Beet, Butternut and Black Bean Burrito
In Recipes
It took me awhile to come around to beets. My grandma makes beets all the time and has ever since I can remember. I always refused to eat them. Until one day, I didn’t. Now I love them and I find myself putting them in places you wouldn’t think they belong – such as a burrito. A few months ago I had a root vegetable taco at my favorite taco spot and have been thinking about recreating it ever since. And this burrito did not disappoint.
And look at all the colors! I’m a sucker for the “eat the rainbow” ploy. It just makes sense. Our bodies need a variety of nutrients and you get that variety by eating a variety of things. So when I can put together a meal with all different colors, I mentally give myself a gold star.
These burritos can come together relatively quickly, especially if the beets are cooked ahead of time. I like to roast a few beets at a time, dice them up and use them throughout the week. There are several ways you can prep your beets, I just prefer whole roasting the beet. But the desired result is an almost fully cooked beet, diced in ½ inch cubes.
While the beets cook, you should prep the other vegetables and make the dipping sauce. This dip. Yum. I love the creaminess that you get with an avocado dip. It doesn’t have to be just a topping either. We ate the rest of this “topping” with spoons.
For me, texture is important when it comes to food. And I know I’m not alone on this. This burrito has the potential to be a soggy mess given its generally soft ingredients – squash, beets, beans. So unless you prefer a soft, one dimensional mouth feel here are my suggestions:
Let your skillet and oil get hot before you toss in the squash and beets. Hot enough to get a nice sear on each of the edges. Then turn the heat down to allow them to cook through. Don’t put a lid on or you’ll likely lose that crispy edge. I was also super diligent to make sure they didn’t overcook.
You’ll also want to allow your squash, beet, bean and cheese mixture to cool slightly before adding the cold ingredients. The raw green onion, cabbage, and parsley give the filling a nice crunch.
Once the burritos are rolled, heat them on all sides in a clean skillet to get that nice crispy shell.
Beet, Butternut and Black Bean Burrito
- Serves 4
- Total Time 30 minutes (Plus 1 hour to cook beets)
Ingredients
Burrito
Olive Oil
2 medium beets (about 2 cups)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and ½ inch diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup black beans
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper, to taste
4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 burrito-sized flour tortillas
Creamy Avocado Dipping Sauce
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Olive Oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Wash your beets to remove any dirt. Place each whole beet in foil and add a teaspoon of olive oil to each foil pack and wrap tightly. Place the foil packs in a baking dish and cook for about 1 hour or until fork tender but not fully cooked – they will continue to cook later. While the beets cook, prepare the dipping sauce and chop other vegetables.
For dipping sauce, combine avocado, yogurt, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice in blender or food processor and mix until smooth. If necessary, add some olive oil or water to get desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
Once your beets are ready, remove from oven and place in ice bath or cold water. Peel the beets and dice into ½ inch cubes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, once hot, add the beet and butternut squash cubes. Add the paprika, ancho chili powder, granulated onion, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, allowing the beet and squash to be seared but turning occasionally to keep them from sticking to the skillet. Add the black beans, cooking an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from skillet and toss with cheese. Allow to cool slightly. Add green onions, cabbage, and parsley to the mixture.
Heat a clean non-stick skillet over medium high heat, adding 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Divide the mixture among the 4 tortillas. Roll burritos by folding over the sides and rolling up. Place the burritos in the hot skillet, seam-side down, and allow to cook until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Slice in half and serve with Creamy Avocado Dip.