Zero Waste Burrito Recipe

Burrito is the king of the Mexican cuisine. It is filling, hearty and full of flavours. And what’s even better is, just like with a pizza or a one-pot meal, you can use the ingredients you like and create the burrito of your dreams!

Did you know that the word burrito means “little donkey” in Spanish? It is said that the meaning of burrito might come from the fact that donkeys can carry a lot of weight – just like how burritos can carry a lot of filling! The other idea for the origin of this popular Mexican dish is that a street food vendor was selling burritos in front of a school, calling young clients with a cute nickname – “little donkeys”.

Check out our ‘zero waste’ recipe!

We would like to introduce you to the ‘zero waste’ burrito. Simple idea with a little twist! You don’t need a long list of ingredients – you don’t even need a tortilla. Just grab whatever you got left in the fridge and you are all set! What about a burrito in a jar? Sounds like an idea! Check out the recipe inspired by a famous chef – Jamie Oliver.

Burrito in a jar is a great idea for a party meal, a picnic snack or a quick lunch. You can easily eat it cold or heat it up. It’s all up to you! Either way, it’s full of yummy flavors.

What’s the best thing about the ‘zero waste’ burrito? The unlimited possibilities! Open your fridge and choose the ingredients for your Mexican meal!
Do you have some leftover rice from yesterday’s dinner? Perfect! You’ve got the base! Do you feel that your veggies need to be used ASAP? Great, they will make a delicious combination in your ‘zero waste’ burrito. You can have it just the way you like it, and it is so easy to prepare!

We would like to introduce you to our idea of a ‘zero waste’ burrito, but you can always make your own alterations and just enjoy the process!

Ingredients:

• Small chicken breast
• 1 medium sweet potato or 2 smaller ones
• Small can of corn
• Small can of red kidney beans
• ½ cup of rice
• 1 clove of garlic
• bunch of coriander
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
• 1/3 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• Salt

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons of thick yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 small chilli pepper
• Lemon juice
• Salt

Step-by- step cooking instructions:

Step 1

Bake the sweet potato

At first, you will need to set the oven to 220 degrees. Then, wash and cut the sweet potato in half and place it in the oven. Bake for around 30-35 minutes, until the potato is soft. If you are not sure about the stage of the potato, simply check by pricking it with a fork. If the fork comes in easily, your sweet potato is ready! After the sweet potato cools down a little bit, cut it into cubes.

Step 2

Prepare the chicken breast

Clean the chicken breast and dry it with a paper towel. Use the pestle to flatten the breast. Season it with the smoked paprika, salt and a pinch of cumin. Add pepper and spread all the seasoning around the breast on both sides. Wrap it in aluminium foil and put it in the oven set to 220 degrees. Bake for around 30 minutes.
Check if the breast is cooked properly by taking it out of the oven, and unwrapping the foil. Then prick the fillet with a fork in the thickest part. If the juice coming out of the breast is clear – it is ready. However, if the juice is a bit cloudy, put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

Step 3

Cook rice

In the meantime, prepare the rice by putting it in around 2.5 cups of boiling water. Cook it for around 20 minutes on low heat and stir it from time to time. When the rice is soft, drain it and rinse with the water.

Step 4

Prepare the Mexican filling

Chop the clove of garlic into slices and place it in a hot pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the coriander and fry together for around 1 minute and take it off the heat.
Drain the corn and rinse it with cold water. Put it in the frying pan with the previously fried garlic and coriander. Fry for a few minutes until it starts changing colour.
Drain and rinse the red kidney beans and add them to the frying pan. Fry for another 3 minutes. Add the rice and fry everything for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir everything together.

Step 5

Make a burrito sauce

Prepare the burrito sauce by mixing together the yoghurt and mayonnaise. Add the grated clove of garlic, lemon juice and chopped chilli pepper. Season with salt and mix everything together.

Step 6

Make a burrito composition

Start layering all the ingredients. The first ingredient, at the bottom of the jar, will be the sauce followed by the layer of beans mixed with rice and corn. After that, you can put a layer of chicken chopped into small cubes followed by the sweet potato. On top, you can place a thin layer of sauce and fresh coriander.

‘Zero waste’ burrito variations

If you have tortilla wraps, you can bake them in the oven for about 3-4 minutes until they are crispy. Then break them into very small pieces and sprinkle on the top of the last layer. You can also use crumbled nachos the same way. This will add a crispy element to your burrito.

If you prefer a classic version of a burrito, instead of the jar, use tortillas. Simply mix all the ingredients together and put it on the tortilla. Add a sauce and wrap everything up.

Enjoy the whole cooking (and tasting) process! 🙂