In my endless endeavor to turn absolutely everything into a burrito this summer! I have combined Sweet Potato Quinoa and No-fry Refried Black Beans. In what is arguably one of my most traditional burritos to date. Oftentimes I can be found adding all sorts of odd things to tortilla shells. For this week's burritos, though, I haven't done anything too odd! A black bean, sweet potato, and quinoa burrito is actually relatively traditional.
I almost always get burritos with black beans. If you're making them from scratch, you can put whatever you want in them. However, pinto beans in restaurants often aren't vegetarian. A lot of the time they're cooked in bacon or other fats. I also tend to prefer black beans. They're more robust and keep their shape better. Pinto beans tend to break apart while cooking. I usually cook them more for refried beans or as a side dish.
It's the sweet potato quinoa that sounds a little bit more peculiar in this dish. But bear with me! Sweet potatoes are a warm weather crop. They're predominantly grown in the southern hemisphere and can be found in a variety of Latin American, African, and Asian dishes. Quinoa is also traditionally a Latin American crop that originated in the Andean region of South America.
So, while you might not see a lot of sweet potato quinoa on the menu. It's really not entirely out of the realm of possibility to pair these ingredients together!
I also very much enjoy this flavor profile. The earthiness of the quinoa is balanced with the sweetness of the potatoes and heartiness of the black beans. Its an incredibly nutritious and filling meal. I'll usually top it off with aa dollop of sour cream and hot sauce of choice.
Gallery
Variations of Sweet Potato Quinoa Burrito
Burritos with sweet potato quinoa have been one of my staple foods this summer. They're both delicious and nutritious. You can eat them on the go. And they're filling enough to eat on the run and keep you going all day!
Leftovers are the best foods to turn into burritos. Grab what you have lying around, wrap it in a tortilla shell, lightly toast, and top with sour cream and hot sauce. Voila! An entirely new dish. Swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt for a kick or eliminate it for a vegan meal.
Cuisine American, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern
Servings 1serving
Equipment
Skillet w/ Lid (Preferably Cast Iron)
Stovetop
Ingredients
Black Beans
1lbs.dried black beans~2 cups, soaked overnight
2serranosminced
3habanerosminced
1jalapeñominced
1banana pepperminced
4clovesgarlicminced
1/2shallotminced
4bay leaves
1tbsp.olive oil
1tsp.salt
1tsp.pepper
1tsp.cumin
1tsp.cayenne pepper
2limesjuiced
5c.water
Sweet Potato Quinoa
1sweet potatodiced
1tomatodiced
1red bell pepperdiced
1banana peppersdiced
1jalapeñominced
1habanerominced
3clovesgarlicminced
1/2shallotminced
1lemonjuiced
3bay leaves
1tsp.cumin
dashsalt
dashpeppeer
1c.tri-color quinoa
3c.water
Burrito
1/4c.black beans
1/4c.sweet potato quinoa
1tortilla shell
splashwater
dollopsour cream(optional, omit or substitute for vegan recipe)
dollophot sauce of choice(optional)
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
Cook No-Fry Refried Beans. I like this recipe better than opening a can of refried beans or actually having to go through the process of frying them! This does require some forethought, though, and takes overnight to soak and about 2 hours to cook the next day. It requires a large pot on the stove and a potato masher or food processor if you want to achieve the creamier texture.
Cook Sweet Potato Quinoa. This takes less than an hour and requires a rice cooker or stove. You can also easily create a different flavor profile or utilize the produce that you have on hand. I almost always keep a batch of quinoa in the fridge for exactly this purpose.
Cook Tortilla
Preheat the pan on medium-high. If you aren't using cast iron, make sure to lightly oil the pan to prevent sticking.
Wet both sides of the tortilla and add to the preheated pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown.
Remove the tortilla from heat and turn the stove off. Add toppings and fold the burrito.
Turn the stove back up to medium and add the tortilla to the skillet immediately, before it preheats. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. Rotate until all sides are cooked.The first side will likely take longer to cook than the subsequent sides, which may toast in as little as 2 minutes. Adjust the temperature if it's cooking too quickly and burning or too slowly and cracking.
Top with sour cream and hot sauce of choice. I like to use Greek yogurt because it's oftentimes healthier than sour cream and pairs well with the nutty flavor of the quinoa. Omit or substitute with a vegan alternative for an entirely animal-product free recipe.
Serve immediately. You can reheat burritos by lightly wetting them and reheating, but they are never quite the same as they are fresh!
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
For a more in-depth article on burritos, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Making Burritos. I highly suggest using cast iron and there is precise temperature that works best for cooking at that may vary slightly depending on your stovetop and type of skillet. If you're having trouble rolling the burrito without cracking, there are solutions for this as well!
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