Catfish Out of Water

I don't often add cheese to my burritos. Burritos are a quick and easy thing to toss together. So, a lot of the time I just don't want to be bothered with an extra step and something to clean. I don't get my cast iron pans wet, so this is a single plate and fork operation, no cheese grater necessary. Plus, I eat enough cheese in the rest of my life. But, for whatever reason, this burrito just screams cheese. I don't think that I made a single one without cheese in it (I'll usually make a couple more than I bother to photograph because, again, extra steps for my throw away meal). The cheddar is a bit oily, though, (that's just what happens when you rapidly heat cheese), so I've been experimenting with the order of the Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice in the burrito. Although, I wouldn't say that one works better than the other.

Upon further reflection, I did actually make this without cheese once: Burrito w/ Carolina Reaper Pinto Beans & Mexican Rice. I want to say that I anticipated wanting to quip about this being the only time that I added in cheese every single time. So, I made a point of spiting myself and making a single burrito without cheese in order to be able to post it as a distinct recipe. Adding or not adding cheese will not effect whether this recipe is vegan or not. I kind of regret not trying it with the cheddar cheese and an egg. Although, you could make it vegan by just skipping the cheese and sour cream (or Greek yogurt). Burritos are a great recipe to mix and match your own favorite ingredients or what you have lying around.

Gallery

Variations of Rice & Beans Burrito

I don't often make very typical burritos. They're really my excuse to turn all leftovers into pseudo-Mexican food. Salmon Salad? Good in a burrito. Macaroni & Cheese? Good in a burrito. Ethiopian Lentils, Tzatziki, & a Runny Egg? Good in a burrito. Although, I've been using a lot of peppers ripening in the garden to make rice and beans. So, now there's a whole set of burritos that people might actually make all of the ingredients specifically for burritos! Nachos, enchiladas, and tamales are also great options.

Burrito w/ Carolina Reaper Pinto Beans & Mexican Rice

Cayenne Pepper Mexican Rice Burrito

Burrito w/ Refried Pinto Beans & Mexican Rice

Burrito w/ Pinto Beans, Mexican Rice, & Cheddar Cheese

This Rice & Beans Burrito consists of Carolina reaper pinto beans and cayenne pepper Mexican rice with red onion and brown rice.

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Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Latin American, Mexican

Servings 1 serving

Equipment

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

Ingredients

  

Pinto Beans

• 8 ghost peppers minced
• 1/2 red onion minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• dash cumin
• dash coriander
• dash smoked paprika
• dash salt
• dash pepper
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 bay leaves
• 1½ lbs. pinto beans (~3 c.)
• 5 c. water

Mexican Rice

• 2 cayenne peppers minced
• 1/4 red onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 bay leaves
• dash cumin
• dash coriander
• dash smoked paprika
• dash salt
• dash pepper
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 c. brown rice
• 2 c. water (or vegetable broth)

Burrito

• 1/4 c. beans
• 1/4 c. rice
• 1/4 c. cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 tortilla shell
• splash water
• dollop sour cream (or Greek yogurt, optional)
• dollop hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

 

Prepare Ingredients

• Cook Slow Cooker Pinto Beans w/ Carolina Reapers. 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 8 hours in a crock pot.
• Mexican Rice w/ Cayenne Peppers & Bay Leaves. This takes about 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 rice or 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 cheese and toppings. 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 (or Greek yogurt) and hot sauce of choice. I like to use Greek yogurt because it's oftentimes healthier than sour cream and this new avocado dip that I'm obsessed with is fantastic. 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!