Yes, you can absolutely air fry El Monterey breakfast burritos! Air frying is a great way to quickly heat up frozen breakfast burritos and make them nice and crispy on the outside. Air frying allows you to enjoy delicious breakfast burritos without all the extra oil and grease from deep frying.
Benefits of Air Frying Breakfast Burritos
There are several benefits to air frying breakfast burritos rather than cooking them in the microwave or deep frying:
- Makes the tortilla crispy – The high heat of the air fryer will crisp up the tortilla nicely.
- Less greasy – Air frying uses little to no oil, so the burrito won’t be oily or soaked in grease.
- Quick cooking time – Air fryers cook food very quickly, heating up and crisping the burrito in just 5-10 minutes.
- Even heating – The circulating hot air of the air fryer evenly cooks the entire burrito.
- Doesn’t lose ingredients – Unlike deep frying, air frying won’t cause the fillings to fall out of the burrito.
- Easy cleanup – With minimal oil, air fryers are much easier to clean up than deep frying.
So if you’re looking for a quick and tasty way to enjoy breakfast burritos, air frying is definitely the way to go!
How to Air Fry El Monterey Breakfast Burritos
Air frying El Monterey breakfast burritos is simple:
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F.
- Remove burrito from packaging and plastic wrap.
- Place burrito seam side down in air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 5-7 minutes, until hot and crispy.
- Flip burrito halfway through cooking time.
- Let cool for 2 minutes before eating.
The exact air fry time may vary slightly depending on the size of your air fryer and how crispy you want the tortilla. Keep an eye on the burritos the first time you air fry them to get the timing right.
Tips for Best Results
Here are some tips for getting the perfect air fried breakfast burritos every time:
- Brush both sides of tortilla lightly with oil – This helps the tortilla get extra crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd air fryer – Leave space between burritos for air circulation.
- Use oven mitts – The air fryer basket gets very hot!
- Let cool before eating – The filling will be molten hot right out of the air fryer.
- Store in fridge – Leftover burritos can be refrigerated and re-heated later.
Best Fillings for Air Fried Breakfast Burritos
El Monterey breakfast burritos come with fillings like sausage, bacon, potatoes, cheese, eggs, and salsa. The meat and potato fillings heat up beautifully in the air fryer. Some other delicious fillings to try:
- Chorizo and scrambled eggs
- Barbacoa beef
- Shredded chicken
- Crumbled breakfast sausage
- Diced ham
- Sauteed peppers and onions
- Sauteed spinach
- Refried beans
- Hash browns
- Cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack cheeses
Get creative with fillings that complement each other! The air fryer works well with almost any breakfast meat, vegetable, and cheese.
More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
Air fried breakfast burritos are just one of many morning meals you can make in your air fryer. Try out these other easy air fried breakfast recipes:
Breakfast Sandwiches
- Sausage, egg and cheese
- Bacon, egg and cheese
- Ham, egg and cheese
- Fried egg and avocado
Breakfast Potatoes
- Crispy hashed browns
- Home fries
- Potato wedges
Breakfast Meats
- Bacon
- Sausage links and patties
- Ham steaks
- Chicken apple sausage
Other Breakfast Favorites
- Egg bites
- Breakfast quiches
- Breakfast pizza
- Breakfast tacos
- Donuts
- Muffins
The options are endless! An air fryer can cook up almost any breakfast dish you crave.
Are Air Fried Breakfast Burritos Healthy?
While air frying is healthier than deep frying, breakfast burritos are typically high in calories, fat, and sodium. However, you can make some adjustments for a more nutritious air fried burrito:
- Use lower sodium fillings like turkey sausage and ham
- Load up on veggies like peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes
- Choose low-fat cheese and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
- Use just egg whites instead of whole eggs
- Look for lower carb tortillas
- Stick to lean proteins like chicken or steak
- Use avocado instead of fatty meats
Portion control is also key. Stick to one average sized burrito for breakfast. You can also split a large burrito in half and save one portion for later.
Nutrition Information
Here is approximate nutrition information for a typical air fried breakfast burrito (using a plain flour tortilla, 2 scrambled eggs, 2 oz sausage, and 1 oz cheddar cheese):
| Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 545 | 36g | 29g | 29g |
As you can see, a single burrito makes up a big chunk of your daily calories, fat, and sodium. Practice moderation and make adjustments to the fillings for a healthier air fried breakfast.
Freezing and Reheating Leftover Burritos
Made too many burritos? No problem! Here are tips for freezing and reheating them later:
To Freeze:
- Allow cooked burritos to cool completely
- Wrap each burrito tightly in plastic wrap
- Place wrapped burritos in freezer bag
- Squeeze out excess air and seal bag
- Freeze for up to 3 months
To Reheat:
- Unwrap frozen burrito and place on plate
- Microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot throughout
- Alternatively, bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes
- For crispy texture, air fry at 370°F for 4-5 minutes
The reheating method depends on whether you want a soft burrito or crispy tortilla texture. Microwaving will soften the tortilla, while air frying or baking will recrisp it.
Conclusion
Air frying gives frozen breakfast burritos like El Monterey a quick crispy makeover. It saves calories compared to deep frying while still delivering a hot and delicious breakfast in minutes. Feel free to get creative with fillings and tweak ingredients to make your burritos healthier. Just be mindful of portion sizes. And be sure to take advantage of freezing any extras so you can enjoy easy microwaveable burritos later on busy mornings!