Breakfast Burrito Recipe

My husband likes to have a quick and easy breakfast on work mornings. Burritos are his favorite, giving him plenty of protein in an on-the-go package. Commercial frozen breakfast burritos, however, are not only expensive, but they tend to be too small for my guy - and not always tasty or hearty. So I've started making them from scratch.

It takes me about an hour and a half (with kiddo interruptions) to make 27 burritos and put them in the freezer. And when you consider how much I'm saving - $494.40 a year! - that's a great investment. (The hash browns are the most expensive part of this recipe, so you could save considerably more by making your own.)

This recipe is extremely adaptable. Yes, I make it in large batches - and the resulting burritos are suitable for big appetites. Alter it to your own tastes, adding or subtracting ingredients, making smaller batches, or making more dainty burritos. You can even use the same basic idea to make lunch or dinner burritos.


UPDATE 3/27/15: Now that we have .06 cent backyard eggs, these burritos are even less expensive. In order to save even more money, and to avoid the preservatives found in store bought, I also now make the hash browns from scratch. (Learn how here.) Sometimes I cut this recipe in half and cook the burritos fresh for my family's breakfast, freezing the extras. To get that done in 25 - 30 minutes, I simply cook the harsh browns, sausage, and eggs at the same time, in different pans on different burners.)

What You Need:
3 dozen eggs
milk
2 packages (1 lb. each) of sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 packages (24 oz. each) of hash browns
2 or 3 cans (7 oz. each) diced green chilies
7 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt
pepper
27 burrito sized tortillas

1 to 3 frying pans
1 huge mixing bowl, or 2 very large ones
heavy duty foil
Sharpie pen

How to Do It:
1. Scramble the eggs. An average-sized pan only cooks about 1 dozen eggs comfortably, so do this in batches. Add a little milk, salt, and pepper as you scramble. Place the finished scrambled eggs in a huge mixing bowl. If you don't have one commercial-sized bowl, divide the eggs among two very large mixing bowls.

2. Cook the hash browns according to the package directions. Add to mixing bowl(s).

3. Cook the sausage with the chopped onion. Add to mixing bowl(s).

4. Add the green chilies to the mixing bowl(s) and mix everything together thoroughly.

5. Remove about 3 tortillas from their packaging. (Working in small numbers prevents the tortillas from drying out.) Sprinkle some cheese down the center of each tortilla, then add a couple handfuls of the egg mixture per tortilla. Fold the two short sides of the burritos toward the middle, then fold the two long ends up.

6. Wrap each burrito in heavy duty foil, crimping the edges. Identify the contents of the foil package by writing on the foil with a Sharpie pen. Freeze.

7. The night before eating, place the desired number of burritos in the refrigerator. Before serving, heat them in a 350 degree F. oven for about 20 minutes.

 TIP: My husband pops these in the oven before taking his morning shower. By the time he's dressed and ready to eat, the burritos are warm.

UPDATE 11/15/2010: If you prefer to microwave these burritos, remove one from the freezer the morning you wish to eat it and unwrap the foil from around it. Re-wrap the burrito in a paper towel and nuke for 3 to 4 minutes. My husband and I agree they don't taste quite as good this way, but it is quicker. Remember that microwave cooking times vary, so you might have to heat your burrito for a longer or shorter amount of time.

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