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Vegan black bean burritos with plantains are a perfect parcel of spicy and sweet. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that feels like an indulgence.
“I kind of forget about plantains, but I could eat them every week,” David said after our second meal of plantain and black bean burritos.
He’s right. Somehow plantains fall to the background.
The little basket where they rest at the market is tucked away from my usual grocery store produce route. I can go months without making them.
But whenever I have them, it feels like a mini celebration.
They’re like that friend that you bump into downtown, immediately start talking and laughing, and then wondering, “Why aren’t we hanging out all the time? We should be best friends.”
They’re a fruit that can slide right into dinnertime.
And while we don’t eat loads of fried stuff, having a few fried ripe plantains on the side or stuffed into a burrito takes up the fun quotient in a meal by at least 50%.
It’s funny how one small addition can make such a big difference.
A black bean and rice burrito is standard. It’s nice and all. It’s the cardigan sweater of meals.
But stuff that baby with plantains? Now you’ve got a meal worth talking about.
This vegan black bean burrito with plantains has been on my recipe to do list for years.
It stems from our visit to Sage Vegan Bistro in Los Angeles. I ordered their Spicy Brazilian Burrito. The big draw for that particular order was that the burrito came with fried plantains inside. But sadly, they were forgotten.
I remember digging around in the rolled tortilla as if I was looking for a favorite necklace in my jewelry box. Alas, they were nowhere to be found. It meant that I’d wasted one of my precious few LA meals on a bean and rice burrito.
But now the situation has been remedied. I’m happy to say that these vegan black bean burritos with plantains were totally worth the wait.
Vegan black bean burritos with plantains
Savory black beans, rice for staying power, sticky sweet fried plantains, and a hefty dollop of guacamole.
It’s that balance of flavors that makes each bite a surprise, making it a meal that should be in your regular rotation.
You can giddily catch up on old times and wonder why you don’t do this more often.
Never made plantains from scratch? Check out this post on how to fry plantains.
Remember, for sweet plantains you want to make sure that the peel is dark with plenty of spots.
A completely yellow peel means that the plantain will taste more like a potato than a banana. That’s fine and all, but not really what makes this burrito sing.
Fried plantains are also amazing in a black bean bowl.
Vegan black bean burritos with plantains
Ingredients
For the black bean mixture
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped onions
- 1 1/2 cups black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- Pinch salt
- 2 Tablespoons water
For the fried plantains
- 1-2 Tablespoons organic canola oil or other neutral, high heat oil
- 2 ripe plantains peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
For the guacamole
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 avocado pitted and removed from peel
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- Pinch salt
For the burritos
- 4 regular-sized wheat or white tortillas not the extra large burrito-sized tortillas
- 1 cup cooked Basmati brown rice
Instructions
To make the black bean mixture
- Bring a skillet to a medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. Sauté garlic and onions in oil a few minutes, until fragrant and translucent.
- Add black beans, paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, salt, and water to skillet. Cook for 5 or 10 minutes more until the beans have warmed, the liquid has reduced, and the spices have fully combined. (If the skillet gets too dry, add another splash of water.) Remove from heat and set aside.
To make fried plantains
- Bring a separate non-stick skillet to a medium high heat with organic canola oil. (Put a shallow layer of oil into the skillet. The amount will vary, depending upon the size of your skillet.) Test the oil to see if it is hot enough by putting in one plantain slice. If bubbles immediately form around it, you know it's hot enough.
- Put the plantain slices into the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. (If necessary, work in batches.) Fry the plantains on one side until they are nice and brown, then flip them. Brown on the other side for a few minutes. Lower heat and continue cooking for several minutes more until the plantains have fully softened. (Flip again if the plantains start to burn.)
- Once they are fully browned and softened, move the plantains to a separate plate.
To make the guacamole
- In a glass mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients with a fork until mashed and fully combined.
To make the burritos
- Warm each tortilla in a dry skillet over a medium heat.
- Move tortillas to a separate plate. Fill each tortilla with a scoop of brown rice, black beans, guacamole, and plantains. Fold in the sides and roll into a burrito. Serve right away.
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen says
I’ve actually never cooked plantains! I need to remedy that soon and make these burritos!
Cadry says
Yes, you should get on that! I hope you enjoy them. 😀
angel says
i made this recipe and it was awesome and very filling. i’m actually making it again tonight & adding some brown rice to it.
Cadry says
I’m so glad to hear that, Angel. Thank you for letting me know!
Jenn says
So, I have a confession. The only time I’ve ever had plantains was on an airplane many moons ago. I didn’t care for it, but hey, it was airplane food. These burritos looks sooooo good!! I would totally be willing to give them another try for this deliciousness. 🙂
Cadry says
Oh, wow! I’ve never heard of plantains being given out as airplane food. Curry, pasta, sandwiches, yes. But plantains? Never! Where were going to/coming from? Also, this sounds like the perfect beginning for a poem:
“The only time I’ve had a fried plantain,
was from the window seat of an airplane.”
Jojo says
Oh hell yeah, I’ve actually never cooked plantains before despite how much I love them whenever they appear on my plate!
Cadry says
You’ll have to give them a whirl sometime, Jojo! Plantains aren’t very prevalent in local restaurants, and so it has spurred me into making them at home more often.
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition says
Such a great idea Cadry! I love plantains but have never made them before. This will remind me of my travels to see my family in Ecuador – I can’t wait to try it!
Cadry says
Oh, how lovely! I love food reminders. Eating place-specific foods really has a way of taking you there all over again.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I know you keep hearing this, but I love plantains and have never cooked them myself! I now have no excuse. These burritos look so delicious!
Cadry says
Thanks, Amy! In some ways it’s worked out that so many of the foods I love aren’t available in restaurants locally. It’s challenged me to actually make some of the foods at home instead. For example, if I lived somewhere with an Ethiopian restaurant, I’m sure I wouldn’t be making that at home nearly as often. Same thing with plantains. Who knows if I would have bothered with them at home if I could still buy them at restaurants for 75 cents for a side order? But now that I have, it’s so easy and I’m glad I did!
Mandy says
Hehe!! I loved your description of plantains ? So true!! I forget about them and when I do finally enjoy some I’m reminded of just how much I LOVE them!! Mmmmm!! But fried and stuffed into a burrito like this sounds absolutely wonderful! I’m adding plantains to next week’s grocery list – I must try this!!!
Cadry says
It’s funny how things we love can kind of fall to the wayside! It’s easy to get into habits and forget about old favorites. I hope you love the burritos as much as I do!
Melissa @ Vegan Huggs says
This looks scrumptious! I love fried plantains and they sound delicious in this bean burrito. Gotta give this a whirl 🙂
Cadry says
Awesome! Let me know if you try it, Melissa! 😀
Ginny says
Perfect recipes and I love plantains. My new favorite burrito.
Cadry says
Yay! Plantains add a little bit of magic to every dish they touch.