These burritos combine sweet potatoes, beans, lots of spices, and a healthy dose of spinach for the ultimate plant-based burrito filling. Assemble all of your burritos to have an easy work week breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Taco sauce is optional, but very highly recommended either inside the burrito and/or for dipping.
Ingredient Highlight
Beans! are a great way to get protein along with a heavy dose of fiber, complex carbs, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few. They are famous for making you fart (hehe) because of the specific sugars (oligosaccharides) they contain that we have trouble breaking down. Cooking your beans from scratch reduces the fart-causing substances!
Servings 4 burritos
Prep Time 20 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups grated sweet potato (1 lb sweet potatoes)
- 1 ½ tsp tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 (15 oz) cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups frozen spinach
- 4 burrito sized tortillas*
- 2 cups grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
For the taco sauce (optional):**
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Other add-in or dipping options:
- salsa, guacamole, sliced avocado, and/or sour cream
- *Warm tortillas are much easier to fold. To warm them, heat them in a skillet over low heat, microwave them in a damp paper towel for 15 seconds, or bake them wrapped in foil at 350F for about 10 minutes.
- **Easily skip and simply use 1 cup sour cream or yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Or just include sour cream, salsa, etc… on the side for dipping rather than in the burrito.
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the sweet potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Cover with a lid (or baking sheet) and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If the sweet potato is sticking, you can add a splash of water (2-4 tbsp), which will also create more steam to help them cook faster.
- Stir in the beans, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the spinach and cook until thawed and warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- To make the taco sauce, add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix to combine.
- Add ¼ of the mixture to the center of your burrito, making sure to leave room for folding (see video). Spoon the taco sauce (or sour cream or yogurt) over top, then top with ½ cup cheese. Carefully fold into a burrito shape, tucking/folding in the sides as you roll. This can be tricky, the more you practice the better you’ll get!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Grate 4 cups sweet potato (1 lb sweet potatoes)
- Grate 2 cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- Make taco sauce
- Make burrito filling
- Assemble burritos
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, you can use a GF tortilla if you can find it, but I would recommend just turning this into a burrito rice bowl. Serve the filling over cooked rice and top with taco sauce and any other toppings (try to also add something crunchy, like pickled red onions or a cabbage slaw).
- To make vegan, use a vegan cheese and vegan yogurt alternative.
- Easily add meat by cooking it in the pan before your sweet potatoes (transfer the meat to a plate or bowl then add back in at the end). You could use ½ lb ground meat and 1 can of beans or skip the beans and use 1 lb meat.
- Skip the pickled jalapenos and just stir in 2 tbsp of lime juice and an extra pinch of salt. Or substitute with pickles and pickle juice.
- Sub frozen spinach with 4-5 cups of fresh.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Burrito filling or burritos: up to 6 days in the fridge or freeze up to 2 months
- Taco sauce: up to 6 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- See substitution note to turn into a rice bowl. You could also turn these into tacos, I would just recommend adding something crunchy like a cabbage slaw or pickled onions. Go nuts with your toppings!
- Serve leftover filling with scrambled eggs and chips for a Mexican-style breakfast or lunch.
Servings 4 burritos Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups grated sweet potato (1 lb sweet potatoes)
- 1 ½ tsp tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 (15 oz) cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups frozen spinach
- 4 burrito sized tortillas*
- 2 cups grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
For the taco sauce (optional):**
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Other add-in or dipping options:
- salsa, guacamole, sliced avocado, and/or sour cream
- *Warm tortillas are much easier to fold. To warm them, heat them in a skillet over low heat, microwave them in a damp paper towel for 15 seconds, or bake them wrapped in foil at 350F for about 10 minutes.
- **Easily skip and simply use 1 cup sour cream or yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Or just include sour cream, salsa, etc… on the side for dipping rather than in the burrito.
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the sweet potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Cover with a lid (or baking sheet) and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If the sweet potato is sticking, you can add a splash of water (2-4 tbsp), which will also create more steam to help them cook faster.
- Stir in the beans, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the spinach and cook until thawed and warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- To make the taco sauce, add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix to combine.
- Add ¼ of the mixture to the center of your burrito, making sure to leave room for folding (see video). Spoon the taco sauce (or sour cream or yogurt) over top, then top with ½ cup cheese. Carefully fold into a burrito shape, tucking/folding in the sides as you roll. This can be tricky, the more you practice the better you’ll get!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Grate 4 cups sweet potato (1 lb sweet potatoes)
- Grate 2 cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- Make taco sauce
- Make burrito filling
- Assemble burritos
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, you can use a GF tortilla if you can find it, but I would recommend just turning this into a burrito rice bowl. Serve the filling over cooked rice and top with taco sauce and any other toppings (try to also add something crunchy, like pickled red onions or a cabbage slaw).
- To make vegan, use a vegan cheese and vegan yogurt alternative.
- Easily add meat by cooking it in the pan before your sweet potatoes (transfer the meat to a plate or bowl then add back in at the end). You could use ½ lb ground meat and 1 can of beans or skip the beans and use 1 lb meat.
- Skip the pickled jalapenos and just stir in 2 tbsp of lime juice and an extra pinch of salt. Or substitute with pickles and pickle juice.
- Sub frozen spinach with 4-5 cups of fresh.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Burrito filling or burritos: up to 6 days in the fridge or freeze up to 2 months
- Taco sauce: up to 6 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- See substitution note to turn into a rice bowl. You could also turn these into tacos, I would just recommend adding something crunchy like a cabbage slaw or pickled onions. Go nuts with your toppings!
- Serve leftover filling with scrambled eggs and chips for a Mexican-style breakfast or lunch.
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