Burrito

For other uses, see Burrito (disambiguation).

Burrito
A Mexican-style burrito served with some limes
TypeWrap
CourseBreakfast, lunch, and dinner
Place of originMexico
Serving temperatureHot or room temperature
Main ingredientsFlour tortillas, meat and beans or refried beans
Ingredients generally usedCheese, rice, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream
Variations

A burrito (English: /bəˈriːtoʊ/, Spanish: [buˈrito] ⓘ)[1] or burro[2] in Mexico is, historically, a regional name, among others, for what is known as a taco, a tortilla filled with food, in other parts of the country. The term burrito was regional, specifically from Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí and Sinaloa, for what is known as a taco in Mexico City and surrounding areas, and codzito in Yucatán and Quintana Roo.[3][4][5] Due to the cultural influence of Mexico City, the term taco became the default, and the meaning of terms like burrito and codzito were forgotten, leading many people to create new meanings and folk histories.

In modern times, it is considered by many as a different dish in Mexican[6] and Tex-Mex cuisine[7] that took form in Ciudad Juárez, consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped into a sealed cylindrical shape around various ingredients.[8] In Central and Southern Mexico, burritos are still considered tacos, and are known as “tacos de harina” (wheat flour tacos).[5] The tortilla is sometimes lightly grilled or steamed to soften it, make it more pliable, and allow it to adhere to itself. Burritos are often eaten by hand, as their tight wrapping keeps the ingredients together. Burritos can also be served "wet", i.e., covered in a savory and spicy sauce, when they would be eaten with a fork and knife.

Burritos are filled with savory ingredients, most often a meat such as beef, chicken, or pork, and often include other ingredients, such as rice, cooked beans (either whole or refried), vegetables, such as lettuce and tomatoes, cheese, and condiments such as salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or crema.

Burritos are often contrasted in present times with similar dishes such as tacos, in which a small hand-sized tortilla is folded in half around the ingredients rather than wrapped and sealed, or with enchiladas, which use corn masa tortillas and are covered in a savory sauce to be eaten with a fork and knife.

  1. ^ Bayless, Rick; Bayless, Deann Groen; Hirsheimer, Christopher (2007). Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. HarperCollins. p. 197. ISBN 978-0-06-137326-8. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  2. ^ Sobarzo, Horacio (1984). Vocabulario Sonorense (PDF) (Second ed.). Hermosillo: Gobierno del Estado. p. 45. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Ramos y Duarte, Féliz (1895). Diccionario de Mejicanismos. Imprenta de Eduardo Dublan. p. 98.
  4. ^ Santamaría, Francisco Javier (1959). Diccionario de Mejicanismos. Mexico: Editorial Porrúa. p. 158. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Burrito". Diccionario del Español de México. Colegio de México. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  6. ^ Ramos y Duarte, Féliz (1895). Diccionario de Mejicanismos. Imprenta de Eduardo Dublan. p. 98.
    Pilcher, Jeffrey M. (2012). Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food. Oxford University Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-0-19-991158-5.
    Arreola, Daniel D. (January 1, 2010). Tejano South Texas: A Mexican American Cultural Province. University of Texas Press. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-0-292-79314-9.
    Miers, Thomasina (June 21, 2012). Wahaca—Mexican Food at Home. Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-1-4447-5692-0.
  7. ^ Anand, Karen (2005). International Cooking With Karen Anand. Popular Prakashan. p. 28. ISBN 978-81-7154-908-5. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
    Prandoni, Anna; Zago, Fabio (2013). Los Sabores de la Cocina Tex-Mex (in Spanish). Parkstone International. ISBN 978-84-315-5500-9. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
    Armendariz Sanz, Jose Luis. Gastronomía y nutrición (in Spanish). Ediciones Paraninfo, S.A. p. 86. ISBN 978-84-9732-440-3. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  8. ^ Griffith, Dotty (January 9, 2018). The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook: 125 Recipes for All Kinds of Make-Your-Own Tortillas--and for Burritos, Enchiladas, Tacos, and More. Harvard Common Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7603-5488-9. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
    Morton, Paula E. (October 15, 2014). Tortillas: A Cultural History. UNM Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-8263-5215-6. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
    Sparks, Pat; Swanson, Barbara (March 15, 1993). Tortillas!: 75 Quick and Easy Ways to Turn Simple Tortillas Into Healthy Snacks and Mealtime Feasts. St. Martin's Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-312-08912-2. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2018.