or clean surface. Scoop in ⅓ cup of cooked rice, ⅓ cup black bean mixture and ¼ cup shredded cheese. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Fold up the burrito: fold the sides in, then fold the bottom up and over the ingredients and roll it up, continuing to tuck the sides in as you roll.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I just wipe out the one I already used and use that skillet again.) Add the burritos, seam side down, working in batches if needed. Sear in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Repeat with any remaining burritos.
- Serve hot with desired toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Rice: Brown rice is our go-to and it gives these a bit of extra heft and nutty flavor. However, you could certainly substitute white rice. Or you could use a yellow rice for a different take.
Beans: The recipe calls for a can of black beans, but you could substitute pinto beans as well. Or use black beans that you cooked yourself.
Cheese: I love these with a sharp white cheddar, which is our favorite. But you could use regular cheddar, Monterey Jack or even a Pepper Jack cheese for a little kick. Or use a pre-shredded Mexican style cheese mix. Whatever you’ve got!
Tortillas: We always go for whole wheat tortillas - again, I love the whole grains! - but any kind will work. You could even substitute a gluten-free tortilla if you want this recipe to be gluten-free.
Veggies and add-ins: You could sauté some onions, peppers and/or zucchini to go with the bean and rice filling. Or, grate a zucchini and add that to the skillet with the beans. It pretty much melts in but adds some extra nutrition.
Use a small can of diced green chilies. Or add some canned or frozen corn to the skillet to mix in. You could also add a smear of refried beans to each tortilla if desired.
Double recipe: If you want to make more (the recipe makes 6-7 burritos, depending on the size of your tortillas and how full you stuff them), you can double the recipe and get 12-14 burritos. You can either follow the recipe and sear then each in a pan. OR, if you don’t want to stand and flip them, you can add the wrapped burritos and place them seam-side down in a 9x13 pan. Bake then in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes, until the tops are browned.
Storing leftovers: Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap to keep it tightly together. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm in the microwave and then sear in the pan if you want that crispy edge.
These also freeze great! Wrap the burrito in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label and date the foil and place directly in the freezer or group a bunch of burritos together in a freezer plastic bag that you’ve labelled and dated. Thaw the burritos overnight in the fridge. Then warm through in the microwave and sear in the pan to get the crispy edge. (You can try defrosting in the microwave if you want to enjoy straight from the freezer.)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
2 burritosAmount Per Serving: Calories: 694Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 1381mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 16gSugar: 3gProtein: 29g
Dennis Yannakos
What a brilliant idea! I feel so curious about this taste!