These Bean and Cheese Burritos are loaded with flavor! Creamy beans, spiced rice, corn, and cheese come together, crisped to perfection in a skillet or air fryer!
Bean and Cheese Burritos
These burritos are part of my “cook once, enjoy all week” series using homemade Pinto Beans. Just cook dried pinto beans in a slow cooker or Instant Pot® at the start of the week. Serve them as a side, then use the leftovers in meals like these quick Bean and Cheese Burritos—no reheating needed!
I also share how to use these beans in Pinto Bean Tacos and Bean Tostadas. Cook once and enjoy easy cooking all week!
Quick Tip
Missed the first mini-series? Homemade Black Beans were used in this recipe, plus Southwest Egg Rolls, Chipotle Chicken Salad, and Black Bean Bowls!
Bean and Cheese Burrito Tips
- Heat tortillas: Pile on a plate, put a damp towel on top, and microwave for 20 seconds. Keep extra tortillas wrapped.
- Use large tortillas: Large tortillas stop tearing. For smaller tortillas, use less filling.
- Crisp burritos: Microwaving is fast, but crisping in a pan or air fryer for 5 minutes is tastier!
- Let rice sit: After the liquid soaks in, cover and wait for 5-10 minutes to avoid mushiness.
Bean And Cheese Burrito Cooking Options
- From the fridge: Cook in a skillet or grill pan over low to medium heat until crispy outside and the cheese melts inside.
- Air fryer (fridge): Unwrap, lightly spray with oil, and place seam-side down. Cook at 360°F for 6-10 minutes, flipping halfway. For multiple burritos, leave space and add a little more time.
- Air fryer (frozen): Wrap in foil and cook at 360°F for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Microwave (frozen): Defrost for 7-9 minutes or use the defrost-by-weight setting (1 lb). Crisp in a skillet if you want.
- Oven (frozen): Wrap in foil and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Crisp in a skillet if you want.
Quick Tip
Microwaves, ovens, and air fryers can vary quite a bit. Watch these burritos carefully and adjust time as needed.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Don’t have time/desire to make the pinto beans from scratch? Use a can of refried beans instead!
- Replace the green onions with freshly chopped cilantro (use 2 tablespoons instead)
- Cut down the spice by eliminating the jalapeños and using McCormick chili powder (which is very mild)
- Increase the spice by adding in 1/8 teaspoon (or more!) of cayenne pepper
- Switch up the cheese! Use a different cheese or a blend of cheeses. We love combining Monterey Jack and extra sharp cheddar cheese best!
Bean and Cheese Burritos Topping Ideas
These Bean and Cheese Burritos are packed with flavor and don’t need much for toppings.
A side of sour cream (lite works too!) and salsa—homemade or store-bought—are great. Fresh lime juice, cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese are tasty extras.
Storage
Bean and Cheese Burrito Storage
- Store: Keep burritos in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Wrap each burrito in plastic, wax, or parchment paper, put them in a freezer bag, mark the bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Meatless Meals
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with black beans
- Vegetarian Chili with tons of veggies
- Healthy Tacos with a cilantro pesto
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Bowls with a creamy sauce
- Moroccan Stew with butternut squash
Bean & Cheese Burritos
These Bean and Cheese Burritos are packed with flavor! Creamy spiced beans, zesty rice, crisp corn, and plenty of cheese—all wrapped up and crisped to perfection in a skillet or air fryer.
Equipment
- Medium pot nonstick
- Large skillet nonstick
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder I use McCormick, which is very mild
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1-3/4 cups chicken broth or stock, or vegetable stock for vegetarian option; I love Swanson’s best!
- 1 cup prepared pinto beans or refried beans, see note 1
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 lime
- 2 cups freshly shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
- 8 tablespoons sour cream lite or fat-free is great
- 8 large tortillas burrito sized
- Optional toppings see note 2
Instructions
- Pinto Beans: See note 1.
- Add the olive oil to a nonstick pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until golden and tender. Add minced garlic and jalapeño and stir for 1 minute. Add all the seasonings (as well as salt and pepper to taste; I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Stir, constantly, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice and stir constantly (no liquid still!) for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Let cook for 12–17 minutes or until all the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat, keeping the rice covered, and let stand 5–10 minutes.
- Once the rice has finished standing, remove the lid. Stir in the black beans, frozen corn, green onions, and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- Stack the tortillas on a large plate and place a damp paper towel over top. Microwave for 20 seconds to steam the tortillas. Keep the other tortillas covered while working on filling for 1 burrito. Place one of the tortillas in a clean work space. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream on the left third the tortilla. Top with 3 tablespoons of the pinto (or refried) beans. Top with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture. Top with 1/4 cup of the Cheddar cheese. Fold up the burrito, rolling tightly and sealing so edges are folded in (great visual here). Repeat to get 8 loaded burritos!
- Spray the burritos all over with cooking spray. Rub the spray into all sides of the burrito. Warm a very large nonstick skillet to medium heat for 1 minute. Once hot, place 2–3 burritos seam side down in the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2–4 minutes. Flip with tongs and cook another 2–4 minutes or until golden and crisp. The filling should be hot and cheese melted. Serve with any desired toppings such as sour cream, salsa, cherry tomatoes, cotija cheese, and/or fresh lime juice.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: This recipe uses leftovers from these homemade pinto beans!
- Don’t have the time to make from-scratch beans? Canned refried beans work too.
- If you do make homemade pinto beans (highly recommended!), wait until the next day so the beans are thick enough to use in this recipe (right after being made, they’re a bit watery and thicken a lot overnight). No need to warm them through; they’ll get plenty warm when we cook the burritos. If you want these burritos to be vegetarian, use vegetable stock and leave out the bacon.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.3g | Protein: 17.7g | Fat: 16.8g | Cholesterol: 36.9mg | Sodium: 574.9mg | Fiber: 4.9g | Sugar: 2.1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I went back for seconds!! Made extras for the freezer as well.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Gabrielle! 🙂
Excellent, as always. Wonderful flavor with all of the spices. We’ve tried several of your recipes and they are all fantastic. My husband thanks you! ❤️
You are so kind! I’m so happy you guys enjoyed! Thanks! 🙂
AMAZING! And yes yes yes SO much better fried!
Yay! So happy you love this! Thanks! 🙂