There's nothing quite so refreshing in the morning than a burrito made with sweet potatoes and garden vegetables. For this garden burrito, I used sweet potatoes, avocados, and mesclun that I painstakingly grew in my garden!
I like having fresh lettuce in the summer. Especially since I don't tend to actually use all of it when I buy it in the grocery store. But I have had the most difficult time growing it this year! We had a bad spring. It took forever to warm up. There was even snow late in the season. The global pandemic was in full swing and my local nurseries were closed.
But I still tried to throw in as much mesclun in my garden as I could! Not to mention eventually buying several varieties of starters. Tossing in more spinach. Maybe even some head lettuce. None to much luck! But, from what I was able to grow, I wanted to make the most out of. So, here we have it! Garden burrito with freshly picked mesclun... While it lasts!
I've also started a rather extensive hot sauce collection and burritos are a great way to try them out.
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Variations of Garden Burrito
I'm constantly making recipes with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and other homegrown produce. Every year I try to see how much produce I can grow myself. It cuts down on my food costs, significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the foods that I eat, and brings my food consumption much closer to home. Plus, I know exactly what went into my food, whether there are any pesticides, the condition of the soil, and exactly how fresh the produce is. Oftentimes this means that it has a much better flavor to it and I get to feel all of those warm, fuzzy feelings about growing my own food.
Although you can also achieve this by buying locally grown produce and supporting small, independent farmers at your local farmer's markets.
Regardless of how you get your fruits and vegetables, though, how the meal tastes is crucial. And all of these dishes, while made from produce out of my own garden, are also incredibly delicious to boot.
This refreshing garden burrito combines homegrown mesclun, or lettuce of choice, with sweet potatoes and avocado. Add a dollop of hot sauce for a little bit of a kick and this refreshing summertime burrito. It's a great recipe to mix and match whatever produce you have on hand. Whether that's from your own garden, local farmer's market, or anything else that you have in your fruit and vegetable bowls.
Preheat a skillet on medium with a splash of olive oil.I use a cast iron skillet and don't need a lot of oil. Particularly because sweet potatoes don't absorb as much oil as other types of potatoes do. If you're using another type of skillet, you might need more oil. I like to start with a very thin layer, just enough to cover the skillet, and then add more as needed while cooking.
Meanwhile, dice the sweet potato.I cut the sweet potatoes into 6 slices, like a pizza. This is how I end up with triangles. But you can chop them however you like.
Add to skillet. Stir to coat with oil. Cook covered for about 15-20 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned. Making sure to stir frequently.If it browns too quickly, add more oil and lower the temperature. If it doesn't brown quickly enough, increase the heat.
Once cooked, add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
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 sweet potato and fold the burrito. Wrap it slightly less tightly than you ordinarily would in order to leave room for the lettuce later on.
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.
Heat the stove to medium. This is about a 4 on my stove. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. Rotate until all sides are cooked.
Carefully unwrap the burrito slightly and place the lettuce and avocado inside. 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!
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