5 Better-For-You Burrito Recipes That Put Taco Bell To Shame
Burritos have been used for centuries as a convenient meal that's warm and transportable, but many modern renditions are a little lacking. Fast-food chains like Taco Bell, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Del Taco have debased the noble burrito and made it into an assembly line production. Despite a desire to use fresh ingredients, many of these restaurants succumb to premade meats and sodium-loaded spice blends.
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These interpretations have sullied the good name of the burrito — but today that all changes. These recipes leave out the cheese sauce, sour cream, and oddly soupy ground beef, and replace them with healthier ingredients like fresh salsa verde, cool Greek yogurt, and charred vegetables.
Here are five better-for-you burrito recipes.
Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos
You'll want to eat your veggies when they're plugged into this burrito. Sweet potato, red pepper, and red onion are given a nice char in the oven, which unlocks the vegetables' natural sugars. This sweetness is balanced by smoky spices like cumin and chili powder and is further balanced by a squeeze of lime juice and fresh cilantro.
Click here for the Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos recipe.
Shrimp Burrito With Tomatillo Salsa
Burritos are usually densely loaded with chorizo, steak, ground beef, or carne asada, but when filled with shrimp they are much lighter. A homemade salsa verde with fresh tomatillos adds spice and tang — without adding many calories.
Click here for the Shrimp Burrito With Tomatillo Salsa recipe.
Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Frozen meals are beloved for their convenience, yet criticized for their nutritional content. Frozen burritos in particular rely on generous amounts of sodium and preservatives to maintain any sort of palatable flavor. But when you make your own homemade freezer burritos, you don't need to rely on all of that salt. These freezer breakfast burritos are hearty, containing potatoes, bell pepper, black beans, as well as scrambled eggs. They are a filling meal that can be whipped up in a few minutes.
Click here for the Freezer Breakfast Burritos recipe.
Collard-Wrapped Burritos
If you've read The Daily Meal's articles about foods deceivingly high in sodium, you'll know that the white-flour tortilla is a heinous offender. Skip those 300 unnecessary, nutritionally-empty calories and wrap your burrito in a quickly blanched collard green leaf. These burritos only clock in at 273 calories per serving.
Click here for the Collard-Wrapped Burritos recipe.
Quinoa and Chicken Burritos
Making practical ingredient swaps can transform any dish into a healthy meal, and this quinoa and chicken burrito is no exception. Rotisserie chickens can be a little salty, but they are still convenient and straight-forward sources of lean protein. Wrap up some pulled rotisserie chicken with quinoa, black beans, cilantro, avocado, and Greek yogurt (because who really needs sour cream?) for a better-for-you burrito.