Frozen Burritos
Leftover Mexican takeout is rarely as good the next day, and I’m as guilty as anyone of letting it languish in the fridge until it becomes a problem. These frozen burritos are my fix: a way to turn last night’s Mexican leftovers into convenient, freezer-ready lunches that taste better the second time around. A swipe of sour cream keeps everything juicy, the refried beans bring it all together, and the freezer does the preserving—no additives, no waste, no guilt. Future meals made from something you already paid for feels like a small victory, especially when the alternative was throwing it out.
Ingredients
Measurements are for one 10 inch burrito, but scale up as your leftovers allow.
Use this as a loose guide. If you don’t have all of the components from takeout, consider seasoning up some canned beans, or adding your own cooked meat. Just amp up what you have left. With a small effort you can transform it into something that tastes new and is in the freezer to save you in a pinch.
8-10 inch flour tortillas
¼-⅓ cup refried, pinto or black beans
¼-½ cup chicken, beef or shrimp fajita mix, sauteed vegetables, the insides of enchiladas, or the filling for tacos
¼-⅓ cup rice
⅓ cup grated cheese or leftover queso
2 tablespoons sour cream
¼ cup salsa
Cilantro to your liking
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch salt
Directions
Sprinkle half of the cheese in a rectangle in the center of the tortilla. Layer with the beans, rice, meat or veggie mixture, salsa, sour cream and cilantro. Finish with the cheese.
Fold the lower half up, wrap the edges around and fold the burrito over on itself into a cylinder.
Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch skillet. Begin toasting the burrito, seam side down. Season the tortilla and the oil with salt. Brown on all sides. Once it is nicely crisp and toasted, let it cool. Then wrap in foil. Label with the date and freeze.
To eat, reheat from frozen at 400. Keep the foil intact and place the burrito directly on the rack. After 20 minutes, slice the burrito in half. If it is warmed through to your liking, enjoy. If not, put it on a baking sheet, cut side down and heat until slightly crisped on the cut side.
Serve with additional sour cream and salsa and cilantro if you like.