A breakfast burrito is the ultimate grab-and-go meal: scrambled eggs, black beans, peppers, a little cheese and salsa rolled into a warm tortilla. Using whole eggs plus extra whites, one burrito gives you about 35 g protein and 9 g fibre, which covers the per-meal protein dose our protein guide for men over 35 recommends. It takes about 25 minutes, and it freezes well, so you can batch a week of breakfasts on Sunday.
At a glance
- Time: 10 min prep, 15 min cooking (25 min total)
- Serves: 2
- Protein: about 35 g per serving
- Calories: about 580 kcal per serving
- Diet: Vegetarian (contains eggs and dairy)
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings.
- 2 large flour tortillas, 25 cm (10 in), about 70 g (2.5 oz) each
- 4 large eggs
- 4 large egg whites, about 130 g (1/2 cup) liquid egg whites
- 120 g (about 2/3 cup) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red bell pepper, about 60 g (2 oz), diced
- 1/2 small onion, about 50 g (1.75 oz), diced
- 1 tsp (5 ml) oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 30 g (1 oz, about 1/3 cup) cheddar cheese, grated
- 60 g (1/4 cup) tomato salsa
- Optional: hot sauce, chopped coriander (cilantro) or sliced avocado (not included in the nutrition)
Method
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the pepper and onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft.
- Warm the beans. Add the black beans and cumin and cook for 2 minutes, lightly crushing some of the beans with a fork. Tip the mixture into a bowl.
- Scramble the eggs. Beat the eggs and egg whites with salt and pepper. Pour into the same pan and stir gently over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until just set.
- Warm the tortillas. Warm each tortilla in a dry pan or the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds so it is soft enough to fold without cracking.
- Fill and roll. Spoon half the beans and half the eggs down the middle of each tortilla. Top with the cheese and salsa. Fold in the sides, then roll up tightly.
- Toast and serve. For a crisp outside, toast the burritos seam side down in the dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cut in half and serve.
Nutrition per serving
Approximate values per serving, calculated from the ingredient weights above.
| Nutrient | Per serving (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 580 kcal |
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Fibre | 9 g |
All values are from USDA FoodData Central. Cooked black beans are used for the drained canned beans, and refrigerated flour tortillas for the wraps. Tortilla sizes vary a lot, so check the label: a 30 cm (12 in) tortilla can add 100 kcal or more.
Make it higher protein / lighter
- More protein: add 2 more egg whites per burrito. That adds about 7 g protein for only about 35 kcal.
- Lighter: use smaller 20 cm (8 in) tortillas and half the cheese to save roughly 100 kcal per burrito. Wholewheat or high-fibre tortillas add fibre.
- Batch it: cool the burritos, wrap each one tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat until piping hot all the way through.
- Vegan: swap the eggs for 300 g crumbled firm tofu scrambled with a pinch of turmeric, and use a plant-based cheese or skip it. Protein stays at roughly 25 g per burrito.
FAQ
Can I make breakfast burritos the night before?
Yes. Assemble them, wrap them tightly and keep them in the fridge. In the morning, reheat in a pan, oven or microwave until hot in the centre.
Why use egg whites as well as whole eggs?
Egg whites are almost pure protein with very little fat, so mixing them with whole eggs raises the protein without adding many calories.
Are black beans a good source of protein?
Yes. A cup of cooked black beans gives about 15 g protein plus plenty of fibre, which helps keep you full through the morning.
See how many eggs you need with our guide to egg protein, or compare eggs with tofu in the tofu protein guide. Work out your daily target with the protein calculator.
Sources
Nutrition values are estimates and vary by brand and portion. This is general information, not medical advice.
