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Burrito w/ Fried Tofu & Brown Rice

Burrito w/ Fried Tofu & Brown Rice

This recipe combines butternut squash and garden fresh habanero brown rice in a lightly fried tofu burrito. I topped it with a dollop of sour cream and homemade enchilada sauce. I've been making tons of enchilada sauce lately. This week it's with homegrownTo top it all off, I also have been making a lot of enchilada sauce. For this recipe, I used Red Chilis and Jalapeños and  Ghost Peppers. Although feel free to use whatever hot sauce that you have on hand!
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Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Latin American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

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

Ingredients
  

Squash Rice

  • 2 c. butternut squash cubed
  • 1 red bell pepper cubed
  • ~10 cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1/4 red onion minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 habaneros minced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. chili pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. coriander
  • dash salt
  • dash pepper
  • 1 ½ c. brown rice

Burrito

  • 1/4 c. squash & habanero rice
  • 3-4 oz. tofu (~1/4 container per person)
  • 1 tbsp. high heat oil
  • 1 tortilla shell
  • splash water
  • dollop sour cream (optional, omit or substitute for vegan recipe)
  • dollop hot sauce (optional)

Instructions
 

Prepare Ingredients

  • Cook Brown Rice w/ Squash & Habaneros. 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.
  • The hot sauces that I've used for this recipe aren't actually hot sauce. They're enchilada sauces, one made out of Red Chilis and Jalapeños and one made out of Ghost Peppers. Each recipe takes less than an hour and requires an air fryer and a large pot on the stove. They mostly utilize peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

Fry Tofu

  • Drain the tofu and cut in half if you're using a container. Wrap in paper towels to absorb the moisture.
    It's important to absorb as much water out of the tofu as you can. Oil is less dense than water, so the molecules repel one another. With cold ingredients, this causes separation. When you're frying, though, this can cause boiling hot oil to spray back at you.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  • When the skillet has preheated and the majority of the water has absorbed into the paper towels, carefully add the tofu to the skillet.
  • Fry until golden brown. This should take about 2-4 minutes. Rotate until all sides are evenly fried.
  • Remove from heat and wrap again in paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

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, including the tofu, 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. You can reheat burritos by lightly wetting them and reheating, but they are never quite the same as they are fresh!

Tips, Tricks, & Notes

Tofu
  • For a more in-depth article on preparing tofu, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Fried Tofu. High heat oil and a precise cooking temperature are important to keep the tofu from drying out or burning.
Burrito
  • 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!
Toppings
  • Greek yogurt is a great alternative to sour cream. It has less calories and aggravates my lactose intolerance without as much vengeance!
  • I have also been putting Muhammara on everything and recommend adding that as well if you’re in the same kind of mood! It’s a Middle Eastern dip made from roasted red peppers and walnuts. It pairs well with the nutty flavor of the quinoa.
  • In some of the variations of this recipe, I’ve also added lettuce, tomatoes, and anything else that I have readily available in my garden. This is a recipe where you should feel free to personalize it to your own style.