There are many benefits to making your own burritos and they always turn out better than a store-bought frozen burrito which tends to be skimpy on the fillings. I load this won up with cilantro-lime rice, peppers, corn, black beans, salsa, and little cheese to pull the whole thing together. Assemble, wrap in foil and freeze. Dinner is waiting and ready when you are! Making them at home allows you to customize the filling and stuff them full to your heart’s content! Let’s make some great burritos to stock your freezer!
Why You Should Always Have Burritos in Your Freezer
Frozen burritos are an excellent item to have in your freezer. I like to make a bunch of them every few months and get the whole family to help by filling and wrapping the burritos. My kids love helping me measure the ingredients out and wrapping them in foil. If you are ever feeling pressed for time, it’s nice to know you have a stock of delicious and filling meals right there in the freezer!
Veggie Burrito Filling
I split my fillings for these burritos into three different layers. First, rice. Rice is important in a burrito in my opinion but is particularly important in a frozen burrito because it helps absorb any extra water so you don’t end up with a soggy burrito. I make a simple cilantro rice for this layer. Second, peppers and onions! For this version I chopped the peppers and onions and sauteed them in some oil until they are tender and lightly charred. Third, a medley of flavors including corn, black beans, tomatillos, and salsa is added to tie everything together! The key to this layer is to season it well and cook it long enough to cook out the water in the salsa and tomatillos so you don’t end up with a watery burrito.
Swaps and Substitutions for Freezer Burritos
Each layer is pretty flexible. Feel free to play around with the exact ingredients in each layer.
Skip the cilantro if that isn’t your thing.Try quinoa or brown rice to switch it up.Use almost any peppers in your market including poblanos or jalapeños for a spicier mix.Swap out the black beans for pinto beans.Use cherry tomatoes instead of tomatillos.Avoid ingredients like sour cream or avocado-based fillings since those items don’t reheat well and tend to brown in the freezer. Pile them on top when you’re ready to eat the burritos.Add scrambled eggs and turn them into breakfast burritos
How to Wrap and Store Freezer Burritos
The key to wrapping a good burrito is to warm the tortilla first so it is nice and flexible. To warm them, wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and zap them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Then add your fillings to the lower third of the tortilla. Fold the edges in and over the filing and then roll the tortilla, being sure to apply some pressure to it so the burrito is in a tight cylinder. This will keep the burrito together and will also keep the ingredients tightly sealed inside. Once you have the burrito rolled, transfer it to a piece of heavy-duty foil and roll it tightly in the foil. It’s ready to freeze! You can freeze them individually or stick all the burritos in a freezer safe bag. They are best when eaten within 3 months, but they will still be good for up to 6 months.
How to Reheat Frozen Burritos
There are two ways to reheat frozen burritos. Oven Method: Just pop the burrito (in the foil) into a 400°F preheated oven. It’ll need to bake for 45 minutes or so and then you can remove the foil and continue baking it until the filling is warmed through and the tortilla is crispy, maybe an hour total. While this does take a long time, it’s completely worry free and you can do chores or work while your dinner heats. Microwave Method: Remove the foil from the burrito and microwave on defrost until it’s thawed, about 7 minutes per side depending on your microwave. Then transfer the thawed burrito to a skillet over medium-low heat and sauté the burrito for a few minutes to crisp up the tortilla. YUM!
What to Serve with These Burritos
I keep it simple with my burritos since they are packed full of so many veggies. Usually, I serve them with sour cream and guacamole, but you also can’t go wrong with hot sauce or any sort of salsa if you wanted. Tortilla chips are always a good match. Use them to scoop up any fillings that spill out!
1 1/2 cups white rice 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1/2 fresh lime, juiced
For the freezer burrito
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 assorted bell peppers, chopped 1 red onion, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 4 tomatillos, peeled, washed, and chopped 1 cup salsa 1 teaspoon ground cumin 8 large (12-inch) flour tortillas 16 ounces pepper jack or cheddar cheese
To serve
Sour cream, for serving Guacamole, for serving
Cook until rice has absorbed the water and is tender, 15-20 minutes. There may be extra water, which you should drain off by leaving a space between the lid and pot, then pouring the remaining water out into the sink. Return to the stove off heat, cover, and let the rice steam for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Set aside. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tomatillos start to break down. Use the back of a fork to mash them slightly. Add the salsa and continue to cook until the mixture is dry and has no visible liquid, maybe another 3-4 minutes. Then remove from heat and scoop into another bowl. Take one tortilla from the stack and keep the remaining wrapped. Place it on top of a piece of foil. Then in the lower-middle section of the tortilla, add 1/3 cup of cooked lime rice, 1/3 cup of the pepper mixture, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/3 cup of the black bean mixture. Leave space at each end. Fold each end partially over the filing, then take the bottom part of the tortilla, fold it over the ends and roll it up tightly until all of the filling is encased. Once formed, wrap the burrito in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Repeat with all burritos. Transfer burrito a nonstick skillet over medium heat-low heat and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until burrito is nice and crispy. To reheat in an oven, preheat to 400°F. Place the wrapped burrito on a baking sheet and directly in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove and unwrap burrito. Return back to oven for 10 minutes for a crispy tortilla.
