Most of the Mexican food we eat in popular restaurants is loaded with cheese or sour cream. I do love it, but it is possible to have a simple, fresh and healthier version of Mexican food. Black Bean Burritos are my answer. They are the perfect quick fix for celebrating Cinco De Mayo from the other side of the world.
Black beans or pinto beans are very hard to find here in India. I have scoured gourmet stores for the past few years. If I am lucky, I sometimes find a can of black beans, but it is never a sure thing. Imagine my surprise when I found dry black beans in the local wholesale market! Since then, I have been churning out my Tex-Mex favorites with them. So we had the burrito bowls, black beans & rice, black bean soup, and black beans burritos had to be next.
Just like black beans, good avocados and sour cream are hard to find and also quite expensive. I invested in imported chipotle chilies and this gives me the base for a good sauce every time. I made an almond and chipotle sauce which was so creamy and bold, it was perfect for these black bean burritos.
I cooked the black beans from scratch and then just simmered them with the spices for some time. Grilled onions and peppers are a big fave around here. I added cucumbers to add some volume and for some cooling effect in this heat.
I made the wraps or tortillas myself – not very different from a large chapati. You can of course use any store bought tortilla wraps for this. Grilling the burritos is optional, but I prefer mine that way. You can also add my cilantro lime rice from the burrito bowl post if you want more volume to your black bean burritos.
These black bean burritos look simple but they pack a mean punch with all the veggie goodness and the hearty beans. Serve with my homemade salsa, jalapenos and some lime and cilantro for a burst of fresh flavor.
Vegan Black Bean Burritos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry black beans
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- ½ tsp chipotle pepper ground or 1-2 chipotles in Adobo
- 1 jalapeno optional
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt to taste
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 medium onions
- 2 dry chipotle peppers
- 15-20 almonds
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp EVOO
- Salt to taste
- 6 10 inch tortillas
- 1 English cucumber
Method
- Soak black beans overnight. Rinse and sift through for any stones etc. add to a pot and cover well with water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and then steam for 15-20 minutes.
- Check that beans are cooked well. Drain off excess liquid, but keep it as stock or to add to the beans if needed.
- Grate in one clove of garlic and add all spices to the beans. Add half a cup of liquid.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates. Smash half of the beans with a potato masher or spatula. This will give a creamy texture to the beans and also keep part of them whole.
- Slice peppers and onions and grill on a pan with a drop of oil and a pinch of salt. You just want to char them slightly and keep them crunchy.
- Slice iceberg lettuce and cucumbers in long strips like the peppers.
- Soak dry chipotle peppers and almonds for a couple of hours in some hot water. Blend peppers, almonds and other sauce ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. Strain if needed. Add just enough water to have a drizzling consistency. You can reduce the amount of olive oil or omit it if you want.
- To assemble black bean burritos – Place a ladle of black beans in the center of the burrito. Add some grilled peppers and onions, cucumber strips and lettuce. Drizzle with chipotle sauce. Fold into a burrito.
- Heat a grill pan and place the burrito on it. Grill on both sides until slightly crispy. Serve with more chipotle sauce or salsa.
Join me in celebrating Mexican food all through May. This is one easy recipe you can try your hand at next time. For a Cinco De Mayo pasta with a Mexican twist, check out MovieRecipe.
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