Recipes

Avocado Burrito with Black Beans and Roasted Salsa

Rice, black beans, avocado, cheese, pickles and a quick roasted tomato salsa, rolled tight and toasted.

By Lincoln Moore2 min read

Avocado burrito cut in half showing rice, black beans, avocado and cheese, with roasted salsa and sour cream

Our Avocado Burrito was a vegetarian favorite: rice and black beans with plenty of avocado, melted cheese and a quick roasted tomato salsa, sharpened with pickled onion and jalapeño. It is filling, portable, and just as good as a bowl.

Ingredients

For the roasted tomato salsa

  • 3 tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 small onion, cut in wedges
  • 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
  • 1/2 jalapeño (optional)
  • Juice of 1/2 lime, salt and a handful of cilantro

For the burritos

  • 2 large flour tortillas
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 can (400 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin and a pinch of salt
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese blend
  • 2 tbsp pickled red onion
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeños
  • 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Cilantro leaves

How to make it

  1. Make the salsa: broil the tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeño on a tray for 8 to 10 minutes until charred in spots. Peel the garlic, then blend everything with the lime, salt and cilantro until chunky.
  2. Warm the black beans in a small pan with the cumin, salt and a splash of water, lightly mashing a few.
  3. Warm the tortillas so they are soft and pliable.
  4. Layer rice, beans, cheese, avocado, pickled onion, jalapeños, sour cream, a spoon of salsa and cilantro down the center of each tortilla.
  5. Fold in the sides, roll up tightly, and toast seam-side down in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden and sealed.

Make it a bowl

Skip the tortilla and layer the rice, beans and toppings in a bowl over a handful of greens, with extra salsa on top.

Why it works

Black beans and rice together make a complete protein, and the beans bring plenty of fiber. Avocado adds healthy fats, so the burrito stays satisfying for hours without any meat.

Charring the salsa vegetables under the broiler gives a smoky depth that store-bought salsa rarely has, and the pickles cut through the richness of the cheese and avocado.

Make it your own

  • More protein: add roasted chicken or crumbled smoked tofu.
  • Lighter: use a whole wheat tortilla, Greek yogurt and half the cheese.
  • Shortcut: use a good store-bought salsa and microwave rice.

More salads and wraps: Kale Caesar, Thai Salad, Mediterranean Mezze Bowl, Buffalo Chicken Salad and Avocado Burrito. Or see every salad and wrap.

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