Black Bean, Sweet Corn, and Tomato Quinoa Burritos are gluten-free, make-ahead and freezer friendly. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner!
Looking for a hot and hearty, meatless, and make-ahead breakfast to kick your day off with? Black Bean, Sweet Corn, and Tomato Quinoa Burritos are all that and more (meaning they’re freezer-friendly too!)
Quinoa cooked in chicken broth for maximum flavor is scooped into warmed tortillas with a mixture of sauted black beans, sweet corn, chopped tomatoes, herbs, and spices. After a sprinkling of freshly shredded cheese the burritos are rolled then ready to devour immediately, refrigerate for a few days, or send off to the freezer for another morning.
These flavorful, light, yet protein-packed breakfast burritos are checking all the boxes!
Make a whole batch of burritos (the recipe makes six) then they’re ready to go all week long. The Tex-Mex-inspired flavors mingling with hearty quinoa and melty cheese is so satisfying. Serve with garlicky guacamole or salsa then feast!
Start by bringing 1-3/4 cup chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then add 1 cup drained and rinsed quinoa.
Place a lid on top, drop the heat down to low, then simmer until the quinoa is tender and broth has been absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork then set the cooked quinoa aside to cool for a bit.
Meanwhile, add 1 chopped shallot and 12oz frozen then thawed sweet corn to 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the shallots are tender, about 4 minutes.
Add a 15oz can black beans that’s been drained and rinsed, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. The chicken broth will help soften the beans a bit, and give the spices room to bloom.
Which is what we add next! Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper then let everything simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Finally, add 1 chopped vine-ripened tomato then simmer until the tomatoes are tender and juicy, about 2 minutes.
Take the skillet off the heat then stir in 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and the juice of 1/2 lime. These two ingredients add a pop of fresh flavor to the burritos. I LOVE the combination of lime and cilantro! Ok – now let this mixture cool slightly.
Meanwhile get 6 tortillas ready. I use gluten-free wraps, though you could use burrito-sized flour tortillas if you’re not GF. Warm the tortillas according to package instructions then place on a sheet of foil.
Place a scoop of the cooked quinoa onto the bottom third of the tortilla then top with a scoop of the black bean mixture and a sprinkling of freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the top over, tuck in the sides, then continue rolling.
Wrap the burritos in the foil then pop into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm everything through (or just microwave sans foil for 1 minute.) If you’re freezing the burritos, place them into a freezer bag then freeze completely.
When you’re ready to eat, either transfer a frozen burrito to the fridge to thaw overnight, then microwave for 1 minute to reheat, or remove a frozen burrito from the foil, wrap in a paper towel, and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
You can also leave the burritos in the fridge for up to 3 days and take out out to reheat each day. However you eat them — enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2-1/4 cups gluten free chicken broth, divided
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 12 oz frozen sweet corn, thawed
- salt and pepper
- 15 oz can black beans, drained then rinsed
- 1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 lime
- 8 oz freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 10” gluten free tortillas
Directions
- Bring 1-3/4 cup chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then add quinoa, place a lid on top, turn heat down to low then simmer until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat then add shallot and corn, season with salt and pepper, then saute until shallots are tender, 4 minutes.
- Add black beans, remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper then simmer until liquid is nearly absorbed, 4 minutes. Add tomatoes then simmer until tender, 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat then stir in cilantro and lime juice. Set aside to cool slightly (liquid will continue to thicken and be absorbed as the mixture cools.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat tortillas according to package instructions to make them pliable then add a scoop of quinoa to the lower third portion of the tortilla. Add a scoop of the black bean mixture on top followed by shredded cheese. Roll once then tuck in sides and continue rolling to form a burrito. Wrap in foil then bake for 10 minutes to warm through.
Notes
- You will have extra black bean, sweet corn, and tomato mixture. Add to boiling chicken broth to make a quick Southwestern soup!
- To freeze: Place foil-wrapped burritos in a freezer bag then freeze. Thaw overnight in fridge then microwave for 1 minute to heat, or unwrap frozen burritos from foil then wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Looks like a great recipe! For clarification, if I am looking to freeze these, I should still bake them first and then freeze – right?
Go ahead and freeze without baking. The cheese will melt when you heat just before eating! :)
Looks like a great recipe! For clarification, if you want to freeze these, you should still bake them first – correct?
Yum these look amazing!
What an easy grab and go lunch. And I’m a big fan of chicken stock in my grains for flavor too. Love it!
Hi Kristin! This recipe looks delicious, as do all of your creations! Your salsa chicken recipe is a favorite in my home. We eat salsa chicken more frequently than I’d like to admit. :) On an entirely different note, would you write a post about the makeup you use and how you apply it? You always look amazing! I am hopeless with makeup and would love tips from someone who seems to always get it right!
It’s so easy I can just tell you (and I’m also hopeless with makeup!) :) Mac Pro Longwear concealer, Physician’s Formula light bronzer, Clinique blush, Maybelline eyeliner (unstoppable in very black,) Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara, and chapstick! :)
You’re so sweet, thank you!
I’m pretty sure I pin most, if not all, of your recipes and I’ve actually tried a bunch of them and never been disappointed. Will definitely be making these. They look delicious!
Oh wow, these look great! I love that they are freezer-friendly. Thanks for sharing!
These look awesome!! Do you think this would still be as good if I omit the black beans? I can’t get past the texture..
Sure! I’d maybe add some more vegetables or even chicken to heft them back up, and reduce the amount of chicken broth added to the saute.
Loving how easy these are to make ahead and reheat. I’m planning to try these to have on hand for quick lunches!
These look great! What GF tortillas do you like? I’ve been GF for almost two years and have yet to find tortillas I like.
Thanks!
Same question here on the tortillas! I have celiac as well and all the corn tortillas I find fall apart so easily.
I’m also very very interested in the GF tortilla. I’ve tried almost any kind I can get my hands on and none have impressed me yet!
I’m very interested in these GF wraps as well! It’s hard to find anything bigger than small tortillas. Please let us know the brand!
Ha! I came to comment to ask the same questions. We are Texans that used to eat tortillas in every meal (homemade in the grocery store!) and my husband’s Celiac’s diagnosis has made it so hard. We have hated anything we have tried that isn’t corn and the corn ones are so flimsy!!
Those were La Tortilla Factory Teff Wraps! I didn’t like the smell/taste of them right out of the package but they’re good when warm/hot!
Gluten free on a shoestring has some really great recipes for GF wraps!!! check them out for those of you that have to be GF – her recipes will change you gluten free lives!
http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/
Been trying to weight gluten free vs Paleo and found this article. May be of interest. Also a big thank you for your blog…I’ve learned so much and enjoy your blog so much. I share it with everyone. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/real-reason-for-toxic-wheat-its-not-gluten/
I am in DIRE need of healthy, make ahead meals to send in my husbands lunch. I have been the worst healthy food blogger wife, and have been sending spaghetti o’s. Whoops.
I love that you used quinoa in here! Healthy and delicious. Pinned!
I love this healthier option for make ahead burritos! We love having freezer burritos on hand for when we’re craving a really easy dinner or lunch and this will be a huge improvement (health wise) on the ones I currently make!