These bean and cheese burritos are perfect for meal prep for the week. Pop them into the freezer and reheat any time you need a quick bite to eat! They taste much better than store-bought freezer burritos, and they’re almost as convenient. Because the ingredients matter, using dried beans is mandatory. I know it takes more time, but a lot of it is hands-off, and the flavor payoff is worth the effort!
ingredients
- Dried pinto beans
- Onion
- Garlic
- Bay leaf
- Salt
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Your favorite hot sauce
- Burrito-sized tortillas (8″ or larger)
how to make the best bean and cheese burritos
step one
Make the beans. Put the beans in a pot with enough water to cover them by 2”. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, then turn to low and cover. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and the broth is getting thick. Once the beans are starting to soften, add the salt. Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the broth is thick and creamy. Remove the bay leaf. The onion and garlic have most likely fallen apart. If you’d like, you can remove them. I prefer to mash them into the beans with a fork. Stir in the shredded Mexican cheese and hot sauce.
step two
Assemble the burritos. Preheat the oven to 400. Gather your tortillas and a baking sheet. Scoop 1/3 cup of the bean mixture into a tortilla and roll it up into a burrito. Once finished, place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until you’re out of tortillas. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of shredded Mexican cheese on top of the burritos, then bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese and edges of the burritos are crispy.
step three
Enjoy fresh out of the oven, or freeze them in a large resealable bag and reheat when you’d like to eat them. Heat them one at a time in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until they’re heated all the way through.
tasting notes
the best bean and cheese burritos
Ingredients
For the filling
- ½ pound dried pinto beans rinsed and soaked for 1-3 hours
- 1 small onion cut into quarters
- 3 medium garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 tbsp hot sauce more or less, to taste
For assembling
- 8 burrito-sized tortillas 8” or larger
- 2 tbsp shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Make the beans. Put the beans in a pot with enough water to cover them by 2”. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, then turn to low and cover. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and the broth is getting thick. Once the beans are starting to soften, add the salt. Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the broth is thick and creamy. Remove the bay leaf. The onion and garlic have most likely fallen apart. If you’d like, you can remove them. I prefer to mash them into the beans with a fork. Stir in the shredded Mexican cheese and hot sauce.
- Assemble the burritos. Preheat the oven to 400. Gather your tortillas and a baking sheet. Scoop 1/3 cup of the bean mixture into a tortilla and roll it up into a burrito. Once finished, place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until you’re out of tortillas. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of shredded Mexican cheese on top of the burritos, then bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese and edges of the burritos are crispy.
- Enjoy fresh out of the oven, or freeze them in a large resealable bag and reheat when you’d like to eat them. Heat them one at a time in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until they’re heated all the way through.
Notes
- Yes, you should use dried beans. You could substitute canned if you’re short on time, but I haven’t tested this, and dried beans add significantly more flavor. Because beans are the primary ingredient, it’s worth the time investment to use dried. I used Camellia pinto beans. Rancho Gordo would also be great. Use the best quality beans you can find!
- Need tips on how to roll up a burrito? Check out this video.
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