(Oprima aquí para la receta en Español)

Burritos have been part of my cultural upbringing since I was a little girl. I remember mom being in the kitchen prepping us simple burritos for lunch made with her famous, scrumptious refried beans, some type of meat, and guacamole. They were so tasty at the time being that I almost never had just one!

I still love simple burritos, especially those with ingredients that resemble my heritage, only now they are plant-based. Veggie fajitas work well with just about anything – in tacos, rice bowls, and burritos. So after craving for a simple burrito this past week, I decided to make veggie fajitas for lunch and roll them in my favorite 100% whole wheat tortilla.

This burrito has plenty of plant-protein for you from the quinoa and tempeh – both which are a staple in my kitchen. But before we talk about anything else in this recipe, let’s talk about the pico de gallo that adds a lot of flavor to this simple dish. The key to a great pico de gallo is lime juice and some fresh cilantro. Now, I had to improvise a little here with my pico since I had extra lemons and cucumbers but it was still quite delicious!

The fajita mixture has one of my favorite spices: cumin. This spice adds a bit of a nutty and peppery flavor to dishes which pairs well in several Mexican dishes. Surprisingly, this aromatic spice provides some iron to the body, a mineral that is needed and used to carry oxygen to our organs, all the more reason to flavor meals with some sprinkles of this spice!

I was able to make about six to seven burritos from this. The total amount will vary depending on the size of your tortilla and how much filling you add but that's okay, don't be shy on loading your burrito with these plant-based goodies! And if you find yourselve with leftovers, you can store your sides for up to three days and later use for tacos or bowls. It can also be added to a quick salad for lunch one day.  

Vegan Fajita Burritos

Serves: 6 - 7 small burritos
Total Time: 35 - 40 minutes

Ingredients

Pico De Gallo

• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½  cup red onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup cucumber
• ¼ cup Cilantro
• 1 serrano chili, finely chopped (remove seeds for less spicy)
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Burrito + Fajitas

• ½ cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 small garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bell peppers, chopped (any color)
• 1 Anaheim chili pepper, chopped
• 1 – 8oz package of original tempeh
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salad greens
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Pico De Gallo

1. Prep and chop all ingredients. Then toss together in a bowl and allow to sit and marinade in the fridge while prepping for the burrito.

Burrito + Fajitas

1. Cook quinoa with 1 ¼ cup of water for about 20-25 minutes, or according to package directions.

2. Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and Anaheim peppers and sauté for about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Crumble the tempeh over the skillet and toss cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook mixture for another 4-5 minutes or until the bell peppers are tender.

5. Then toss cilantro and mix well.

6. Heat a pan or skillet and heat your favorite tortilla until soft.

7. Assemble your burrito by adding cooked quinoa, tempeh fajita mixture, pico de gallo, and salad greens or romaine lettuce and wrap to enjoy.