These vegan burritos are packed with bold flavor, hearty texture, and simple plant-based ingredients. The filling can be made on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, and it is so satisfying that no one will miss the meat or dairy.
These vegan burritos are one of the best easy burrito recipes to make at home. The filling is rich, colorful, and comforting, yet it relies on straightforward ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Black beans, brown rice, corn, salsa, kale, and warm spices come together in one pot to create a filling that tastes complete without any meat or dairy.
They are also freezer friendly, which makes them perfect for meal prep. Make a full batch, or double it if you want extra burritos ready for busy lunches, quick dinners, or late-night cravings. Once assembled and wrapped, they can be stored in the freezer and reheated when you need a fast, filling plant-based meal.
No one will feel like anything is missing from these vegetarian burritos. Serve them with your favorite toppings such as vegan sour cream, vegan cheese shreds, lettuce, diced tomato, avocado, guacamole, cilantro, jalapenos, green onions, or hot sauce. You can keep them simple or load them up with fresh toppings for a restaurant-style burrito at home.
How to Make Vegan Burritos
The burrito filling is made in one pot, either on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Both methods are simple, and both create a hearty bean and rice mixture that rolls beautifully into soft flour tortillas. The stovetop method gives you a little more control, while the Instant Pot option is convenient when you want a mostly hands-off cooking process.
To begin on the stovetop, warm the olive oil in a large pot with a lid. Add the chopped red onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften and the garlic becomes fragrant.
Next, add the rest of the filling ingredients: drained and rinsed black beans, uncooked short grain brown rice, corn, finely chopped kale, salsa, water, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir everything together so the rice and vegetables are evenly coated with the salsa and spices.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the brown rice is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. This resting time helps the filling finish absorbing moisture and makes it easier to spoon into tortillas.
Instant Pot Tips
If you prefer to use an Instant Pot, start by using the sauté function. Warm the olive oil, then cook the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. After sautéing, turn off the Instant Pot and add a few tablespoons of water. Scrape the bottom of the pot well to loosen any stuck bits of vegetables. This step helps reduce the chance of getting a burn message during pressure cooking.
Once the bottom of the pot is clear, add the remaining filling ingredients and stir lightly. Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 24 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then carefully remove the lid and stir the mixture before serving. If your Instant Pot is especially sensitive and continues to show a burn message, the stovetop method may be the easier option.
What to Serve with Vegan Burritos
- Refried beans
- Spanish rice
- Vegan queso
- Vegan nacho cheese
- Restaurant-style salsa
Vegan Burritos
Ingredients
For the burrito filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked short grain brown rice
- 1 1/2 cups corn, frozen, fresh, or canned
- 1 cup finely chopped kale
- 12 oz medium-style salsa
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
For serving:
- 8 burrito-sized flour tortillas use gluten-free if needed
- 2-3 cups chopped lettuce
- vegan sour cream
- vegan cheese shreds
- chopped avocado or guacamole
- chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, and jalapeno slices
- hot sauce
Instructions
Stovetop instructions
-
In a large pot with a lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften.
-
Add the black beans, brown rice, corn, kale, salsa, water, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir well, then increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat and let the filling rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir before serving.
Instant Pot instructions
-
Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and warm the olive oil in the inner pot. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, then sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot. Add a few tablespoons of water and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck vegetables and help prevent a burn message.
-
Add the remaining burrito filling ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir lightly. Secure the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 24 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, carefully remove the lid, and stir the filling.
Assemble the burritos
-
Spoon the warm filling into the center of each tortilla. Add your preferred toppings, such as lettuce, vegan sour cream, vegan cheese shreds, avocado, tomato, cilantro, or hot sauce. Fold in two sides of the tortilla, then roll it up tightly and serve.
Freezer burritos
-
For freezer burritos, use only the bean and rice filling and skip fresh toppings. Roll each burrito tightly, wrap it in foil, and place the wrapped burritos in a large freezer-safe bag. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or until warm.
Notes
- The filling also works well as a burrito bowl. Serve it without a tortilla and add plenty of toppings.
- If you do not like one of the vegetables or do not have it available, you can leave it out. Baby spinach can be used in place of kale.
- The salsa you choose will strongly affect the final flavor, so use one you enjoy.
- Nutrition is an estimate and is calculated for the bean and rice filling only. Tortillas, vegan sour cream, avocado, and other toppings are not included.
Nutrition
| Calories: 245kcal
| Carbohydrates: 44g
| Protein: 7g
| Fat: 5g
| Fiber: 6g
This recipe was originally posted in March 2018 and republished with new photos and updated writing in March 2020.