Vegan Burrito
You won't miss meat or dairy in this mouth-watering vegan burrito recipe.
Serves6
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
This super-stuffed vegan burrito is filled with spiced black beans, zesty cilantro-lime rice, a cheesy (yet cheese-free) queso sauce, salsa, and guacamole, and sealed with a quick sear in the pan. The mix of fresh herbs, spices, savory vegetables, citrus, and clever queso sauce is what creates an incredibly tasty and satiating burrito without any animal products. This is a hearty meal you’ll make on repeat.
Don’t skip pan-frying your burrito after assembling, as it truly levels up an already fantastic, flavorful burrito. Browning the tortilla in a light spray of oil caramelizes and crisps the burrito a la the Maillard reaction. It adds the slightest touch of sweet. Also, pan-frying safely “seals” your burrito together so nothing spills out.
Rather than top my loaded burritos, I like to include the “toppings” inside the burrito and serve with some extra queso on the side and, if I’m feeling spicy, a dash of hot sauce.
Vegan Burrito Recipe
You won't miss meat or dairy in this mouth-watering vegan burrito recipe.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the cilantro lime rice:
- 2 cups
water
- 1 tablespoon
canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 cup
long-grain white rice
- 1/3 bunch
fresh cilantro
- 2
medium limes
For the burrito filling:
- 1/2
medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1 (about 15-ounce) can
black beans
- 1 tablespoon
chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon
sazón seasoning
For the queso:
- 1 (about 13.5-ounce) can
full-fat coconut milk
- 3 to 4 tablespoons
nutritional yeast (3 tablespoons for a mild queso, 4 tablespoons for a “sharper” queso)
- 2 tablespoons
arrowroot powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
- Pinch
ground turmeric
To assemble and serve:
- 6
(10-inch) large burrito-sized flour tortillas
Salsa, guacamole, and hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
To make the rice:
Place 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon canola oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, place 1 cup long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh strainer and run under cold water until the water runs clear.
Add the rice to the boiling water, stir once, and bring back to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the leaves and tender stems from 1/3 bunch fresh cilantro until you have 1/4 cup. Halve 2 medium limes. (This is also a good time to prep the ingredients for the filling.)
When the rice is ready, ff there is any remaining liquid, cover again and cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the rice stand covered for 2 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Squeeze the lime halves over the rice, add the cilantro, and stir to combine. Transfer to a bowl.
To make the burrito filling:
Dice 1/2 medium yellow onion and mince 3 garlic cloves. Drain and rinse 1 can black beans. Shake until most of the water is removed.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the black beans,1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon sazón seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
To make the queso:
Place 1 can full-fat coconut milk, 3 to 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of ground turmeric in a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Assemble the burritos:
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, assemble the burritos. Spoon 1/2 cup of the rice,1/4 cup of the black bean mixture, 1 tablespoon queso, and a spoonful of guacamole and salsa, if using, across the center of each 10-inch flour tortilla in a line. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling, then roll from the bottom up tightly over the filling.
Coat the frying pan cooking spray. Add the burritos seam-side down (as many as will fit in a single layer). Cook until browned underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cooking until the second side is browned, about 1 minute more. Serve the burritos with more queso and hot sauce, if using.
Recipe Notes
Arrowroot powder substitution: An equal amount of tapioca flour can be subtituted for the arrowroot powder.
Make ahead: The rice can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Add the cilantro and lime juice right before assembling. The black bean filling and queso can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in separate airtight containers.
Alternatively, wrap each assembled burrito (not pan-fried) tightly in aluminum foil. Refrigerate or freeze in resealable plastic bags. Reheat uncovered in a 325ºF oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes if refrigerated or about 30 minutes if frozen, then pan-fry.
Storage: Leftovers can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days.