This egg chili cheese burrito recipe is adapted from a Southwestern cookbook I bought long ago. Their recipe called for refried beans, and while I had beans, they were dry beans and hadn’t been soaked or refried, and I didn’t want to bother. I did have tortillas (the ones I use as sneaky crepes), plenty of eggs, chilis, scallions, and cheese.
I decided to improvise with what I had ready to eat, rather than waiting for the beans to soak. I was hungry, and didn’t want to fuss.
If you want to make the refried beans, you can use canned beans. If you have dried beans, and you have more time than I did that day, use the quick soak method to speed up the process.
To refry beans, just heat some bacon drippings in a pan, add cooked (or canned) pinto beans, plus some of the soaking liquid, cook them on high heat, and mash them up. Turn the heat to low once the beans get thick and simmer until they’re soft.
Egg Chili Cheese Burrito Recipe
A quick egg chili cheese burrito recipe for one. Makes a great easy lunch or breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 egg (or two if you're hungrier)
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp butter
- 1/4 jalapeño chili, chopped
- 1/3 scallion, chopped
- 2 slices cheese (such as Colby, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack)
- 1 tortilla
- 1 tsp salsa
Instructions
- Heat the frying pan on medium-low and melt the butter.
- Gently beat the egg in a small bowl.
- Add the eggs, scallion, and jalapeño to the pan.
- Scramble the eggs with a fork and cook about a minute until the eggs start to hold together.
- Remove pan from heat.
- If you have a gas stove, turn the flame to medium-high. Holding the tortilla with kitchen tongs, put it directly over the flame, turning it after a few seconds. If your stove is electric, heat the tortilla in a skillet (without any oil or butter, until it gets hot).
- Place warm tortilla on a plate, spoon the egg chili mixture in the center, and top with cheese and salsa.
- Fold over the tortilla and serve (or, if you want to be more authentic, fold the bottom up, then each side, then roll up from the bottom to make a package).
Egg Chili Cheese Burrito Variations and Substitutions
- add refried beans (about 1/4 cup)
- cut up a sausage, fry it, and add that to the burrito
- swap the salsa for some spicy stovetop chili
- vary the cheese; I used sharp cheddar, but Colby, Monterey Jack or Colby-Jack would work too
More Egg Recipes
Eggs with Spinach and Chili Peppers
An easy light meal, flavored with ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. First you cook the seasonings, then the eggs, all in the same skillet.
Frittata Recipe for One Person
A flexible recipe that uses whatever veggies you have around (fresh or frozen). Keep it vegetarian, or add some ham.
Fast food that’s so much better than anything from a takeout place. This is fragrant with thyme, garlic, and, onions. The whole thing is then topped with Swiss cheese.
Poached eggs bathed in a spicy tomato sauce, enlivened with fresh spinach. A bit more effort, but definitely worth it!