Bean and Cheese Burritos
Published March 18, 2023
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Hadas Smirnoff. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgepeth.
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Private Notes
Comments
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.
Instead of green bell pepper, use a poblano or seeded jalapeno peppers. If those are not available, try canned diced green chiles.
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.
Subbed some shredded chicken for 1 of the cans of beans, added a few shakes of ancho chili powder. I cannot eat flour tortillas bc I’m celiac & corn tortillas just do not work for burritos. I just found a fabulous alternative at Sprouts grocery: Mi Rancho gf burrito size tortillas. Made in California.
Made this tonight with a few alterations and it was delicious! Took the suggestion from the comments to swap the bell pepper for a jalapeño, added some roast sweet potatoes in with the beans and cheese, and added some leftover chilis in adobo sauce to the beans. Delicious!
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.