Breaking Down and Building Up the Classic Burrito

Universal, yes. Taken for granted, no. As a category, the humble burrito shows optimal growth and is on the cusp of a renewed innovation. Ingredients carry the flavor load in a burrito, so emphasizing high-quality elements packed with bold, satiating creativity is paramount. The sum of these parts needs to work harmoniously to capture both mainstream and adventurous eaters.

A prime example is Señor Sisig in San Francisco, which serves a Tosilog Burrito, featuring Filipino sweet pork, adobo-garlic rice, fresh tomatoes and a fried egg with an optional side of peppered vinegar. Another restaurant leading the burrito flavor charge is Portage Bay Café in Seattle. Its Mole Verde Burrito delights with Spanish chorizo, carnitas, potatoes, spicy beans and cilantro-lime crema wrapped in an organic flour tortilla, sauced with mole verde then topped with a sunny-side-up egg, Cotija and scallions.

To further spark burrito-centric development dialogue, let’s dive into 10 elevated techniques that bring burrito ideas to life plus menuing ideas across dayparts.

10 Elevated Techniques

FINISHERS

1. Craveable, cheese-encrusted flair: Create a tasty first (bite) impression. Melt grated cheddar Jack on a griddle. When it begins to crisp, place a finished burrito atop the cheese, then roll the burrito to the opposite end, wrapping it in the melted-crisping cheese. Once removed from the griddle, the cheese will harden around the burrito forming a crispy cheese coating. Amplify the crunch by first sprinkling in a signature seasoning, thinly shaved jalapeños, panko crumbs and chicharrón crumbles—or even just crushed spicy chips—before enveloping the burrito in the cheese.
2. Pressed for toasted contrast: Simple yet effective, finishing a burrito with a quick hot press imbues a golden-brown contrast and a flavorsome outer flour tortilla crust, heightening the presentation and overall appeal.

FILLINGS

3. Carb and starch superstars
   Although by no means obligatory, starchy fillers soak up burrito juices (less mess) and add heft to the overall dish. Varieties of rice, beans, french fries and potatoes provide intrigue, especially with bold flavor treatments. Future menus may rein in overstuffed offerings in favor of a more judicious mix of carbohydrates.
4. Craft ingredients galore
   Elevate the casual burrito with craft ingredient treatments. Guisado-style meats, glazed bacon, wood-fired seafood, as well as charred and pickled fruits/vegetables all meet the moment.
5. Crunch punch: The combination of crispy elements dispersed throughout a soft burrito packs textural contrast into every bite. For example, pair wafer-thin plantain chips with charred pineapple Thai rice for a flavor-packed filling with a satisfying crunch.

SAUCES

6. Adventures in mole: Mole is not only trending, it’s also a stalwart generational flavor story and colorful addition to modern burrito builds. Meats or vegetables tossed in a favorite Mexican mole lend any burrito rich, deep complexity and authenticity.
7. Sauced and smothered: While a sauce mix-in adds immediate taste and moisture to bind internal ingredients together, a “wet” application vaults the handheld into knife-and-fork plated indulgence. Sauced burritos deliver an extra layer of flavor and texture, especially when adorned with a sprinkling of crumbled semi-soft cheese or grated hard cheese to complete the flavor-forward vibe. Whatever the method, menu developers should explore the gamut of global sauces and varying viscosities.
8. Bold dippers: Pairing a burrito with a complementary side of a signature or unexpected sauce/dip—or even a squeeze packet—provides guests a unique interactive sensory eating experience. Here are flavorful ideas to encourage soul-satisfying burrito dipping.

• Smoked golden corn purée with salsa roja swirl
• Chimichurri-avocado crema
• Roasted poblano-pepita pesto
• Guava-Serrano barbecue sauce (regular or creamy)
• Harissa-roasted red pepper sauce
• Vietnamese peanut sauce
• Masala mango raita (yogurt-based dip with veggies, herbs and spices)
• New birria consommé flavors
• Italian gusto oil (extra-virgin olive emulsified with puréed pepperoncini and mashed roasted garlic)

STRUCTURE

9. Meaningful fusion: Dare to be different and take burrito flavors outside Mexican borders. Unconventional ingredient combinations, handled with culinary precision and rooted in Mexican foundation, offer a way of introducing guests to a feast of new global flavors in a comforting format.
10. Maximized miniatures: Inventive formats deliver opportunities to reach consumers with new quick bite experiences. Premium, petite burritos (think: double egg roll size) paired with a punchy dipping sauce answer the call when a guest simply wants to quell a craving via a convenient quick bite versus consuming a full meal. Expand this further, positioning snackable mini burritos as an appetizer or part of a late-night munchies promotion.

Daypart Dance

BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH

Early bird opportunities remain hot and continue to blur dining lines. Modernized yet simplistic upgrades on ingredients primed for breakfast/brunch will appeal to consumers seeking flavorful satisfaction throughout the morning. Operators can also leverage such offerings as a sales driver, moving them outside a.m. hours to address demand from guests craving breakfast burritos all day long.

Mini C.E.C. Dippers: crumbled charred chorizo + soft scrambled eggs + pulled strands of Oaxacan cheese + dipper duo of salsa roja and a fire-roasted poblano hollandaise

Skinny Texan: pulled smoked beef brisket + skinny fries + crispy bacon crumbles + spicy ranchero beans + grated dual cheddar cheeses + crema

El Guapo: pork belly and shoulder carnitas + whipped jalapeño cream cheese + crispy shredded hash browns + puréed charred pineapple-aji amarillo salsa

Burrito in Purgatory: hot Italian sausage crumbles + over easy eggs + charred tricolor bell peppers + cannellini beans + Calabrian chile-tomato sauce + a dollop of basil pesto + Parmesan shavings, all in a toasted-pressed tortilla

West African Steak n’ Egg Crunch: grilled suya skirt steak slices + jollof rice + fried egg + roasted sweet plantains, wrapped in a fresh scallion and cheddar-jack cheese crispy thin crust

LUNCH AND DINNER

A burrito’s approachable versatility with trend-forward flavor plays makes it a perpetual darling for menu developers staying abreast of ever-evolving consumer palates. Operators should implement bold, signature stylings with a focus on injecting globally influenced cues that bring a savory, spicy, subtly sweet trifecta.

Sticky ’Nitas: maple-mezcal glazed carnitas + roasted sweet potato chunks + charred serrano + barbecue sauce + Cotija cheese crumbles

Posh Prime Rib: shaved roasted peppered prime rib + roasted portobello slices + truffled skinny fries + grated aged Gouda + aïoli + sauced with miso beef jus gravy

Red Chicken n’ Bean: gochujang-sauced fried chicken thigh bites + smashed red beans + jasmine sticky rice + radish sprouts + toasted sesame aïoli

SoCAL Fish: beer-battered cod + smashed avocado + creamy lime napa cabbage slaw + mango-pistachio salsa macha

Colorado Lamb Shank: braised lamb shank chunks (tossed in ancho mole) + toasted pepita-yellow rice + roasted red bell peppers + grated asadero cheese