Crisp Bean Burritos
These crisp bean burritos are my copycat take on the ones I grew up ordering at Taco Time. A soft flour tortilla gets filled with creamy, cheesy refried beans, rolled up tight, and fried until the outside turns deep golden and crackly. One bite and you get that shatter, then the warm, melty center.
Where I am from, we call these a crisp burrito. Most people would call them flautas, and honestly, I am not going to argue about the name when the plate is this good.
What I love most is how little it takes. The filling comes down to three simple things: refried beans, flour tortillas, and shredded cheddar cheese. A packet of taco seasoning wakes up the beans, and a cup of vegetable oil does the frying. That is it. No long list, no specialty shopping trip.
They make a great quick lunch or a no fuss dinner on a busy weeknight. I usually set out salsa, sour cream, and guacamole and let everyone dip their own. My family fights over the crispy ends every single time.
There is one step that surprises people, and it is the freezer. The rolled burritos rest in the freezer for an hour before they hit the skillet, and that little chill keeps the beans from spilling out of the open ends.
Skip it and you will be fishing beans out of hot oil, which is exactly as fun as it sounds.
Want to change things up? Toss in cooked chicken, cooked beef, or a spoonful of green chiles along with the beans and cheese. The filling is friendly that way, so use what you have.
And if frying is not your thing today, you can bake them instead. Same filling, same crunch, a lot less oil. I have made both in the same week, depending on how much energy I have.
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Chile Colorado Burritos
If you like the idea of a burrito that gets smothered in sauce, chile colorado burritos are the next stop on your list. Instead of a crisp shell, these are usually filled with shredded beef and then covered in a deep red chile sauce that soaks right into the tortilla.
The sauce is what makes it. Dried chiles are the backbone, and they bring a warm, earthy heat rather than a sharp burn. Many home cooks soak the chiles, blend them with a little garlic and broth, then simmer until the sauce thickens.
It gets poured over the rolled burritos, and everything finishes in the oven with cheese melted on top.
Here is how I think about the two recipes side by side. Crisp bean burritos are the fast, crunchy, handheld version. Chile colorado burritos are the sit down, fork and knife version. Both are worth your time, they just fit different moods.
One tip I have learned the hard way: keep the filling on the drier side. A wet filling plus a wet sauce turns the tortilla to mush. If your beef is saucy, drain a little before you roll.
You can also borrow the rolling method from this page. Spread the filling down the center, keep the ends open, and roll snugly so nothing bursts in the oven.
Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos
Freezer beef and bean burritos are the answer to the 5 p.m. panic. You make a batch on a Sunday, wrap them up, and suddenly lunch or dinner is handled for weeks.
The method is close to what we do here. Seasoned ground beef gets stirred together with refried beans, rolled into flour tortillas, and packed away. The difference is that these are meant to be stored and cooked later rather than eaten right away.
And here is the good news. This recipe already teaches you half of that skill. The step where the rolled burritos go into the freezer for one hour before frying is the same idea, just on a smaller timeline. Once you get comfortable with that, a bigger freezer batch feels easy.
A few things I keep in mind. Let the filling cool before rolling so the tortillas do not steam and turn soggy. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can.
Label the bag with the date so nothing turns into a mystery. Freeze them flat in a single layer first, then move them into one bag once they are firm.
Reheat straight from frozen. A skillet with a little oil brings back the crisp outside. A microwave gets you a soft, fast version when you are running out the door.
Serve them with the same dips you would use for crisp bean burritos: salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Smothered Chicken Burritos
Smothered chicken burritos take the same rolling skill and flip the finish. Instead of frying, you bake the burritos and then pour something creamy or saucy over the top, usually with a blanket of melted cheese.
Cooked chicken is the filling here, often shredded and mixed with a little cream cheese, green chiles, or a mild enchilada style sauce. The tortillas get rolled, tucked seam side down in a baking dish, and baked until everything is hot and bubbling.
If you have leftover chicken from a roast, this is a great place for it. The beans and cheese from our crisp burritos can even join in as a base layer underneath the chicken.
The thing I like about this style is how forgiving it is. If a burrito cracks a little while rolling, the sauce hides it completely. Nobody at the table will ever know.
Serve it with a scoop of rice, some shredded lettuce, and a dollop of sour cream. It is comfort food that still feels like a real dinner, and it reheats beautifully the next day.
For a bigger crowd, build it in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and double the sauce. Just give it a few extra minutes in the oven so the middle is hot all the way through.
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Pinning also helps other home cooks find the recipe. If you make them, come back and tell me how they turned out, especially if you went with the baked version.
Ingredients
You only need five things for the whole batch, and the filling itself is built on three of them.
- 2 cans (16 ounces each) refried beans
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning
- 8 flour tortillas, 6 inch size
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, mild cheddar works great
- 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
That is the entire list. If you keep refried beans and tortillas on hand, you are already most of the way there.
Instructions
- Mix the beans and the taco seasoning together in a medium bowl until everything is combined.
- Spread about 1/3 cup of the refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll the tortilla up, keeping the ends open. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, beans, and cheese.
- Place the burritos in two large freezer bags and put them in the freezer for one hour before frying. This step matters. Without it, the beans spill out of the ends while they fry. If you plan to bake them, you can skip the freezer.
- Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium low heat. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set it in the oven.
- Using tongs, carefully lay 2 burritos into the skillet, seam side down. Fry for 40 to 60 seconds, or until golden brown. Flip and fry another 40 to 60 seconds on the second side.
- Lay the fried burritos on a paper towel lined plate to soak up extra grease, then set them on the baking sheet in the oven to stay warm. Repeat with the rest of the burritos.
- Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or whatever you like to dip.
Notes
To bake instead of fry: Once the burritos are rolled, place them in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. No freezing needed before baking.
To freeze for later: Make the burritos as directed but do not fry them. Place them in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible, then freeze.
To cook from frozen: Fry the frozen burritos in oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or reheat them in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
One last note from my kitchen: fry in small batches. Crowding the skillet drops the oil temperature, and you end up with greasy burritos instead of crisp ones. Two at a time is the sweet spot, and it gives you time to drain and stack each batch in the warm oven.
The freezer hour is not optional for frying. It is the quiet trick that keeps the filling inside the tortilla where it belongs.
Recipe details
This recipe makes 8 burritos, which is a solid dinner for four hungry people or a lunch stash for two.
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 2 minutes |
| Servings | 8 |
FAQs
What are crisp bean burritos?
Crisp bean burritos are a copycat version of the popular fast food item from Taco Time. They consist of flour tortillas filled with seasoned refried beans and shredded cheddar cheese, then pan-fried until golden and crunchy. They are similar to flautas but are made with flour tortillas instead of corn.
How do you make crisp bean burritos?
To make them, mix 2 cans of refried beans with 1 packet of taco seasoning. Spread about 1/3 cup of the mixture onto 8 six-inch flour tortillas and top with 3 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese each. Roll them up, freeze for one hour, then pan-fry in 1 cup of vegetable oil over medium-low heat for 40 to 60 seconds per side until golden brown.
Can you bake crisp bean burritos instead of frying?
Yes, you can bake them for a lighter version. Place the rolled burritos on a foil-lined baking sheet, spray the tops with cooking spray, and bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Freezing is not required before baking, unlike the pan-frying method.
What should you serve with crisp bean burritos?
Crisp bean burritos are best served warm with classic accompaniments for dipping and topping. Popular choices include salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. For a complete meal, they pair well with Spanish rice, a simple side salad, or Mexican street corn.
Crisp Bean Burritos
Crisp Bean Burritos These crisp bean burritos are my copycat take on the ones I grew up ordering at Taco Time. A soft flour tortilla gets filled with creamy, cheesy refried beans, rolled up tight, and fried until the outside turns deep golden and crackly.
- Total Time: 0 min
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans
1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning
8 flour tortillas, 6-inch
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
1-Mix beans and taco seasoning together in: Mix beans and taco seasoning together in a medium size bowl until combined.
2-Spread about a 1/3 cup refried beans: Spread about a 1/3 cup refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll tortilla up; keeping ends open. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beans and cheese.
3-Place burritos in two large freezer zip-lock: Place burritos in two large freezer zip-lock bags. Place in freezer for one hour before frying.
4-Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over: Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Set prepared baking sheet in oven.
5-Using tongs, carefully lay 2 burritos into: Using tongs, carefully lay 2 burritos into the skillet, seam-side down. Fry for 40 to 60 seconds or until golden brown. Flip burritos onto their other side and fry another 40 to 60 seconds. Lay fried burritos onto a paper-towel lined plate to soak up any grease. Carefully set cooked burritos onto baking sheet in oven to keep them warm. Repeat frying process with all burritos.
6-Serve crisp bean burritos warm and enjoy: Serve crisp bean burritos warm and enjoy with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.
Baking Variation (from Notes)
7-Once the burritos are rolled, place them: Once the burritos are rolled, place them in a single layer onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray.
8-Bake burritos at 400 degrees F: Bake burritos at 400 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Freezing Variation (from Notes)
9-Make burritos as directed but do not: Make burritos as directed but do not fry. Place burritos in a freezer ziplock bag. Make sure to get rid as much air as possible. Freeze.
10-When ready to eat, fry frozen burritos: When ready to eat, fry frozen burritos in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. OR reheat in microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.- Prep Time: 75 min
- Cook Time: 2 min
- Method: stovetop
