How to Make the Perfect Bean & Cheese Burrito

This is exactly what I imagined a homemade bean and cheese burrito is going to taste like. Cheesy on the beans, cheese on the outside, but that tortilla... Today we're making bean and cheese burritos. You can have them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you name it. It is up to you, but I'm here to teach you just how good and simple they are to make. We're going to start with the refried beans and we're going to finely dice half of a white onion, remove the seeds, and do the same thing with two jalapeños. Another great option is poblano peppers. And if you just want a punch of heat, serranos is the way to go. Finely mince three garlic cloves. We're ready to start cooking. I've got a large pan over medium heat and melt in two tablespoons of pork lard. Yes, you can use tallow as well. You could also do chicken fat, but lard is going to give you that traditional flavor that we all crave. I'm going to add about a tablespoon of cooking olive oil. If you just want to use oil, you can do that as well. First, I'm going to cook the onions just until they're slightly softened. Then we're going to add the jalapeños and continue cooking until the onions turn lightly golden. Lower the heat to medium low, stir in the garlic, followed by the spices. I'm adding half a teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano, a quarter teaspoon of ground cumin, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, and a teaspoon of ground ancho chile. Give everything a good stir and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly just until fragrant. I'm using four cups of cooked beans. Pinto or peruano beans are both great choices. Be sure to reserve the cooking broth separately because we'll add it a little at a time to get the beans just right. Once the beans are coated in the spices, gradually add the reserved bean broth while mashing with a potato masher. Continue until the beans are mostly smooth, leaving just a bit of texture. You're looking for a creamy, spreadable consistency that's thick enough to stay inside the burrito without becoming too runny. I used about three quarters of a cup of the broth, but the amount can vary. Just keep in mind that refried beans will continue to thicken as they cool. Now for the freshly grated cheese. Combine 12 ounces of Oaxaca cheese and eight ounces of medium cheddar. Half of this cheese is going to go into the beans. You can add it gradually, mix it in, fold the beans in there so that the heat can just beautifully melt that cheese. Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. You can see that cheese pull within the beans. Finally, add some salt to taste. These beans are going to continue to thicken as they cool down, so they definitely need to have some body to them, but let's not leave them all dry. Turn off the heat. I'm going to briefly heat my tortilla just until it is pliable and soft. Don't let it crisp up. This is my homemade flour tortilla, so I'm going to link to that recipe if you're interested. Add the refried beans in the center of the tortilla, leaving a border around the edges. Top it with some more Oaxaca and cheddar cheese mix. Fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling. Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling, then continue rolling tightly into a burrito. A burrito like this is simple to make, but it's packed with the kind of flavor that feels like home. For some, it brings back memories of grabbing a quick meal before heading out the door. For others, it's a reminder of growing up with simple, budget-friendly ingredients that somehow always tasted incredible. It's cheesy, nostalgic, comforting, and one of those recipes that never goes out of style. Okay, I've got some salsa. This is one of my top favorite salsas. It's also going to be linked in the description area. It's got tomatillo in there. Oh, it smells so good. I gotta say, you have to go with homemade flour tortillas. Yes, if you can, definitely. Yeah. Now, I get it. Life is not perfect. Flour tortillas should not be the reason you don't try this burrito, so if you have to go with store-bought, go for it. It smells really good. I'm telling you, I already tasted every component, so I can only imagine. Wow. Nelson, yes, the homemade tortilla makes a huge difference. Oh, yeah. I mean, oh my goodness. Did we nail it or what? Good job, Nelson. The creaminess is unbelievable. This is exactly what I imagined a homemade bean and cheese burrito was going to taste like. Cheesy on the beans, cheese on the outside, but that tortilla. Nelson, where can they find this recipe? You can find it on ViaCocina.com. Link is going to be down in the description area. Good job, babe. I'm getting there. All right, I'm out of burritos now. I was there. Yep. Bye, everyone. Bye, everyone.