The filling for these vegan burritos is ULTRA flavorful, satisfying and easy to make. The mixture can be made on the stove top or using an Instant Pot. No one will miss the meat and dairy!

close up of a burrito with colorful filling, wrapped in foil

These are truly my favorite burrito recipe to make at home. The filling is anything but boring, and the ingredients are super simple and mostly pantry staples. Plus, they are freezer friendly! So make a double batch and have delicious burritos ready any time you get a burrito craving.

No one will miss the meat in these mouthwatering vegetarian burritos. Serve with the toppings of your choice, like vegan sour cream, shreddable vegan cheese (make your own or use something like daiya shreds), lettuce, chopped tomato and more.

How to make them

The burrito filling is made in 1 pot, either on the stovetop or Instant Pot. I’ve included instructions for both. Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and/or to print.

In a pot on the stove, saute the onion, red bell pepper and garlic for a few minutes.

white pot with onion, red pepper and garlic

Now add all the other ingredients: drained and rinsed black beans, brown rice, corn, kale, salsa, water, spices and salt. Stir, then bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes, until the rice is cooked.

white pot with beans, rice, corn, salsa and more

Let the mixture sit in the pot for an additional 10 minutes, covered.

Instant Pot Tips

Some people have reported getting a burn message when they make this recipe in the Instant Pot. To avoid it, after you saute the onion, pepper and garlic, add a few tablespoons of water and scrape the bottom to get off any stuck pieces of vegetables.

Then add the rest of the ingredients, stir and cook for 24 minutes. I have never had trouble with a burn message, but if you do, you might just want to stick with the stovetop version.

white pot with vegetarian burrito mixture in it, cooked

What to serve with vegan burritos

square image of vegan burrito wrapped in foil

Vegan Burritos

Servings: 8 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: Nora Taylor
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
The filling for these vegan burritos is ULTRA flavorful, satisfying and easy to make. The mixture can be made on the stove top or using an Instant Pot. No one will miss the meat and dairy!
4.87 from 53 votes
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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, jalapeno slices
  • hot sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Stove top instructions

  • In a large pot with a lid, add the olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, red pepper and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Now add the beans, rice, corn, kale, salsa, water, spices and salt. Stir, then turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, place the lid on and simmer for about 45 minutes until the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for an additional 10 minutes. Now stir the mixture and serve.

To make using an Instant Pot

  • Press the saute function on the Instant Pot and warm the olive oil in the inner pot. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot for a moment. Add a few tablespoons of water and scrape any stuck pieces of vegetables to de-glaze the pot and prevent a burn message.
  • Now add all the remaining burrito filling ingredients to Instant Pot, give it a little stir, place the lid on, turn valve to seal and set to high pressure for 24 minutes. Let pressure release naturally (usually this takes about 10 minutes). Carefully remove the lid and stir.

Assemble the burritos

  • Spoon some of the mixture into the centers of the tortillas. Add whatever additional toppings you'd like such as vegan sour cream, vegan cheese shreds, lettuce, etc. Fold two sides over the filling and roll up. Enjoy!

Freezer burritos

  • Simply roll burritos with only the mixture and no additional toppings. Wrap each burrito in foil, then place them in a large freezer safe bag. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes until warm.

Notes

  1. The mixture also make a great burrito bowl, without a tortilla but with lots of toppings. 
  2. Feel free to leave out a vegetable if you don't like it or don't have it on hand, such as the red bell pepper or kale. Baby spinach could also be subbed for kale.
  3. The kind of salsa you use will greatly affect the flavor, so use one you like! I almost always use Trader Joe's salsa authentica.
  4. Nutrition is an estimate only and was calculated for the bean/rice filling only. Vegan sour cream, avocado, and tortillas are not included, as the amount and brand vary greatly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8 serving, Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 734mg, Potassium: 501mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1944IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 2mg

This recipe was originally posted in March 2018 and has been republished with new photos and writing March 2020. I’m always working to improve my recipes, thank you!

 

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