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Home » Recipes » Back-to-School

Vegan Spicy Bean Burritos with Cheese

Modified: May 23, 2026 by Jacqueline Meldrum

Jump to Recipe

These vegan spicy bean burritos are a banging choice for lunch or dinner. Serve them with tortilla chips and salsa.

spicy bean burritos

The filling in these spicy bean burritos packs a real punch of flavour.

Made with kidney beans, corn and red peppers in a spicy sauce with a bit of heat, they are absolutely delicious!

Oh and toasted for that extra crunch.

Jump to:
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Make it ahead
  • 🌶 Hot or not?
  • 🌯 Wrap it or fold it
  • 🌯 What you need to make spicy bean burritos
  • 🌯 Other fillings
  • 🥘 Gluten-free burritos
  • 🌡️ Serve them fresh or toasted
  • 🥗 What to serve with spicy burritos
  • 💭 Storage
  • 💭 Can you freeze burritos?
  • 🥪 More vegan recipes using beans and pulses
  • ⭐ Sign up for a free recipe sent to your inbox every morning
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 How to make vegan bean burritos
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

At a glance - spicy bean & cheese burritos

⏲️ Ready in: 35 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 413
🧾 Main ingredients: garlic, onion, carrot, red pepper, red kidney beans, corn, paprika, chilli flakes, dried oregano, cumin, tomato puree, flour tortillas, vegan mayo, baby spinach & vegan cheddar
👩🏻‍🍳 Suitable for: Vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian & gluten-free (if you use gluten-free tortillas)

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👩🏻‍🍳 Make it ahead

That spicy bean burrito filling tastes even better as the flavours develop.

So, make a batch ahead and pop it in the fridge until you are ready to make your burritos.

You are going to love it!

🌶 Hot or not?

I added enough spice to give an amazing flavour and enough chilli to add warmth.

However, if you are heat seeker, you can add more chilli flakes, or even fresh chilli to make it as hot as you can handle.

Love a bit of heat? Try these 5 minute sriracha noodles (one-pot) or buffalo chickpea tacos.

🌯 Wrap it or fold it

Making this luscious filling into a burrito, but there are so many options for serving it.

As with most Mexican or Tex-Mex food, there are different ways of serving the same filling.

Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Here are some serving ideas

  • Enchiladas - Wrap in flour tortillas, top with enchilada sauce (check out the sauce in these sweet potato and spinach enchiladas) and vegan cheese, then bake and serve with fresh coriander, rice, and vegan soured cream.
  • Bean Chilli Bowl - Add extra chilli and serve in a bowl with rice, chopped tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cooked rice, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and grated vegan cheddar.
  • Loaded Nachos - Top nachos with this bean burrito filling and cheese then bake. Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
  • Loaded Fries - Or potato wedges. Top the fries with the bean mix and then cheese and bake until the cheese has melted and serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
  • Soft Tacos - Fill warmed mini flour tortillas with sour cream, chopped iceberg lettuce, the hot bean mixture, grated vegan cheddar and drizzled with vegan ranch dressing.
  • Crisp Tacos - Fill with hot bean mixture and top with shredded lettuce and grated vegan cheese.
  • Quesadillas - Spread the bean mixture over a flour tortilla and top with a layer of grated vegan cheddar, then add another tortilla and crisp in a hot pan, turning until both sides are golden and crisp. Cut into wedges and serve with a creamy sriracha dip.

🌯 What you need to make spicy bean burritos

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these vegan burritos.

bean burrito ingredients
  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic - feel free to add more
  • Red pepper - or other bell peppers, whatever colour you like
  • Oregano - dried or fresh
  • Paprika
  • Chilli flakes - or fresh chilli and feel free to add more for heat
  • Cumin
  • Salt and pepper - to season
  • Tomato puree
  • Kidney beans - or black beans
  • Corn

See recipe card at the bottom of this page for quantities.

Love a bit of spice? Try these gochujang smashed chickpea sandwiches.

For more inspiration check out 101 Vegan Sandwiches - Back to School Kids Lunch boxes.

🌯 Other fillings

This is how I like to serve these tasty vegan wraps.

vegan bean burrito
  • Flour tortillas
  • Vegan mayo - or vegan sour cream
  • Baby spinach - or salad leaves
  • Vegan cheese - I like to use a smoked cheddar, but regular cheddar or mozzarella would work too.
  • Chutney - try this easy chilli garlic chutney

🥘 Gluten-free burritos

You can easily make these veggie burritos gluten-free.

Just use your favourite gluten-free tortilla wraps.

The other ingredients are all naturally gluten-free.

🌡️ Serve them fresh or toasted

My preference is to toast (broil) these wraps until they are crisp, but you can leave them soft.

When you toast them, the cheese melts and they are utterly unctuous!

You can toast them in a hot, dry pan or in an air fryer, which is what my husband does. He loves that air fryer!

Alternatively, you can pop them under the grill (broiler), in a ribbed grill pan or George Forman, for those nice toasty stripes or if you are lucky enough to have an electric crepe maker, that toasts them beautifully too.

🥗 What to serve with spicy burritos

Here are a few serving ideas. You can serve them as light lunch or as part of heartier meal.

They are also good cold, in a lunchbox.

  • Dip - Serve as they are with some creamy ranch dressing as a dip.
  • Salad - Serve it with a grinder salad. which has the most glorious creamy Italian dressing.
  • Tortilla chips - Serve with tortilla chips and a dip (try this lemon and chive dip).
  • Wedges - Serve with spicy potato wedges, either regular or sweet potato, some side salad and vegan whipped feta.
  • Rice - Serve with rice, guacamole, grated vegan cheddar, salsa and vegan sour cream.

💭 Storage

Burritos can be made the night before and toasted in the morning.

The beany filling can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days in an airtight container.

You could also freeze the filling.

vegan spicy bean burrito with cheese

💭 Can you freeze burritos?

Yep, they can be frozen, but you have to be careful how you do it and what you include.

Once frozen, you have quick meals ready to defrost and heat whenever you need them.

Here are my tips for freezing burritos

  • Let the bean mixture cool before making burritos.
  • Skip the mayo or sour cream and any salad leaves or spinach when freezing burritos as it will just make them soggy.
  • Fill the flour tortillas and wrap tightly. Don't over-fill when freezing.
  • Wrap them (tightly again) in foil (make sure there are no tears, or they could get freezer burn and go hard).
  • Place them in a freezer tub or bag and seal.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting and cooking frozen burritos

Want a burrito the next day for lunch or dinner? Just take one out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge to defrost overnight.

Leave it in the foil to defrost, it will help hold the shape.

To cook it, pop it in a hot oven or air fryer for a few minutes until crisp.

🥪 More vegan recipes using beans and pulses

Here are a few more vegan lunch recipes including beans and pulses for you to try.

  1. Air Fryer Falafel (oil-free)
  2. Carrot, Turmeric and White Bean Soup
  3. Crispy Air Fryer Pizza Chickpeas
  4. Italian White Bean & Tomato Sandwiches
  5. Lebanese Falafel Wrap with Tahini Dressing
  6. Sriracha Chickpea & Avocado Wraps

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👩🏻‍🍳 How to make vegan bean burritos

Step-by-step photos. Keep scrolling for the full printable spicy burrito recipe (with full ingredient list and nutritional info).

bean burritos - step 1

Step 1

  • In a pan, heat the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and saute until soft.
  • Next add the peppers and carrot and cook for a few minutes.
bean burritos - step 2

Step 2

  • Once the veg has softened add the spices and seasoning.
  • Stir well to mix in.
  • Now add the corn.
bean burritos - step 3

Step 3

  • Next, you want to add the cooked kidney beans (I used tinned).
  • Add the tomato puree and a splash of water and mix well.
  • Cook for a few minutes.
bean burritos - step 4

Step 4

  • Take off the heat and use a potato masher to mash most of the beans.
  • Take flour tortillas (full recipe below with quantities) and spread a generous layer of vegan mayo or vegan sour cream just across the middle of each tortilla and top with a generous handful of baby spinach (or any fresh spinach or kale).
bean burritos - step 5

Step 5

  • Top with a generous layer of the bean filling.
  • Then top with grated cheese and wrap. You can fill it quite generously if you tuck it in as you fold over the tortilla.
  • For folding tips, check out the folding guide in this black olive and couscous wrap post.
  • Toast, grill, air fry or broil for a crispy finish.
  • See notes in the recipe card, if you are planning on freezing them.
  • Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

vegan bean burrito

Vegan Spicy Bean Burritos with Cheese

Jacqueline Meldrum
These vegan spicy bean burritos are a banging choice for lunch or dinner. Serve them with tortilla chips and salsa. Makes 3-4 burritos
5 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Easy Vegan Sandwiches & Wraps
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 burritos
Calories 413 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic (crushed, or grated)
  • 1 red onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 large carrot (grated)
  • ½ red pepper (finely sliced)
  • 240 g cooked red kidney beans (400g/14 oz tin, drained)
  • 100 g cooked corn (I used tinned. ⅔ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (more if you like)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 4 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper

Wrap ingredients

  • 4 large flour tortillas (3 if you fill them deeply)
  • 4 tablespoons vegan mayo (or vegan sour cream)
  • 4 handfuls baby spinach (or any fresh spinach or kale)
  • 8 tablespoons vegan cheddar (grated, I like smoked vegan cheddar)
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • In a pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and saute gently until soft, then add the pepper and carrot.
  • Cook for a few minutes until softened, then add the spices, mix in and cook for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the kidney beans, corn and tomato puree.
  • Add a spash of water (about 2 tablespoons) and stir in, then cook for a few minutes.
  • Take of the heat and use a potato masher to roughly mash most of the beans. This will thicken the mixture.
  • Spread the centre of the tortillas with vegan mayo and top with spinach, then add a generous amount of the bean filling and top with cheese.
  • Fold the sides partially over the mixture and fold the bottom over the mixture, tucking in the mixture as you go and roll.
  • Toast in a hot dry pan, on a grill pan, under the grill (broiler), in the oven or in the air fryer for a few minutes until crisp.
  • Cut in half and serve. See notes for tips, storage and freezer info.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Gluten free - You can use gluten-free tortillas
  • Soft or toasted - My preference is to toast (broil) these wraps until they are crisp, but you can leave them soft.
  • Storing burritos - Burritos can be made the night before and toast (broil) in the morning.
    • The beany filling can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days in an airtight container.
    • You can also freeze the filling.
  • Freezing burritos -
    • Let the bean mixture cool before making burritos.
    • Skip the mayo or sour cream and any salad leaves or spinach when freezing burritos as it will just make them soggy.
    • Fill the flour tortillas and wrap tightly. Don't over-fill when freezing.
    • Wrap them (tightly again) in foil (make sure there are no tears, or they could get freezer burn and go hard).
    • Place them in a freezer tub or bag and seal.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Defrosting & cooking frozen burritos
    • Want a burrito the next day for lunch or dinner? Just take one out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge to defrost overnight.
    • Leave it in the foil to defrost, it will help hold the shape.
    • To cook it, pop it in a hot oven or air fryer for a few minutes until crisp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 burritoCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 9gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 861mgPotassium: 615mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6122IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Seema Sriram says

    August 07, 2022 at 4:16 am

    5 stars
    Oh my GoD! these are wonderful I have left a few at my work fridge and it is heavenly to have a proper meal at lunchtime.

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 07, 2022 at 10:53 am

      I am so glad you are enjoying them Seema. We love them too.

      Reply
  2. Tara says

    August 07, 2022 at 12:09 am

    5 stars
    Oh yum! Wish I had these burritos for lunch. They sound fantastic and I love the addition of all those spices.

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 07, 2022 at 10:53 am

      Oh yes they are good and can be made ahead and frozen.

      Reply
  3. Tara says

    August 06, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    Loads of flavor with a kick of spicy heat. Perfect for lunch! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 07, 2022 at 10:54 am

      I hope you try them Tara, they are so, so good.

      Reply
  4. Andrea says

    August 06, 2022 at 6:32 pm

    5 stars
    Love all the fabulous flavors in these spicy bean burritos. I really like that you toast them too. Makes them even better.

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 07, 2022 at 10:54 am

      Oh yes they are even better when you toast them, although I do like them soft too.

      Reply
  5. Amy says

    August 06, 2022 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    So yummy and satisfying! I used smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a little extra smoky flavor and it was really good!

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 07, 2022 at 10:55 am

      Oh yes good idea Amy, that would give a wonderful smoky flavour.

      Reply
  6. Holley says

    August 06, 2022 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    I love the flavor combinations in this burrito! Super delicious and so easy to make!

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 06, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      Oh yes, lots of good flavours. They taste great.

      Reply
  7. Jill says

    August 05, 2022 at 7:45 pm

    5 stars
    As soon as you told me I rushed over. Making these tomorrow night. My daughter will love them. Jill x

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 05, 2022 at 7:45 pm

      Oh excellent. I know you will both love these.

      Reply
  8. Marybelle says

    August 05, 2022 at 7:42 pm

    5 stars
    I came over here for a dressing and found this. The dressing is now forgotten haha.

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 05, 2022 at 7:46 pm

      Haha that's just what happens. So easy to be distracted when looking at food. I hope you find a recipe you like too.

      Reply
      • Marybelle says

        August 06, 2022 at 8:34 am

        I made them.for lunch at work today last night. I didn't bother toasting them but the filling snelled so good.

        Reply
        • Jacqueline Meldrum says

          August 06, 2022 at 1:57 pm

          I'm so glad you enjoyed them Marybelle.

          Reply
  9. Fiona says

    August 05, 2022 at 7:41 pm

    5 stars
    OMG I am actually drooling on the keyboard. Nice recipe J!

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 05, 2022 at 7:47 pm

      Well I can't ask for a better response than that. I hope you try them!

      Reply
5 from 9 votes

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Jacqueline Meldrum - Recipe Developer.

Welcome to The Vegan Lunchbox.

If you need tasty lunch inspiration, you've come to the right place. Easy recipes and ideas from my Scottish kitchen.

Jac x

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