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Hate Stories? Jump to RecipeWhen Angel and I talked about “Travel Burritos” in a social media post recently, I was pleasantly surprised that people were genuinely curious and interested. It’s a pretty simple concept, but it has a huge payoff, and I know you’re going to love them, vegan or not.
What Is A Travel Burrito?
It’s just a regular burrito! Surprise! There are a few rules that we’ll go over shortly. When traveling, it’s sometimes really difficult to find a meal with substance that is vegan / plant based. Airports can be hit or miss. There are some that do have great vegan options that won’t break your calorie bank, but they are few and far between. AND we all know that anything purchased at the airport is marked UP!
Without further ado, the rules for our travel burritos:
Do not overfill your burrito.
That should go without saying – nobody likes a burst burrito. They’re messy. They become awkward to eat. Still delicious, but especially when travelling, you want to avoid the mess.
No wet ingredients.
Leave the pico de gallo out, leave the salsa out. Even sautéed onions and peppers can be a bit too wet depending on the other ingredients.
Ingredients
I’ve spent a lot of time narrowing down what makes a good burrito – breakfast burrito in particular. Since we travel in the mornings mostly, we’re diving into a more breakfasty flavor profile, but it’s delicious any time of day! You can forego the breakfast sausage for something more “lunchy” if you like.
These do involve cooking a few different elements, but the payoff is worth it, both in quantity, and quality. This recipe will make at least 6 burritos, and you don’t have to be traveling to make them! You could use them as breakfasts for the week, or freeze them for a treat when you don’t have time or don’t feel like cooking
The “Eggs”
In this recipe, we mimic an egg scramble with a tofu scramble. You could also use Just Egg, which more closely resembles eggs, but we went for a less processed version here. The seasoning is pretty easy – it always starts out with sauteed onions, then the crumbled tofu is seasoned with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and turmeric. This gives the eggs a cheesy, umami flavor.
I also wilt in some greens, because they’re so important to great nutrition. Kale is used here, but you can use spinach if you like too. Chop it semi-fine, about 1/4 inch dice, so that there aren’t any big awkward pieces of greens pulling out of the burrito as you enjoy. Plus, you won’t even know they’re there. Less mess, the better! Since you’re wilting them at the end of the process, a lot of moisture gets pulled out, so it won’t make your burrito soggy. We’re intentionally choosing the “wet” ingredient to include, and extracting the moisture as part of the cooking process.
Potatoes
Potatoes are SO GOOD in burritos. The method described below is perfect for burritos – they’re small enough to not tear through, but big enough that you know they’re there. Start them off in the microwave to minimize cooking time, and then finish them in a skillet to brown and finish cooking.
Sausage & Beans
I used pre-made breakfast sausage, and refried black beans here to help cut the cooking time down. I like the Beyond Breakfast patties the best. Just cook as the package indicates, and you’re good to go!
The beans in this recipe provide two functions – one is nutrition, this burrito is a protein bomb with the tofu, sausage and beans. The black beans also offer more antioxidants than other bean types due to their color. Always, always chasing the optimal nutrition where we can! The other is the sticky factor – helping all these dry ingredients stay in place as you enjoy on the plane!
Assembly
Remember, overfilling is your enemy. I first toast the tortillas a bit over an open flame. I find that this not only tightens up the tortilla, but also makes it more pliable, so that it doesn’t run the risk of cracking or breaking as you roll. Beware of over-toasting also – it will dry out, and also crack on you. Five to ten seconds per side will be just fine! If you prefer to not use fire, heating all 6 tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds will also do the trick. Just make sure to place a damp paper towel over the top of them to prevent them from drying out.
Tools Used
Travel Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 Recipe Tofu Scramble
- 1 Recipe Potatoes
- 6 Whole Wheat Tortillas burrito size
- 15 ounce Can Refried Beans
- 6 Vegan Breakfast Sausage Patties
Tofu Scramble
- 1 Block Pressed Tofu
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- ½ Cup Onion diced
- 1 Cup Kale finely chopped
- ¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Potatoes
- 1 Pound Potatoes cut into ¼ inch dice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Instructions
Tofu Scramble Instructions
- Heat a large 12 inch pan over medium heat, and add olive oil. Once the oil is heated and starts to shimmer, add in the onion, and saute until soft, and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Then, break up the tofu into pea sized pieces, adding to the onion mixture. Press down in the pan, and then add in the nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt and pepper. Don’t disturb the mixture for about 5 minutes, in order to get a good brown on the tofu.
- Mix in the chopped kale, and toss again, and let brown on the other side for 5 more minutes. Finish with the lemon juice, tossing to combine well. Taste, and adjust for seasonings. Remove to a large bowl, or plate, and wipe out the same pan with a paper towel.
Potato Instructions
- Dice the potatoes and add to a large bowl along with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to a microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. This jump-starts the potato process, and keeps them soft – perfect for a burrito addition.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, carefully peel back the plastic wrap, toss to prevent the potatoes from sticking too much to each other, and cover back up to rest while you cook the tofu mixture.
- After the tofu is cooked, use the same pan to cook the potatoes. Heat the pan to medium, and once hot, add the potatoes. Make sure they’re not sticking too much to one another, and allow them to become golden brown on all sides, tossing every minute or so. They should be done after about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
Bean & Sausage Instructions
- Heat up the refried beans in a pot, adding 1 Tablespoon of water to help loosen them a bit.
- Cook the sausage per package directions.
Assembly
- If you have a gas stove, lightly toast your tortillas, using tongs to flip, about 6 seconds per side. The tortillas should just have a few golden brown spots, but should not be dried out. If you don't have a burner, place a damp paper towel on top of the tortillas, and warm them up in a microwave for about 15-30 seconds until warm. This will help with their pliability, and allow you to roll them without breaking the tortilla.
- Add ¼ cup of refried beans to the middle, spreading out in a line, but leaving 2 inches border at each end. Break up the sausage, and place on the refried beans. Add ⅙th of the tofu scramble, and ⅙th of the breakfast potatoes. Flip the bottom of the tortilla around your ingredients line, then fold in the ends. Roll the burrito up to finish.
- Wrap your burrito in parchment paper, then wrap a paper towel around that. Place in a plastic bag, and your travel burrito is ready to go! Reheat for 1 minute before heading to the airport, and you’re good to go!
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