This easy meatless Black Bean Burrito recipe can be made mild, spicy, or anywhere in between! It's protein-rich plus everyone can customize with their own favorite toppings. Finish it on a skillet for crispy deliciousness! (Vegan with gluten-free & oil-free options.)
These meatless black bean burritos are hearty, satisfying, and protein-rich! The black bean mixture features flavorful aromatics like onion, garlic, jalapeño, salsa, cilantro, and taco seasoning. (Yum!) Then it's wrapped up in a delicious tortilla package with fluffy rice, creamy guacamole, or whatever else you choose.
This recipe is wildly customizable so you can adjust as desired. And the best part is it's a great family-friendly meal because everyone can build and assemble them with their own favorite toppings.
There's something special about finishing burritos on a skillet to create that crispy, browned exterior. It really takes it to another level of maximum deliciousness!
Ingredients for Black Bean Burrito
For this recipe you'll need:
- Yellow onion: You'll need one small yellow onion, or half of a large onion. Substitute white onion or sweet onion if preferred.
- Red bell pepper: Or swap in another color like yellow, orange, or green bell pepper. Red, orange, and yellow are typically sweeter than green bell pepper which has a slightly bitter taste.
- Black beans: You'll need two 15-ounce cans of black beans for this recipe. Or if you cook your own beans from scratch, use about 3 cups cooked beans. (You could also use pinto beans or half pinto, half black beans.)
- Roma tomato
- Salsa: Most often I use my homemade Restaurant-Style Blender Salsa, but use your own favorite or a jarred salsa instead. Use mild, medium, or hot depending on your preference.
- Jalapeño pepper: I use 1-2 peppers for this recipe, and remove the seeds and ribs to help eliminate the excess heat. If you have extra-sensitive eaters or small children, feel free to remove this ingredient altogether so it's completely mild. Or if you enjoy the spice and flavor, use even more if you'd like!
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Taco seasoning: I use my homemade Taco Seasoning blend that I keep in a jar in my pantry. You'll need one tablespoon for this recipe, but you can add more if desired. If you don't have taco seasoning, substitute a blend of warm spices such as ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and oregano.
- Fresh cilantro: I stir this in at the end of cooking time for bright, fresh flavor. But if you don't care for cilantro, simply omit it.
- Large tortillas: Use your favorite burrito-sized flour tortillas or wraps. Use gluten-free or oil-free if desired.
Try it with guacamole! Below I include my go-to guacamole recipe. I think it pairs great with the black bean mixture.
Customizing
Make it spicy: Add more jalapeño pepper, a pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper, chipotle chili in adobo sauce, medium or hot diced green chiles, or simply top with hot sauce to taste before serving. You can also serve it with this flavorful, smoky Chipotle Crema!
Add grains: These burritos are great with cooked rice or quinoa included. Try white rice, brown rice, Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice, Mexican rice, or Spanish rice.
Other additions: Stir in sweet corn or fire-roasted corn, cooked sweet potato, fresh baby spinach, diced green chiles, or anything else that sounds good!
Crispy option: I highly recommend this! After you wrap up your burrito, place it on a grill pan or large skillet over medium heat. Warm it on one side for a few minutes, then flip and heat the other side until lightly browned and crispy.
For oil-free: The recipe is prepared refined oil-free, so simply ensure your tortillas and salsa are made without oil.
Serving
Toppings: Options are endless! Add diced avocado, guacamole, romaine lettuce, vegan cheese or cheddar cheese sauce, salsa, Pico de Gallo, dairy-free sour cream, Cashew Queso, a squeeze of lime juice, fajita veggies, or more fresh cilantro.
Bowl option: Instead of wrapping this up in a tortilla, serve it in a bowl with rice or quinoa. Then load it up with lots of toppings! This is a great gluten-free option if you can't find gluten-free tortillas.
Nachos & tacos: You can also use the black bean mixture for nachos, tacos, dipping chips, or quesadillas!
Storing
Store the black bean mixture leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find they keep for about 4 days. Or you can prepare and wrap individual burritos to grab a quick meal throughout the week.
Freezing: I haven't tried freezing these burritos, but I think they'd work great as a freezer meal. I suggest leaving out the guacamole, then making it fresh when you're ready to serve. Be sure to let the burritos cool completely before wrapping and freezing.
For more inspiration, also browse all easy vegan dinner recipes or black bean recipes.
Black Bean Burrito (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion (or 1/2 large)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 30 oz. canned black beans (two 15 oz. cans)
- 1/3 cup salsa (I like Restaurant-Style Blend Salsa)
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 6 large burrito-sized tortillas*
- Optional: cooked rice for serving
For the guacamole:
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 Tbsp. onion, finely diced (red, white, or yellow)
- 1/4 cup roma tomato, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and bell pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
- Meanwhile, dice the tomato. Finely dice the jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed. Mince the garlic.
- When onion is softened, add jalapeño, garlic, and taco seasoning. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Then add the black beans (rinsed and drained), salsa, and tomatoes. Stir to combine, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add roughly chopped cilantro during the last couple minutes of cook time.
- Meanwhile, make the guacamole: Remove the peel and pit from the avocado. Place avocado in a small bowl and lightly mash with a fork. Add all remaining guacamole ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Assemble your burritos. (I like to warm my tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make them more pliable.) Down the center of a tortilla, add a scoop of rice (if using), then some black bean mixture, a dollop of guacamole, and any other toppings of choice. Tuck in the ends and tightly roll up.
- Crispy option: Place the finished burrito on a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Warm it on one side for 3-4 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy. Carefully flip and repeat on the other side.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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Joy says