New Mexico cuisine is very different from the usual American one, with lots of fresh ingredients and spices, but it can be adapted to each family’s taste. Easy Burrito Casserole recipe is a great way to introduce New Mexican flavor into your house.

The word burrito means “little donkey” in Spanish, which comes from the fact that donkeys used to wear them around their necks during long trips through the desert. When settlers came to live in the area now known as the Southwestern United States, they adapted this food by making smaller wraps for easier eating. To make burritos more accessible, cooks started wrapping their tortillas around various other ingredients resulting in recipes like Easy Burrito Casserole . The key behind this recipe is to make sure to use high quality ingredients, like New Mexico’s famous Hatch peppers.

There are many ways of making this popular dish; in the Southwestern part of the U.S., cooks usually cook their beans in bacon fat and serve them with white rice instead of brown (although only red chilies would be used then). The original burrito was made with any type of meat but nowadays almost anything can go into it: veggies, seafood, tofu or even vegan cheese. One thing to keep in mind when preparing your own Easy Burrito Casserole at home is that you don’t need much oil because tortillas are naturally very fatty due to the fact that they are fried before being sold.

If you live in an area where Hatch chilies are available, then you should definitely use them in this recipe because they really add a special flavor to it. If not, then just do your own version of Easy Burrito Casserole by using bell peppers and jalapeños instead. And don’t forget the beans!

Brought to Mexico by the Spaniards, these legumes have been widely consumed ever since because they can be used in any kind of dish, including this easy burrito casserole. Beans are packed with protein and fiber which help you feel full for longer periods of time, making them an ideal ingredient if you’re on a diet or simply want to lose some weight . You can buy canned black beans from almost anywhere but dried ones taste much better. Moreover, this recipe requires that you create your own sauce, which you can do by using cilantro and avocado.

Ready to give it a try? Here is the recipe for Easy Burrito Casserole .

Have fun!

Easy Burrito Casserole Recipe

Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 20 min

INGREDIENTS

– 2 cups (500 ml) white rice

– 2 cups (500 ml) water

– 3 bell peppers (preferably red or orange), diced

– 1 medium onion, chopped

– 3 cloves garlic, minced

– 16 oz (450 gr) cooked black beans; if canned use two 14 oz (400 gr) cans, drained and rinsed well

– 4 Hatch green chilies (you can also use 2 jalapeños if you prefer your dish to be spicy)

– 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

– 1 tablespoon ground cumin

– 1 teaspoon salt

– ½ cup (125 ml) salsa verde; it should be thick, if not thicken with a small amount of flour or cornstarch (1/2 tablespoon each)

– 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

– ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil

– 12 burrito-size tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the rice according to package instructions.

Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

Add the bell peppers and cook until they are soft, another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked rice, black beans, green chilies (or jalapeños), Mexican oregano, cumin, salt and salsa verde.

Mix well to combine all ingredients together.

Prepare your own sauce by mixing 6 tablespoons of water with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a small bowl; this will prevent the sauce from becoming too watery.

Pour half of the remaining oil into a large pan over medium-high heat, add half of the tortillas one at a time making sure that they don’t overlap or stick together.

Let them sit on top of each other for about 10 seconds, then flip them over and cook the other side.

Spread one-sixth of the rice mixture evenly over half of each tortilla.

Fold in one side so that it covers half of the filling, fold in another side to cover the dry edge, then roll tightly to form a tube shape.

Continue with all tortillas until you have used up your rice mixture.

To serve sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top and add more salsa verde if desired (remember that you can also use sour cream or hot sauce).

You can eat this dish immediately but the flavor will improve the day after; store in an airtight container in your fridge.