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Breakfast Burritos Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Breakfast Burritos Recipe

I started making these breakfast burritos at home after getting hooked on the ones from a tiny corner shop near my old apartment. Once I figured out the formula, I couldn't stop making them. They're loaded with spicy sausage, fluffy eggs, melty cheese, and a fresh avocado salsa that ties everything together.
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Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and diced — pick one that gives slightly when pressed; too firm and it won't mash into the salsa nicely
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes seeds removed — seeding keeps the salsa from turning watery
  • 1 small shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons) — milder and sweeter than regular onion, so it won't overpower the salsa
  • 1 clove garlic minced — fresh garlic beats the jarred stuff for flavor
  • 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced — leave some seeds in if you want extra heat
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice — bottled juice just doesn't have the same brightness
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro — skip the dried version it won't give you the same punch
  • For the Burrito Filling
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika — this is what gives the eggs a subtle smoky depth
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ pound spicy sausage chorizo, hot Italian, or your favorite, casings removed
  • 1⅓ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese — grate it yourself off a block if you can; pre-shredded bags are coated in anti-caking starch that keeps the cheese from melting as smoothly
  • 4 large 10-inch flour tortillas — burrito-size ones hold the filling without tearing
  • A splash of vegetable oil for the pan

Method
 

  1. Dice your avocado, tomato, shallot, and jalapeño, then toss them into a bowl. Stir in the garlic, lime juice, salt, cumin, and cilantro until everything's combined. Set the bowl aside so the flavors have time to meld while you work on the rest.
  2. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and add the smoked paprika along with a pinch of salt. Whisk everything together until it's fully blended and slightly frothy. Set this aside until your sausage is done cooking.
  3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Let it brown for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly. Once it's done, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and leave the drippings behind.
  4. Turn the heat down to low and pour your egg mixture into the same pan with the leftover drippings. Stir frequently so the eggs cook gently and stay soft rather than turning rubbery. Once they're just set, transfer them to a plate and wipe out the pan.
  5. Lay a tortilla flat and spoon roughly a quarter cup of salsa down the center. Add a quarter of the sausage, a quarter of the eggs, and about a third cup of cheese on top. Fold in the sides, then roll tightly from the bottom up so nothing spills out.
  6. Add a little oil to your skillet and heat it over medium. Place the burritos seam-side down and cook, covered, until golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side until both sides are crisp and the filling is warmed through.

Notes

  • I always roll my burritos tightly and start them seam-side down in the pan — it helps seal the edges shut so nothing unrolls while cooking
  • I like to warm my tortillas for a few seconds in a dry pan before filling them, since it makes them more pliable and less likely to crack
  • I never skip draining excess liquid from my tomatoes, or the salsa turns the tortilla soggy
  • I keep my cheese at room temperature for a few minutes before assembling so it melts faster once the burrito hits the pan
  • I taste my salsa before serving and adjust the lime and salt, since avocados vary a lot in flavor