Last Updated on August 20, 2023 by Catrina
Burritos are so delicious and customizable which is one of the reasons that I love eating these! But if you ever wanted to know more about this tasty Mexican meal, this article has you covered! Here, I talk about what a burrito is, the history and evolution of the burrito as we know it today, and what is in a burrito. Plus, I have some easy tips and recipes so that you can make your own burritos at home!
What are burritos?
Burritos are a delicious all-in-one meal. Meat, veggies, beans, rice, and other ingredients are wrapped together in a large flour tortilla, perfect for on-the-go.
According to my trusty Larousse Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana, a burrito (or burrita as they are known in some parts), is some sort of prepared food wrapped in a flour tortilla.
You can make your burrito with grilled meats, refried beans, machaca, lobster, cheese, or really anything else you can dream up!
While burritos are commonly associated with Mexican food, I have noticed that in central Mexico where I live, burritos are rare. In fact, the only place that I have seen them consistently is at the local convenience store, right next to the hot dogs and the premade sandwiches.
So, that led me to wonder…are burritos really Mexican food at all?
The history of the burrito
Interestingly, the burrito as we know it today evolved from a much smaller and humbler version. Food historian Jeffery M. Pilcher explains this evolution in his book Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food.
Pilcher mentions that the first culinary reference to a burrito was in Feliz Ramos’s Diccionario de Mejicanismos (Dictionary of Mexicanisms) published in 1895. Here, Ramos attributes the burrito to Guanajuato (a central Mexican state) and defines it as a tortilla filled with meat or other ingredients and then rolled. Burritos were called cositos in the Yucatán or tacos in Mexico City and Cuernavaca (Pilcher, Planet Taco p. 47). Corn tortillas were used in these early versions of burritos.
In fact, other references to burritos made with corn tortillas appear as late as 1938 in California. Author of Early California Hospitality (1938) Ana Bégué de Packman, told readers that corn and flour tortillas could be used interchangeably for burrito making (Pilcher, Planet Taco p. 150). So, with this data point, we know that until at least the late 1930s, burritos were quite different than the burritos we eat today.
Burrito evolution
So, how did the burrito evolve? And why did it essentially disappear from central Mexico? Pilcher believes that “the consolidation […] of regional cuisines […] not only created new rituals, but it also led to the extinction of many local traditions.” Although burritos were widely consumed in Mexico in the 19th century, the spread of the taco in the first half of the 20th century pushed burritos out of central Mexico (Pilcher, Planet Taco p. 132, 158). Burritos continued to survive in northern Mexican states, like Sonora, but wheat tortillas replaced the traditional corn tortilla variety.
Now, burritos are common not only in northern Mexico, but also in the United States and around the world. Fast-food Mexican chains like Chipotle and Taco Bell have helped burritos go global. And as the burrito spreads to different countries and cultures, inevitably, the ingredients used in a burrito adapt to what is locally available.
What is in a burrito?
Maybe a better question is: what isn’t in a burrito? Part of the burrito’s evolution is the ingredients. From simple to sophisticated and everything in between, burritos include a variety of ingredients.
Classic bean and cheese burritos are simply beans and melty cheese rolled into a flour tortilla. Black beans, creamy refried beans, and yellow cheese, cheddar cheese, or any type of shredded cheese can be used in these simple burritos.
More sophisticated carne asada burritos (grilled steak burritos) are common in several regions.
Vegetarian burritos can start with the simple bean and cheese burrito but add in Mexican or Spanish rice, grilled veggies, guacamole, Mexican crema (Mexican cream), and salsa.
And if you want a burrito without the carbs of a flour tortilla, you can always make a burrito bowl! A burrito bowl is simply all of the ingredients of a burrito served in a bowl instead of in a tortilla.
From stewed or grilled meats, to veggies, guacamole, salsa, beans, rice, eggs, potatoes, and cheese, burritos invite creativity and imagination!
So, is there such a thing as “authentic Mexican burritos”?
What we do know, is that certain regional varieties of burritos have surfaced. So while authenticity may be in the eye of the beholder, I have a list of common regional burrito varieties below!
Regional varieties of burritos
Depending on where you live, you may be more accustomed to a certain type of burrito. That’s because burritos vary in ingredients depending on the region.
Northern Mexico burritos
According to the Larousse Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana, in Mexico, the sizes and fillings of burritos vary among the states.
For example, in Baja California, lobster burritos are common. In Sinaloa, burritos made with chilorio, a pork and chile dish are popular. Sonoran and Chihuahuan burritos often include machaca (shredded, salted dried beef) prepared with eggs or cooked in a chile sauce. Other burritos from this region include beef stewed with chile colorado, similar to the carne con chile that is popular in this region.
And in the US, certain regions have developed their own local burritos as well!
Breakfast burrito
The “breakfast burrito” is common throughout the US Southwest with both California and Texas claiming the invention of this dish. A breakfast burrito can include all of your favorite breakfast foods, like eggs, potatoes, cheese, beans, chorizo, and bacon, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla (source: Britannica).
The chimichanga
A deep-fried variation of the burrito known as a chimichanga (or chivichanga) supposedly has its origins in Arizona or New Mexico in the mid-20th century. Variations of this dish, however, may actually have surfaced earlier in Mexican mining towns, according to Britannica.
Burritos from California
San Francisco is home to the mission burrito, which developed in the 1960s in San Francisco’s mission district. Sources indicate that this burrito is known for its large size, variety of ingredients, and the inclusion of cooked Mexican rice as one of the main components. The burrito is then wrapped in aluminum foil to keep its shape. Which San Franciscan Mexican restaurant has the best burritos can spark debate among fiercely loyal customers.
San Diego claims the origin of California burritos. Typically including fewer ingredients than its hefty big brother the mission burrito, California burritos are a type of beef burritos. These classic steak burritos include grilled steak, french fries, cheese, and some garnish, like pico de gallo, guacamole, or sour cream (source: Wikipedia).
Fusion burritos that combine kosher, Korean, or Japanese flavors have cropped up in Los Angeles and surrounding areas (source: Wikipedia).
Other burritos
Wet burritos (essentially burritos covered with sauce and melted cheese) originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1966 (source: Wikipedia). Unlike portable traditional burritos, this variety requires a knife and fork to eat.
So, as you can see, burritos can have unique components and regional variations, according to local tastes and ingredients.
What’s in a name? The origin and meaning of “burrito”
The word burrito in Spanish literally translates to “little donkey” in English. But how this particular food got its name is a bit of a mystery.
Pilcher mentions that donkeys pulling carts with food were common in colonial Mexico (Planet Taco, p. 46-47). Could it be that the first burrito vendors used donkeys to transport these prepared foods?
Another explanation comes from an article written by Tara Duggan. In her article, Duggan references authors David Thomsen and Derek Wilson who in their research on burritos suggest the name comes from the fact that burritos, like donkeys, can carry or hold many items at once.
The Britannica Encyclopedia suggests that the cylindrical-shaped bedrolls used by miners and travelers and draped across a donkey’s back are similar in shape to a burrito. Thus, the origin of the name could have stemmed from these bedrolls.
Whatever the origin, it seems that why burritos are called burritos has been lost to history. But if burritos and tacos are both tortillas with food inside, then how are burritos and tacos different? Let’s explore that question next.
What’s the difference between a burrito and a taco?
Early historical definitions of burritos suggest that corn tortillas were used as the original wrapper. So at their origin, burritos and tacos were much more similar.
Now, however, burritos and tacos are quite different. Burritos are made with large flour tortillas and the ingredients inside are rolled up into a neat, cylindrical package. With the ends of the burritos tucked in, the ingredients stay in place, making burritos portable and easy to eat.
Tacos are also made with tortillas, either flour or corn. The tortilla for tacos is smaller and is simply folded in half around the filling. Other types of tacos, called taquitos or tacos dorados, are rolled and then deep-fried. But again, the tortilla is smaller than that used for a burrito, and the ends are left open, so the taco filling can be seen inside.
Burritos can contain a variety of ingredients. Popular options are combinations of stewed or grilled meats, beans, rice, salsa, cheese, guacamole, eggs, potatoes, and sour cream, among other items.
Tacos are usually simpler. A small tortilla is filled with stewed or grilled meat or vegetables, then topped with salsa, before being folded up and eaten.
How to make easy burritos
Burritos can be made with a variety of ingredients. Essentially, anything that can be stuffed and rolled into a tortilla is fair game for burrito filling!
One of my favorite ways to prepare burritos is by using leftovers that I have on hand! If you have leftover beans, rice, rotisserie chicken, or grilled steak, you are more than halfway there to making a great burrito!
Start with a large flour tortilla and have your fillings of choice ready to go! If you need some inspiration for what to add to your perfect burrito, I have some great recipes below!
How to wrap a burrito
Wrapping a burrito is easy once you know the proper steps.
Start by placing your burrito ingredients at the bottom of your tortilla, about 1-2 inches from the edge (step 1). Fold the bare tortilla flap from the bottom of the tortilla over the filling ingredients. I like to squeeze the filling back into the tortilla roll to ensure a compact shape (step 2).
Next, fold the sides of the tortilla toward the center of the burrito (step 3). You don’t need to worry about the sides meeting in the middle. The goal is to ensure that these side flaps keep the ingredients from spilling out of the ends of the tortilla.
With the sides folded over, all you need to do now is roll the tortilla from the bottom up toward the top of the tortilla (step 4). Now you have a perfectly rolled burrito, ready for eating (step 5)!
National burrito day
Did you know that there is a national burrito day in the US to celebrate this delicious Mexican food? According to nationalcalendarday.com, national burrito day falls on the first Thursday in April.
Why not celebrate your love of burritos by making your own homemade burrito bar and inviting friends and family to make their own burrito creations? Simply provide a variety of burrito ingredients like tortillas, meat, cheese, beans, rice, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream so that each person can make their own burrito creation. Or support your favorite local burrito shop by making a purchase!
I hope you enjoyed learning all about burritos with this article! And I also hope that some of these recipes will inspire you to make your own delicious burrito creations at home!
Do you have a favorite burrito? Let me know in the comments!
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