Catfish Out of Water

Let's be real, there aren't too many better things in the morning than a breakfast burrito! I make them all of the time. They're one of my absolute favorites. And, don't get me wrong, I like a good crepe or giant pile of pancakes every now and then, but that's really just desert for breakfast! What I'm really looking for first thing in the morning is something nutritious and filling enough to keep me going all day, without weighing me down or risking going into a food coma.

Also it has to, you know, actually taste good! We could all probably live on freeze dried food supplements. But what would be the fun in that?? I feel like, if you have to eat, you might as well eat well! Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off likes to comment on whether or not things are "worth the calories."

Breakfast burritos are the quintessential breakfast food for me. All that I want in the morning is quinoa and a good runny egg wrapped in a lightly fried tortilla! They only take about 15 minutes to make and are much more delicious and filling than cracking open a sugary bowl of cereal.

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Variations of Breakfast Burrito

Breakfast burritos are a staple. I make burritos probably 4 or 5 times a week. They're my absolute favorite thing in the morning and there truly is nothing better. Whether it's quinoa or lentils or rice and beans. The sky is the limit!

Burrito w/ Spinach, Quinoa & Runny Egg

This quick and easy breakfast burrito is filled with Japanese-inspired quinoa, spinach, tofu, red onion, garlic, ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, and a runny egg to top it all off. Now, I wouldn't necessarily always mix tofu with eggs because tofu is oftentimes a vegan substitute. But they do actually pair well together! Especially when you have a quickly fried runny egg and a lightly fried and crispy tofu. The flavor profiles compliment one another and add a fun twist to a vegetarian breakfast burrito.

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese, Mexican

Servings 1 serving

Equipment

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

Ingredients

  

Quinoa w/ Tofu, Spinach, & Ginger

• 1 ½ c. spinach chopped
• 1/4 red onion diced
• 1 tsp. ginger minced
• 1 tsp. garlic minced
• 1/4 c. tamari (or soy sauce of choice)
• 1/4 c. rice vinegar
• 1 c. white quinoa
• 3 c. water
• 8 oz. tofu (~1/2 package)
• 1 tbsp. high heat oil
• dash salt
• dash pepper

Burrito

• 1/3 c. spinach quinoa
• 1 tortilla shell
• splash water
• 1 egg
• dollop Greek yogurt (optional, omit or substitute for vegan recipe)
• dollop hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

 

Cook Quinoa

• Cook Quinoa w/ Tofu, Spinach, & Ginger. 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 toppings and fold the burrito. Wrap it slightly less tightly than you ordinarily would in order to leave room for the egg later on.

  We're also intentionally holding off on the egg! It will need to be cooked after the tortilla is prepared so that the egg doesn't completely set and remains runny.
• 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.
• Remove from heat and set aside. It's best to cover so that it doesn't cool off to quickly. But this isn't entirely necessary.

Cook Egg

• Leave the skillet on medium heat and add oil.

  I use a pretty well seasoned cast iron pan to cook eggs, so I don't add any more than a spritz of oil. You may need upwards of a teaspoon for other types of pans, though. Use just enough so that your eggs don't stick!
• Crack egg into the pan.

  It should be hot enough that the egg sizzles, but doesn't deep fry or brown immediately.
• Let cook until golden brown on the bottom and you can flip the egg with ease. The whites should be fairly set on both sides, but not completely cooked.

  You want to cook this relatively quickly so that the egg yolk doesn't set, though. It should take about a minute or two. Turn the heat up if the egg whites don't cook quickly enough or down if the egg yolk starts to cook. Also immediately flip if this happens!
• Flip and turn off the stove. Cook for another 30 seconds, or until the egg white is completely cooked. It should already be mostly set and this should take no time at all!

Complete Burrito

• Carefully unwrap the burrito slightly and place the egg inside. Rewrap the burrito and squeeze slightly so that the egg begins to run.

  You don't have to break the yolk, but it will continue to cook inside of the warm burrito shell. So, if you don't, you might not get that runny egg! This will also be kind of messy and I recommend eating over a plate or wrapped in parchment paper or food storage wraps. I have a set of reusable beeswax wraps for this.
• Top with Greek yogurt 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. Before the egg cooks!

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!