Burritos are a popular Mexican food consisting of a wheat tortilla wrapped around a filling. They are an easy, on-the-go meal that can be customized in many ways. When making burritos at home, the filling possibilities are endless! The most common burrito fillings include beans, rice, cheese, meat, vegetables, and salsa. Choosing complementary flavors and textures is key to building a tasty burrito. Read on to learn more about popular burrito fillings and get inspired to create your own signature burrito!
Meat
Meat is a delicious and protein-packed burrito filling option. Ground beef or shredded chicken are classic burrito meats. Steaks, carnitas (braised pork), chorizo (Mexican sausage), fish, shrimp, and steak can also be used. Try cooking the meat with onions, garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and other Mexican spices for extra flavor. Sautéing the meat filling will add another layer of texture and taste. Be sure to chop or shred the meat into small pieces so it is easy to wrap inside the tortilla.
Ground Beef
Ground beef is a hugely popular burrito filling. It is affordable, tasty, and satisfying. Browning ground beef with taco seasoning gives it the quintessential taco flavor that pairs perfectly in a burrito. Adding a spoonful of tomato paste when cooking further enhances the flavor. Top the ground beef with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and Mexican cheese blend for a fully loaded beef burrito.
Shredded Chicken
Shredded chicken is lower in fat than ground beef but just as delicious in burritos. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts to make the shredded chicken. Season the chicken with cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic, and pepper when cooking. Shred the chicken with two forks once cooked, or chop it into small pieces. The shredded texture allows the chicken to be distributed throughout the burrito. Top chicken burritos with salsa, sour cream, and cheese.
Beans
Beans make an excellent vegetarian and vegan burrito filling. They are high in fiber and plant-based protein. Pinto, black, refried, and kidney beans are all great options. Cook the beans on the stovetop or use canned beans to save time. Mash some of the beans to create a thick, paste-like texture to help bind the other burrito fillings together. Rice, salsa, lettuce, avocado, and cheese perfectly complement beans in a burrito.
Refried Beans
Refried beans are a traditional Mexican side dish and burrito filling. Cook pinto beans until very soft and mash them into a thick puree. Fry the mashed beans in a skillet with oil or lard, onion, garlic, cumin, and salt, while mashing further to break up the beans. The result is the creamy, smooth texture of refried beans. Their rich flavor and smoothness make them an ideal burrito filling. Garnish refried bean burritos with jalapeños, guacamole, and queso fresco.
Black Beans
Hearty, earthy black beans pair excellently with spicy and savory burrito flavors. Cook the black beans from scratch or use canned beans for faster preparation. Season them while cooking with onions, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. The soft, creamy texture creates cohesiveness inside the burrito and provides plenty of fiber and protein. Top black bean burritos with salsa, lime wedges, shredded lettuce, and Monterey jack cheese.
Rice
Rice is a versatile base for burritos, soaking up flavors from the other ingredients. Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, cheesy rice, fried rice, and plain white rice all taste wonderful in burritos. Cook the rice ahead of time before assembling the burritos. For Mexican rice, cook white rice with tomato sauce, onions, garlic, and spices. Stir in fresh lime and cilantro just before serving for bright, zesty flavor. The rice stretches the burrito filling evenly throughout the tortilla.
Spanish Rice
Spanish rice is commonly found alongside Mexican food, making it a natural burrito filling. To make it, cook white rice with tomato sauce, garlic, and onions. Season with cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. The tomato sauce gives the rice a reddish hue and mild tomato flavor. Adding peas or corn to the rice provides texture and color contrast. The bold, tomatoey rice stands up to spicy burrito fillings like chorizo or jalapeños.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro and lime infuse this rice with fresh flavor. Simply stir chopped cilantro and lime juice into cooked white rice. The bright, herbaceous notes pair perfectly with rich fillings like ground beef or carnitas. Chicken or vegetable burritos also benefit from the contrasting freshness of cilantro lime rice. Fluffing the rice with a fork before adding the cilantro and lime allows the flavors to evenly permeate each grain.
Cheese
Cheese is a universally loved burrito filling! Melty, gooey cheese adds creaminess and binds the other fillings together. Cheddar, pepper jack, Mexican cheese blends, queso fresco, Monterey jack, and cotija are all excellent options. Grated cheese tends to melt and distribute better than cheese slices. Place the cheese in the center of the burrito to prevent it from oozing out the sides. Cheese pairs well with almost any burrito filling, especially meat, beans, and rice.
Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack is a perfect melting cheese for burritos. It is creamy and mild with a subtle tanginess. Monterey Jack melts into an ooey-gooey filling that adheres the other ingredients together. It also adds a boost of calcium and protein. Use shredded Monterey Jack so it distribute evenly within the burrito. It pairs especially well with chicken, vegetables, or Mexican rice fillings.
Cotija
Cotija is a crumbly Mexican cheese, similar to feta. It makes an excellent topping for burritos, lending a salty, nutty flavor. Sprinkle cotija over the other fillings before wrapping the burrito. Cotija contrasts nicely with soft textures like beans or ground meat. The crumbles also add a fun crunchy element. Chicken, steak, carnitas and vegetable burritos are all complemented by a generous sprinkling of cotija cheese.
Vegetables
Vegetables add freshness, nutrients, and texture to burritos. Onions, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, peppers, and avocado are some of the most popular vegetable burrito fillings. Sautéing onions and peppers brings out their natural sweetness. Chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and guacamole make refreshingly cool toppings. Rice and beans team up perfectly with contrasting crunchy, crisp vegetables.
Lettuce
Crisp, cool lettuce adds refreshing texture within a burrito. Use shredded lettuce or chop romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce into small pieces. Lettuce helps balance out meaty, heavy burrito fillings. It also contrasts nicely with soft textures like refried beans and melted cheese. Add shredded lettuce to the center of the burrito or use leaves as a wrapper in a burrito bowl. The subtle lettuce flavor doesn’t overpower other ingredients.
Guacamole
Creamy, rich fresh guacamole takes burritos to the next level. The smooth avocado pairs immaculately with spicy salsas and seasoned meats. Mash ripe avocados with lime juice, cilantro, onions, tomato, garlic, and salt to make it yourself. Guacamole adds moisture, fiber, and nutrients. It prevents burritos from becoming too heavy. The fresh green color and flavor brighten up any burrito filling combination.
Salsa
What’s a burrito without salsa? Tomato-based Mexican salsas add moisture, acidity, and spice to burritos. They tie together and amplify the other flavors. Red salsa, green salsa, pico de gallo, and salsa verde are excellent burrito topper choices. Spoon salsas over the fillings before wrapping the burrito to allow their flavor to penetrate. Extra salsa can also be served on the side for dipping. Spicy jalapeño, smoky chipotle, or tangy pineapple salsas also make tasty burrito fillings.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo, also called salsa fresca, is an uncooked Mexican salsa made from chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. It provides a burst of freshness and acidity when added to rich burrito fillings like ground beef or queso. The mild spice from the jalapeños pairs well with meats. Pico de gallo also nicely complements rice and beans. Its bright red color and crunchy texture looks and tastes fantastic atop a burrito!
Salsa Verde
Made from tomatillos and green chiles, salsa verde is a classic Mexican salsa with a tangy, herbal flavor. The tomatillos have a tart, fruity taste that contrasts beautifully with hearty burrito fillings. The mild green chiles add a touch of heat. Pour salsa verde over enchilada-style chicken or carnitas burritos for authentic Mexican flavor. The tomatillo brightness cuts through the richness perfectly.
Eggs
Eggs deliver protein and creaminess to burritos, especially at breakfast. Scrambled, fried, or over-easy eggs pair nicely with hash browns, bacon, sausage, cheese, onions, peppers, and salsa inside a warm tortilla. For vegetarian burritos, scrambled tofu makes an excellent egg substitute. Be sure to fully cook any raw eggs before assembling burritos. Runny yolks may cause the tortilla to become soggy.
Scrambled Eggs
Fluffy, creamy scrambled eggs are right at home inside a burrito, especially for breakfast. Cook the eggs with a little milk or cream for extra richness, seasoning them with salt, pepper, onions, and peppers. Adding cheese creates a cheesy scramble. Salsa, avocado, bacon, sausage, or ham are tasty scrambled egg burrito companions. Wrapping it all up in a tortilla makes for a satisfying and portable breakfast.
Fried Eggs
The runny yolk of a fried egg takes burritos up a notch. Be sure to fully cook the white before assembling the burrito to avoid a soggy tortilla. Letting the yolk remain runny allows it to ooze decadently over the other burrito fillings when bitten. Fried eggs go well with hash browns, bacon, carnitas, chorizo, cheese, onions, and salsa in burritos. The rich, creamy yolk perfectly complements and binds together the ingredients.
Tortilla and Size
Choosing the right tortilla and size are also important factors for burrito perfection. Flour and corn tortilla varieties are both common. Larger tortillas around 10 inches work well for fully loaded burritos. Smaller street taco size tortillas are better for simpler fillings. Heat the tortilla first to make it pliable and prevent cracking when wrapping the burrito.
Flour Tortilla
Flour tortillas have a soft, chewy texture that makes them very pliable and easy to wrap burritos with. The wheat flour gives them just the right amount of stretchiness without ripping. Flour tortillas adhere nicely when wrapped tightly around wet burrito fillings like eggs, beans, and salsa, holding everything together. Their mild flavor doesn’t compete with bold fillings. Flour tortillas are the most common choice for burritos.
Corn Tortilla
Corn tortillas offer a delicious homemade taste and crispy texture contrast in burritos. Heat them briefly on a dry skillet before wrapping to soften and prevent cracking. Corn tortillas have a more pronounced sweet, corn flavor that pairs well with chicken and carnitas burrito fillings. Due to their smaller size, corn tortillas are best suited to simpler, less wet fillings. The crispy edges provide a nice textural juxtaposition with the interior burrito contents.
Putting It All Together
When constructing your burrito, start by heating the tortilla to make it pliable. Place your fillings in a line down the center of the tortilla, leaving room on the sides to fold in. Don’t overstuff the burrito or it will be messy and hard to eat! Roll up the bottom flap over the filling, tuck in the sides, then continue tightly rolling upwards. Enjoy your creation with extra toppings like salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Combine classic fillings or get creative with your own burrito flavor combos!
Perfect Burrito Formula
While the burrito filling possibilities are endless, here is a formula for constructing a well-balanced, flavorful burrito:
– Protein – Ground beef, shredded chicken, steak, etc. Provides satisfying heft.
– Beans and/or Rice – Black, pinto, refried beans, Mexican rice. Fills and binds.
– Cheese – Cheddar, jack, cotija. Adds creamy, melted goodness.
– Veggies – Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, avocado. Fresh contrast.
– Salsa – Tomato-based, verde, roja, pico. Moisture, spice, and acidity.
– Herbs – Cilantro, oregano. Bright, fresh flavor.
Follow this basic formula and customize with your favorite fillings. Adjust the proportions to your tastes and enjoy!
Balancing Flavors and Textures
A mix of complementary flavors and textures makes burritos crave-worthy. Include rich, hearty ingredients alongside fresh, lighter ones. Mix up soft textures like melted cheese and mashed beans with crunchy components like lettuce and cotija. Spicy salsas need cooling accents like sour cream; heavy meats pair well with bright cilantro. Creating burrito filling harmony results in maximum deliciousness with every bite!
Conclusion
Burritos are an endlessly customizable handheld meal. Fill them with a balanced medley of flavors, textures, and ingredients to satisfy any craving. From classic meat and bean burritos to fusion creations with global spices, the possibilities inside a tortilla are infinite. Whether enjoying veggie burritos for lunch or steak and egg breakfast burritos, the formula is easy. Just heat up a tortilla, line it with delicious fillings, and wrap up a mouthwatering meal packed with authentic Mexican zest and flavor. ¡Buen provecho!