Although my favorite dishes usually come from the Mediterranean region, second on the list has got to be Mexican food!
What is Mexican food?? Sometimes it seems like a lot of the same ingredients shoved into different vessels.
Meat + Onion/Pepper Mix + Cheese + Curved shell = Taco
Meat + Onion/Pepper Mix + Cheese sandwiched between two tortillas = Quesadilla
Meat + Onion/Pepper Mix + Cheese rolled in a tortilla = Burrito
You get the picture. I won’t go on. Regardless of what we choose to wrap around these delicious ingredients though—Mexican food is damn good!
I mean seriously though, who doesn’t love an ooey gooey, cheesy, warm tortilla packed with beans and fresh vegetables?! (Please give me a moment while I wipe the drool from my keyboard).
There’s actually some controversy over the origin of the burrito. The word “burrito” literally translates into “little donkey.”
What?…
Is it because it resembles the rolled-up blankets donkeys carry on their haunches? Or perhaps it’s because people used to have the donkeys carry the burritos they were selling (who knew the food truck industry was kicked off by way of a donkey?!)
No matter the origin—this loaded wrap of melted cheesy good-ness should be your next meal!
Yields: 4 burritos
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Assembly: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
½ medium onion, sliced
½ red pepper, sliced
½ orange pepper, sliced
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ cup diced tomatoes
3 mushrooms, diced
2 cups chopped spinach
¼ cup canned black beans
¼ cup corn
10 large shrimp, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup guacamole
4 flour tortillas
balsamic glaze (optional)
1. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil over medium/high heat.
2. Add peppers, onions, chili powder, and cumin. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender ~5 minutes.
3. Add shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Cover and cook until spinach has wilted and shrimp is pink throughout ~ 5 additional minutes.
4. Assemble each tortilla with ½ cup cheese, ¼ veggie/shrimp mixture, and about a tbsp. each of bean, corn, and guacamole. Tuck sides of tortilla in and roll up.
5. Secure with toothpicks so the burrito maintains its shape.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan over medium heat.
7. Place burritos, one at a time, in pan and sear on all sides until tortilla shell becomes crispy.
8. Remove toothpicks and drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.
The Cook’s 2 Cents:
· I don’t add rice to mine because I’m already splurging on my carb count with the tortilla. But if you like rice in your burrito you can add ½ cup rice to the recipe and just divide evenly when assembling the burritos. Keep in mind though that it will yield 1-2 extra burritos this way.
· I used to bake these instead of pan searing. They tasted just as good, but fell apart more easily when eating them. If you opt to bake them, the cooking time is ~20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Pro: You’ll use a little less oil and thus less fat. Con: It’ll take a bit longer to cook.
· These freeze great! So, if you want to increase the amount you make you can freeze the leftovers once they’re cooled. Then, when you’re ready to eat, thaw and bake in the oven as indicated above. (I wouldn’t recommend pan searing them as in the original recipe because when frozen, they’ll have more water content. Water + oil = soggy burrito.)
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 burrito
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 554 Fat: 30g Sodium: 1139mg Carbs: 44g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 6g Protein: 28g
