Ultimate Vegetarian Burrito

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 24 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 burritos

Quick and easy, vegan bean and rice burritos are a perfect vegetarian dinner idea. This basic recipe includes plenty of Mexican spices, is a great way to use up leftover rice, and can be customized to whatever you have on hand.

Vegetarian rice and beans cut in half and stacked on top of each other

​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Secrets Revealed

The secret to this delicious burrito is cilantro-lime rice. Many restaurants rely on it for vegetarian burritos as well, and it's as simple as mixing chopped cilantro and lime juice into cooked rice. You'll gently heat the rice, then wrap it into a burrito with sautéed onion, garlic, black or pinto beans, hot sauce, and a few spices. Add extra toppings such as non-dairy sour cream, homemade guacamole, salsa, and black olives if you like.

Party Hardy

This recipe is easy to scale up for a party, or you can use the recipe as is and use smaller tortillas for more burritos. If serving a crowd, keep the tortillas warm in a tortilla warmer. Have fun, get creative with the toppings, and let your family or friends assemble their own burritos. Remember to have lots of napkins on hand!

It's a Wrap!


These burritos are so filling that they're almost a complete and balanced meal on their own. If you'd like a side dish, consider elote (Mexican street corn), refried bean taquitos, or simply slice up an avocado and serve it on top of any fillings that didn't fit in the tortillas.

Are Vegetarian Burritos Healthy?

Generally, vegetarian burritos are pretty healthy because they're filled with beans, rice, and veggies. The nutritional value is going to depend on the ingredients you add. One that will up the calorie count is sour cream, and there's little difference between store-bought dairy and vegan versions. A homemade vegan sour cream is a good alternative.

Tips for the Ultimate Vegetarian Burrito

  • Warm tortillas are much easier to fold and taste so much better. You can microwave them under a damp paper towel for 15 seconds, place them on a griddle over low heat, or wrap them in foil and bake for about 15 minutes at 350 F.
  • Prepare the tortillas ahead and keep them warm in a tortilla warmer until you're ready to serve.
  • Keep your fillings 3 to 4 inches wide and about 8 inches long. If you add more, your veggie burrito may not close properly.
  • Let the burritos sit for a couple of minutes so the tortillas mold to the filling.

"This recipe offers twists that elevate the ordinary vegetarian burrito into something exciting. Onions, garlic and spices transform canned black beans, while lime juice and cilantro add brightness to the rice. These twists added tons of flavor. We added leftover sauteed peppers, cheese and salsa, and the results put our usual burrito joint to shame." —Danielle Centoni

Vegetarian bean and rice burrito cut in half
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked rice

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 2 medium limes, juiced

  • 1/2 medium onion, diced

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, or pinto beans, drained

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste

  • Fine salt, to taste, optional

  • 4 (10-inch) tortillas

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients gathered for rice and bean burritos

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss together 2 cups cooked rice, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of lime from 2 medium limes, juiced. Heat in the microwave or on the stove just until hot, and give it a quick stir. 

    Cooked rice in a bowl with cilantro and lime juice

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga 

  3. In a large skillet, sauté 1/2 medium diced onion in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add 3 to 4 medium cloves minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

    Onion and garlic sautéed in a skillet and stirred with a wooden spoon

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1 (15-ounce) can black beans or pinto beans, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste, stirring to combine. You can add fine salt, to taste, if you'd like, but you shouldn't need too much with all the other seasonings. Allow the beans to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

    Black beans and pinto beans in a skillet

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Divide the cilantro-lime rice and the black bean mixture onto 4 (10-inch) tortillas, lightly warmed, and add any additional toppings you want.

    Cilantro-lime rice and black bean mix spooned into center of flour tortilla

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. To wrap the burritos, fold the short ends in, then fold one long side over the filling and gently push to ensure the fold is tight before rolling up the remainder of the burrito.

    Flour tortilla with rice and beans being rolled into burrito shape

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Cut in half, and serve immediately.

    Vegetarian bean and rice burritos sliced in half and ready to serve

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Clean out the fridge by adding this or that to the burrito. Switching out ingredients is part of the fun of this dish.
  • Add salsa or pico de gallo, or use either to replace the hot sauce.
  • Spice up the burrito with canned green chiles or fresh or jarred jalapeño slices.
  • Toss 1/2 cup of corn or chopped bell pepper into the skillet when sautéing the vegetables.
  • Fold in sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole into the burrito.
  • Add a chopped tomato or canned spicy, chunky tomatoes (drain it first).
  • Shred vegan cheese and sprinkle it on the filling before folding.
  • Shredded lettuce (although not common in a burrito) gives it an extra crunch.
  • For a little extra protein, add a scrambled egg or some leftover tofu scramble. 

How to Store and Reheat

Wrap any leftover burritos tightly in plastic and refrigerate. Use within 2 days. To rewarm, remove the plastic and microwave on medium-low in short bursts in a microwave-safe dish until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
413 Calories
8g Fat
73g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 413
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 704mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 73g 27%
Dietary Fiber 10g 37%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 15mg 74%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 554mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)