Our family has always had a “thing” for burritos. At least once a week they find their way into a meal; fish, beef, chicken, or veg, we love them all. This is our go-to recipe for our vegetarian version. They are full of nutrients and have the “more” quality that we’re always striving for. The recipe for the filling makes a fair amount, but lasts for up to a week in the fridge, and is great alongside rice or scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
2½ – 3# sweet potato
1 large yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2T canola oil
2T cumin
2T chili powder
1 t dried chilies
2 t salt
½ c water
4-5 cups of prepared beans (or 2 – 19oz tins) Pinto, Black, or Black Eyed (preparation follows, start the day before)
whole-wheat flour tortillas
shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream or crème fraîche or crema Mexicana
Salsa Verde or other salsa
chopped romaine or shredded iceberg lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sliced avocado, or guacamole
Directions
Peel and cut the sweet potato into a fairly small dice – about ⅜th of an inch
Peel and chop the onion to about the same size.
Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Drain and rinse the beans if using tinned.
Heat the canola oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
Add in the chopped onions and garlic, and cook for 6 – 7 minutes.
Mix in the cumin, chili powder, dried chilies, and salt.
Add in the diced sweet potato with the water, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time. At this point, the sweet potatoes should be just fork-tender.
Add in the beans, and cover. Raise the heat to medium high, and continue cooking for another 8 minutes, stirring half way through. If the beans start to stick, lower the heat back to medium.
To assemble:
Wrap a couple of tortillas in paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Alternately, wrap the tortillas in a wetted and wrung out dishtowel. Put in a 300° oven for 5-6 minutes. This warming makes the tortillas more pliable, and easier to fold without tearing.
Lay a tortilla on a plate and spoon some of the hot filling down the center, not all the way to the bottom edge.
Top with your choice of additions, if using cheese, add it directly on top of the hot filling so it starts to melt.
Fold the bottom edge up onto the filling, fold one side over the filling, and finally fold the other side up over it all, leaving the top of the filling exposed and ready for eating.
Gluten Free Option: simply replace the whole wheat tortillas with corn tortillas.
To prepare beans: starting the day before, put a couple of cups of beans into a large bowl, and cover with cold water – the water should be at least double the depth of the beans. Leave to soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans and add to a large pot along with 2½ times the amount of fresh water to the soaked amount of beans, with 2 t of salt. Bring to a boil, and immediately turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Stir gently, cover, and cook until the beans are tender. Any foam that develops on top of the water can be scooped off. Cooking over a low temperature keeps the beans intact, and lessens any foam. The beans can take from an hour to an hour and a half to become tender. Once cooked, drain, rinse and leave to cool. Once cool, store covered in the fridge if not using immediately.
farmhouse cook 