Six Easy Meatless Burrito Ideas Using Whole Wheat Tortillas

Tortillas are a popular staple food in Mexico and South America and are consumed daily. Consumption of the tortilla has also become prominent in North America with many families incorporating the tortilla into their meal. Tortillas when served with the right foods can be fulfilling and nutritious. Below are some great ideas on how to use tortillas in your meal.

When purchasing tortillas you should try to aim for the whole wheat variety. The majority of these recipes will require the usage cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. I would suggest using Sargento brand cheese. Sargento makes Sargento Fancy Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese and Sargento Fancy Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese. If you are worried about the amount of calories and fat in the cheese, Sargento also has a reduced fat cheddar cheese variety. If you are not too crazy about Sargento brand cheese purchase the store brand version of these cheeses.

Burrito Recipe ideas

1.Bean and Rice burrito- This burrito is pretty filling as it contains rice. For this burrito you will need the following;

1 whole wheat tortilla
Half cup of brown rice
Half cup of Goya dark kidney beans (in can)
Half cup of mild vegetable salsa
Half cup of mild or sharp shredded cheese, which ever you prefer
A small handful of chopped Spanish onions (optional)
Goya seasoning (without annatto)

Place the chopped onions and kidney beans on medium heat for 5 minutes; be sure not to let all of the bean's sauce dry up in the pan because you want moist beans.

Next, place the tortilla on a frying pan over medium heat for 30 seconds each side. You can also place the tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds, if you do not want to use the pan. The whole wheat tortilla will be easier to work with when warmed, because it'll become more flexible and easier to fold as opposed to the wheat tortillas left at room temperature that are stiffer.

Now remove your tortilla from the stove or microwave and place the salsa in its center, then add the rice, onions, beans, and the cheese. Once all of the ingredients are put on the tortilla you want to fold it. To fold the tortilla you want to start by folding the bottom of the tortilla inwards in an upward motion twice and use your pointer finger to hold that piece in place. Next using your other hand fold the left side of the tortilla over twice and use the last remaining piece unfolded piece of tortilla (on the right side) and fold it over to the center. Once folded, flip the burrito over on the opposite side and serve. You can also serve the burrito in foil to help keep it together.

2. Creamy Cheese Bean burrito-. You'll need the following;

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 Cup of refried beans (Old El Pas is a good brand)
1 Cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1Cup of shredded or thinly sliced Monterey jack cheese
½ cup of sour cream
½ cup of salsa
½ cup of chopped Spanish onions

First take the Spanish onions and fry them over medium heat for about 2 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.

Next, take your Old El Paso refried beans and heat them accordingly as instructed in directions on back of

Take you whole wheat tortilla and warm in a frying pan on each side for 30 seconds or in the microwave for 10 seconds. Once your wheat tortilla is warmed spread the refried beans its center. Then pile on your onions, sour cream, salsa, cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese. Wrap the tortilla and enjoy.

3. Classic Vegan Bean burrito This recipe is simple and requires minimal ingredients. You will need the following;

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 Cup of refried beans
½ cup of chopped Spanish onions
½ cup of shredded lettuce (optional)
A pinch or two of seasoning such as Goya without Annatto or any seasoning of your choice

Heat your whole wheat tortilla in pan, on stove top, over medium heat for 30 seconds on each side or in microwave for 10 seconds.

Then heat your refried beans accordingly.

Take tortilla and place the refried beans in its center along with the onions, lettuce and seasoning. Wrap and enjoy.

This recipe is very simple and does not include many ingredients and this is because the taste is focused on the flavor of the beans. Since the burrito is light you can serve with a nice salad or soup. You do not have to restrict yourself to using the refried beans you can use any bean of your preference. Kidney, black beans, and red beans make good choices to use in the tortilla.

4. Classic Bean burrito- This burrito is similar to the above mentioned burrito except it includes cheese. You will need the following;

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 cup of refried beans or beans of your choice
½ of chopped Spanish onions
1 cup of red sauce
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (optional)

Prepare this burrito the same way as mentioned above.

There is a great red sauce recipe located at; http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mexican_red_chili_sauce/ ) ,

5. 3 bean 3 cheese burrito- This is a hearty wrap for those who love beans and cheese equally. For this recipe you will need the following ingredients;

1 extra large tortilla or 1 regular sized whole wheat tortilla
½ cup of dark kidney beans
½ cup of small red beans
½ cup of light kidney beans
½ cup of corn
½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup of shredded or thinly sliced Monterey jack cheese
½ cup of shredded or thinly sliced pepper jack cheese
½ cup of Spanish onions
½ cup of green peppers
½ cup of diced tomatoes
½ cup of vegetable (chunky) salsa

The ingredients are plenty and so the tortilla will need to be of reciprocate size. Some grocery stores sell extra large tortillas all though they are rare. If you can not find extra large tortillas then you will have to use the average sized tortilla and stuff it accordingly.

First place all of the beans, onions, salsa, corn and the peppers into the pan and simmer on medium heat for about three minutes.

Then, heat the tortilla in either the pan on each side on medium heat for 30 seconds or in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Remove tortilla from pan and fill with the heated ingredients then add all of the cheese and tomatoes on top. Enjoy!

6. Fresh Cooked Vegetable Burrito- This burrito is very filling and contains the usage of multiple vegetables. It will require the following ingredients;

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 cup of red kidney beans (dry variety)
1 cup of cold cheddar cheese (optional)
1 table spoon of olive oil
½ cup of onions
½ cup diced garlic
½ cup of sautéed or fried mushrooms
½ cup of warmed canned corn
½ cup of chopped green peppers
½ cup chopped red peppers
½ cup of fresh chopped tomatoes
½ cup of chopped lettuce
Pinch or two of Goya seasoning without annatto or your choice (optional)

In this recipe you will be using red kidney beans the dry variety. Dry beans take much longer to cook than canned beans. It could take up to 3 hours to prepare dry beans using the quick soak method. It will be a good idea to prepare these beans a head of time. Dry beans have a very different taste from canned beans, they are fresher and void of the excess salt often used in canned beans.

If you do want to save yourself the hassle of preparing these beans you can always opt to use the kidney beans in a can. Goya has the best line of canned beans to use in burritos. Using seasoning in this recipe is optional, it's better left out as the taste of the fresh ingredients will add its own unique flavor. You should also omit the cheese if you are preparing this for someone who does not like or eat cheese, the flavor will be just as wonderful without cheese.

First place mushrooms in pan and fry until nice and browned take them out set them to the side.

Then place onions and garlic in pan with the corn, kidney beans, green and red peppers and sprinkle seasoning over the ingredients (optional) and cook for 2 minutes.

Next chop up your tomato and lettuce and set to the side and warm up your tortilla by placing in a pan over medium heat for 30 seconds on each side or by placing in microwave for 10 seconds.

Take your tortilla and place all of the cooked ingredients in the center, then add the lettuce and tomato and last the cheese.

Wrap tortilla up. Enjoy!
You'll soon find that making lunch using tortillas are quick and fun. Tortillas are versatile and not only have to be used with beans; you can add fresh vegetables or meat in the tortillas for a nice healthy wrap. You may find yourself inventing some recipes of your own.