Bean & Cheese Burritos
If there is one food I am fully addicted to, it’s Bean & Cheese Burritos. I am not sure when these became a top tier food in my book, but they’re fully solidified as grade-A meal to my tastebuds. The combo of those creamy beans, lots of melty cheese, and a soft, pillowy flour tortilla to hold it all together just hits the spot. Heaven on earth in my opinion. It’s one of those things that I order out so regularly that I often think to myself “I’ve got to make these at-home.” Well Cinco de Mayo 2026 was the year make it happen. If there was one thing I was going to do, it was doing these beans justice. No Rosarita cans here. We’re talking buy a bag of plain old raw beans (probably the first time I’ve ever done that), soak them over night, use all the seasonings, and cook them to perfection. And let me tell you what - they did not disappoint. Perfect consistency. Perfect flavor. It had the old “I’m sad it’s gone” effect once that last bite was taken. And we LOVED having these multiple nights in a row.
Addicted to the taqueria
If there is one thing to note, I had high standard for this bean & cheese burrito. So much so that I was kind of scared to do it on my own. Like is this going to be a food that’s just not the same when it’s not coming at the price of $7.99 from my favorite taqueria? I was concerned. The back story here is that I am thoroughly addicted to the bean & cheese burritos from the taqueria up the street from our house. Anytime I don’t want to cook or were looking to grab a quick bite after a work event, it’s these specific bean & cheese burritos I’m hunting down. The notorious story if that I called them on my way home from the airport and begged them to stay open 4 minutes past closing so I could snag that burrito. They are just one of the most cravable things I’ve ever eaten.
Need to know info for real deal beans
When I really think about it, it’s the consistency of beans. They’re soup, but not too soupy, meaning they will perfectly ooze out of the top of the burrito while still stay contained in the tortilla. This was the consistency I needed to achieve, and spoiler - we did it.
The keys to success - boil the beans for a LONG time + taste as you go. The soaking overnight does virtually nothing to make them soft, and they need to cook in simmering water for at least 45 minutes. They should just be like butter so that when you squeeze them between your fingers, they mash up with ease. Once you add in all the liquid to the mashed beans + cook it down, do yourself the biggest favor + taste a big spoonful. Taste the beans to make sure they’re fully soft and if you’re getting crunchy vibes, not too worry! Add in some more liquid, crank that heat up, and just give it time. It’s a very forgiving situation.
Appararently I was a little too eager to mash up these beans, and ours were in fact crunchy upon the taste test. Thank goodness we tasted them because I was 10 seconds away from slathering them into a tortilla. Like queue the meltdown. Sweet Jordan tasted them as well and was really trying to keep it positive. A lot of “I would be totally happy to eat them like this - they taste good” talk going around our kitchen. A sweet, kind-hearted, husband who was lying through his teeth to spare my feelings. And I love him for it! We stayed the course, stayed calm, kept cooking the beans with a little extra liquid, and we ultimately got ourselves the perfect refried beans. Soft, velvety, and just delicious.
Also key - Monterey Jack cheese. Would have never picked that one out myself, but all the blogs said to go with this one so I did + it melted to perfection. It’s a cheese that just melts right into the beans, and has that perfect stringy-ness going on. All said and done the burrito was giving taqueria vibes, and I loved that.
Not the GLP-1 tortilla
One of the funniest parts about this was having a package of tortillas in our fridge with a big ol’ sticker on the bag that said “GLP-1 Friendly.” I simply could not. That’s no shade to anyone on a GLP-1. That’s simply just not something we partake in and I feel like it’s such a sign of the times to have a grocery item say that in big bold letters right on the front of the package. Couldn’t miss it kind of advertising. All of that to say me + my GLP-1 tortilla had a great time with this bean + cheese burrito project.
It’s weird because as a kid, when all of my friends were ordering bean & cheese burritos from Taco Bell, I simply couldn’t be bothered. As an adult, they’re my ultimate comfort food. So fun to make + so gratifying to have one thing that you genuinely love to order out and be able to recreate it at home. It made for a very memorable Cinco de Mayo.
For the salsa
1/2 a white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
3 chipotle peppers (canned) + 1 tbsp of the sauce
1 14 oz. can of the fire roasted tomatoes
Salt + pepper
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
1 lime juiced
For the beans
1 lb. raw pinto beans
2 tbsp EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
Salt + pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp taco seasoning or chili powder (I used a mix we’ve had on hand since we snagged it as a souvenir during a trip to Santa Fe)
1 lime, juiced
Large flour tortillas
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
guacamole + hot sauce
Start by making the salsa (which you can do the day ahead of time). Add all of the salsa ingredients, including a pinch of salt + pepper, to a blender + puree. Transfer the salsa to an airtight container and store it in the fridge.
For the beans, start by adding the beans to a large pot + cover with 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the pot, put the beans in the fridge + let them sit overnight. The next day, drain the beans, rinse them, and put the beans back in the pot with fresh water. Bring the beans to a boil + let the water simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and continue to cook for 30-40 minutes. The beans should be soft + close to mushy when they’re fully cooked. Reserve two cups of the bean water + proceed to drain the beans. Add them to a large bowl + mash with a potato mashed. Return the large stock pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Add in the EVOO, garlic + onions. Cook until the onion are translucent. Add beans back to the pot with 1-1/2 cups of the bean broth along with a pinch of salt + pepper, paprika, seasoning mix and lime juice. Increase the heat to medium + let the beans simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. If the beans appear too thick, you can add in some of the extra bean broth of chicken broth 1/4 cup at time. And critical step - taste the beans to make sure they are seasoning + tender.
Time to assemble your burritos. Place a skillet over medium low heat. Lay the tortillas on a cutting board + spoon the beans in the center of the burrito. Try to create a log form with the beans, making sure the beans don’t go all the way to the end of the tortilla. Add 1/4 cup of Monterey Jack cheese on top of the beans. Fold up the tortilla to seal your burrito. Place the burritos in the with the seam side down, toasting on each side for 3-5 miuntes. Serve with the chipotle salsa, some guac, and your favorite hot sauce, and eat up!
