The Best Vegan Baked Veggie Burritos

Known to vegans in Norman, Oklahoma as The Thing, these Vegan Baked Veggie Burritos are the stuff dreams are made of. Mine specifically. Rich tomatillo sauce, savory beans, and loads of veggies are all tucked into a crisp baked burrito.

In 2011, I moved to a little college town in Oklahoma.

Norman had a lot of special things to offer – not the least of which was a fresh start for yours truly.

Of the billion things I loved about that town, one was a little restaurant that didn’t cater to vegans specifically but made it damn easy to eat there.

The Thing was their off-menu monstrosity that you had to ask for specifically. An enormous burrito, full of rice, beans, crispy potatoes, veggies, and covered in the most delicious sauces.

Since riding my bike down to the little restaurant on Campus Corner is no longer an option, I had to do my best to recreate this dreamboat.

Ingredients for the Vegan Baked Veggie Burritos

I’ll admit there are lots of components. HOWEVER, everything can be made ahead of time if needed, and many things can be going on at once if making ahead isn’t an option. Once you have the ingredients assembled, things come together pretty quickly, and it’s so worth the effort!

• Tomatillos – Cousins to tomatoes, tomatillos are smaller green fruits in the nightshade family. These little guys have a thin papery skin that must be peeled off and a slightly soapy film. I usually peel them, and then give them a good dunk in a bowl of water and rinse them around a bit before cutting them in half and roasting.

• Poblano peppers – Poblano peppers have a mild heat and wonderful flavor that takes on a great smokey taste when roasted. Along with the tomatillos, they are the big stars of the sauce.

• Jalapeno peppers – These peppers are optional if you are sensitive to heat. If you are I like to use half of a large-seeded jalapeno for the beautiful flavor these little peppers impart to the sauce.

• Garlic

• Cilantro

• Black Beans

• Raw Cashews

• Rice

• Burrito sized tortillas

• Lime

• Spices – Cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder are all used in this recipe. I like to grind my cumin seeds just before using them. It’s a small effort for a big payoff.

How to make the Vegan Baked Veggie Burritos

Buckle up and get your face ready to eat the best damn burrito ever.

Make the Tomatillo Sauce

Set your oven to 420 degrees. Peel and wash your tomatillos. They have a bit of a slippery film, and I like to submerge them in a bowl of water for a few minutes before rinsing them and cutting them in half.

Slice the poblano into halves, remove the stems and seeds, and toss the tomatillo, poblano, and seeded jalapeno with the onion in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt.

Dump everything out onto a large baking sheet and place it into the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.

When the veggies have roasted, place everything into a high-speed blender. Add the water, oil, and salt and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.

Roasted Potatoes

While the peppers are in the oven, slice the potatoes into coins about 1/4 inch thick. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder.

Toss the potatoes to coat evenly and place them on a baking sheet. To save dishes, you can use the same baking sheet that the peppers had been on. Bake, turning every few minutes, for about 15 minutes until they are fork-tender and a little crispy, but not baked through like potato chips.

Yellow Rice

In a small saucepan with a lid, add the water, bouillon, turmeric, cumin, and rice. Bring to a boil and give everything a good stir. Then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook undisturbed for 15 to 18 minutes. Fluff with a fork when done.

Cashew Creme

This is the basic cashew creme that I use for tons of recipes like Vegan Barbeque Soycurl Mac.

Soak the raw cashews in very hot water for about 15 minutes. This puffs them up and softens them, making the sauce extra creamy.

Once they have sat for 15 minutes to an hour, discard the water and add the cashews to a highspeed blender, like a Vitamix. Add 1/2 cup water, salt, and Apple Cider Vinegar. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Pan-Seared Veggies

When the rest of your ingredients are done, chop up an onion and a couple of peppers. Cook in 1 tablespoon of oil on a very hot cast-iron skillet for 5 to 10 minutes. Bonus points if you allow the edges to char a bit.

Black Beans

While the peppers and onions are cooking, drain and rinse one can of black beans. Add them to a small saucepan with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, vegan chicken stock, lime juice, and a little oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

Smash the beans a little with the flat side of a big wooden spoon or potato masher. You don’t want them totally smooth, so leave some whole beans if you can.

Vegan Baked Veggie Burrito, Assemble!

I crack myself up. Anyway, once you are all done cooking – it’s time to assemble and bake the vegan baked veggie burritos.

Get a large tortilla, and layer a little tomatillo sauce, beans, rice, potatoes, veggies, and then some cashew creme. Try and build up from a center line, piling everything on top of each other in layers.

To roll, fold the two sides of the burrito that are closest to the “line” of fillings towards the middle. Then, starting from the side closest to you, roll until you have a nice little burrito baby.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat until you are out of filling. This will make about 6 burritos. Brush the tops of the vegan baked veggie burritos with a little bit of oil.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Flip, and then bake for about 3 more minutes.

Serve with the rest of the sauce, crema, sliced jalapenos, and whatever else you like!

I sure hope you like these! <3 Sonia