Easy, breezy, freezy. Roll up a few burritos, bake 'em up, and eat them now or freeze individually for super-easy lunches and dinners down the road. This flexible recipe can be made vegetarian, carnivorous, or vegan to satisfy every eater.
Yield: 12
Ingredients
15ouncesrefried beansone can; or two cups homemade refried beans [our favorite recipe]
2cupscooked brown rice*
1cupsalsajust use your favorite kind; any kind should do fine
15ouncesdiced green chiliesone can
1cupfrozen corn kernelsthawed
1 1/2cupsshredded cheddar cheesedivided
12flour tortillas**10-inch size
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, stir together the refried beans, brown rice, salsa, chilies, corn, and 1 cup cheese. If adding chicken to half, move 3 cups of the mix to a separate medium bowl, add the chicken, and stir. If making a vegan filling (without cheese), add 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.
If the tortillas don't seem pliable (likely to rip when you bend/roll them), place tortillas on a large plate and cover with a damp dishtowel. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to steam the tortillas.
One at a time, lay the tortillas flat and place 1/3 cup filling just below the center. Fold in the sides of the tortilla so that they nearly touch, then bring up the bottom of the tortilla, pulling the contents tight, rolling the burrito from the bottom upl, and keeping the sides tucked as you go.
Lay the burritos side by side in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan (or, if you're making a meaty version and a vegetarian version, keep them segregated by using two 8-inch by 8-inch pans).
Sprinkle additional cheddar cheese over the top (omit for vegan version) and bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through, cheese is melted, and they're starting to turn golden brown. Serve.
Notes
* Feel free to substitute white rice if you prefer. ** If you're a vegetarian, make sure you use vegetarian (lard-free) refried beans and lard-free tortillas.
Let cool and wrap individual burritos tightly in foil to freeze. To reheat, remove foil and wrap loosely in a paper towel. Microwave on high for about two minutes, flip, and cook for another minute or so until heated through. These can also be reheated on the grill or even over a campfire (keep them in the foil)! I've also plopped these directly in freezer bags for shorter-term freezing. Another make-ahead option? Make the filling ahead of time then assemble the burritos later on. The filling lasts in the refrigerator for about 3 days, or freeze in a freezer bag for several months.
Vegan/dairy-free option:
Leave out the cheese or sub vegan cheese. I also like to add an extra pinch of salt and pepper plus 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin to amp up the flavor for the vegan version.
Meat option:
Add cooked shredded chicken to the mix for the meat-eaters.