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Vegan Breakfast Burrito, vegan recipe

Vegan Breakfast Burrito

A freezer-friendly vegan breakfast burrito built on a seasoned tofu scramble, crispy diced potatoes, and black beans, with the filling cooled before it is wrapped so the tortilla stays crisp instead of steaming soggy.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 burritos
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

Burritos
  • 14 oz extra-firm tofu drained and pressed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 medium russet potatoes diced into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup cooked black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup salsa plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 4 large flour tortillas burrito-sized, about 10 inches
  • 1 avocado sliced, for serving
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, for serving

Method
 

  1. Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towel, set it on a plate, and rest a heavy skillet on top. Press it for 15 minutes, then unwrap it and crumble it by hand into pieces about the size of a pea.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced potatoes with a pinch of the salt and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing every couple of minutes, until the cubes are golden at the edges and give way when you press one with a spatula. Scoop them onto a plate and set aside.
  3. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until it turns soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, just until it smells sweet and no longer raw.
  4. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, and the remaining salt, then add the crumbled tofu and nutritional yeast. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and breaking up the tofu with the spatula, until the pieces are dry and lightly browned and the pan no longer looks wet.
  5. Add the black beans, salsa, and lime juice and cook for 2 minutes, just enough to warm them through. Fold the reserved potatoes back in, taste for salt, then scrape the filling into a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  6. Warm each tortilla for a few seconds in a dry skillet so it becomes pliable. Spoon a quarter of the filling into the center, add avocado and cilantro if you like, then fold the two sides inward, fold the bottom flap up over the filling, and roll it tight toward the top edge.
  7. For a crisp finish, sear each burrito seam-side down in the dry skillet for about 1 minute per side. Serve right away with extra salsa, or wrap each one tightly in foil for the fridge or freezer.

Notes

Dice the potatoes small and even, around a quarter inch, because large cubes stay raw in the middle while the outside browns. The tofu and the potatoes can both be cooked a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge; assemble and wrap the burritos when you have ten quiet minutes, not when you are already hungry.