Catfish Out of Water

This is another one of those meals that isn't as far fetched as it seems! Ethiopian red lentils and sautéed spinach are often eaten with injera, a flatbread that is made out of teff. To someone who's never seen it before, injera vaguely resembles a cross between a pancake and a tortilla. It's a family-style dish that's designed to be broken into pieces and used to scoop up various smaller dishes in the middle of a table. And don't get me wrong here. I'm definitely mixing genres with this Ethiopian burrito! But wrapping lentils and sautéed spinach in a tortilla shell isn't too far removed.

While injera and tortillas don't have anywhere near the same flavor profile? Injera is a fermented flatbread and I'm using white flour tortillas from Costco. They are technically both flatbreads. And, while you don't necessarily see lentils and sautéed spinach in burritos? Having a bean or legume and lettuce is a common occurrence in burritos. The spice blends are distinct and you wouldn't confuse the two flavor profiles side-by-side. But, conceptually they're really not too far off!

Burritos are also much easier to by yourself! Particularly if you're on the run. And, since I usually make burritos quickly on my lunch break, this is a perfect mash up.

Gallery

Variations of Ethiopian Burrito

I have been on an Ethiopian kick lately and have made several variations of this same basic principal. With Ethiopian flavors combined with various Mexican, Japanese, and Greek inspirations.

Burrito w/ Ethiopian Lentils & Sautéed Spinach

This Ethiopian burrito is a fusion of red lentils and sautéed spinach, wrapped in a tortilla and topped with Greek yogurt and hot sauce. While not even remotely traditional, the flavor profiles meld well in an individual meal. And is particularly useful if you're looking for Ethiopian flavors in something that you can eat on the run.

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Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Ethiopian, Mexican

Servings 1 serving

Equipment

• Skillet w/ Lid (Preferably Cast Iron)
• Stovetop

Ingredients

  

Ethiopian Lentils

• 1 c. calabaza squash roasted & puréed
• 1 habanero
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. turmeric fresh
• 1/4 c. red onion diced
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 c. red lentils
• dash cloves whole
• dash coriander whole
• dash cumin whole
• dash fenugreek whole
• dash salt
• dash pepper

Sautéed Spinach

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. ginger fresh, roughly chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion roughly chopped
• 1 lbs. spinach (~3 cups)
• dash cumin
• dash coriander
• dash salt
• dash pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil

Burrito

• 1/3 c. Ethiopian lentils
• 1/4 c. sautéed spinach
• splash water
• 1 tortilla shell
• 6 cherry tomatoes halved
• dollop Greek yogurt (optional, omit or substitute for vegan recipe)
• dollop hot sauce of choice (optional)

Instructions

 

Prepare Ingredients

• Prepare Lentils w/ Calabaza Squash & Coconut Oil. 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 Sautéed Spinach w/ Garlic & Ginger. This takes about 20 minutes and requires a food processor (optional) and stovetop.

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 a lot of the same flavor profiles. Omit or substitute with a vegan alternative for an entirely animal-product free recipe.
• Serve immediately.

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!