The Mistake That's Ruining Your Homemade Frozen Burritos

A freshly made burrito is ideal, but having frozen burritos on hand can be convenient for busy days when you don't have time to cook a full meal, or if you run out of groceries and don't want to resort to takeout. You can always buy pre-made burritos, but making fresh, homemade burritos offers you more control over the ingredients and is often more affordable.

Unfortunately, a common problem with homemade frozen burritos is their soggy texture after they are thawed. This sogginess is caused by excess moisture, typically from naturally watery ingredients such as tomatoes, vegetables that haven't been strained, or even too much sauce. Over time, the tortilla will collect and absorb the liquid, rendering it soggy. You might assume the only solution is to leave out any high-moisture ingredients, but while this would certainly help, it can also make your frozen burritos less flavorful. Luckily there are other ways to prevent frozen burritos from becoming soggy.

The main cause of sogginess in frozen burritos is excess moisture soaking into the tortilla. An easy way to prevent this is to create a barrier between the wetter ingredients and the tortilla. A layer of cheese can work, or a layer of thick, creamy refried beans. Rice is also an effective option because it's naturally absorbent. For best results, use day-old rice if possible. Day-old rice is slightly drier than freshly made, so it can absorb more moisture without turning mushy, and fluffs up perfectly when the burrito is reheated. Plus, it's a great way to use leftover rice.

Adequately strain ingredients after washing or cooking, and pat them dry to keep the excess moisture to a minimum. When it comes to sauces, use only enough to act as a binder, and leave out condiments such as sour cream or hot sauce, which you can easily add after reheating, or serve on the side.

If you got your wet ingredients as dry as possible but your frozen burritos are still turning out soggy, the way you are making or reheating them may have something to do with it. After making your burritos, it's important to make sure everything is cool before you wrap them up. If you wrap up a freshly made burrito, you'll be trapping in all the extra steam from the warm ingredients. This will inevitably turn to ice in the freezer, which will turn to water when you thaw and reheat the burritos. 

Frozen burritos, whether homemade or store-bought, can also turn out soggy if you microwave them in a covered container or if they are wrapped in plastic because the moisture from the steam will have nowhere to go. On the other hand, leaving a frozen burrito uncovered during reheating may cause the tortilla to dry out and crack. The best approach is to first microwave your frozen burrito in a damp paper towel, then finish reheating it on the stove so it'll crisp up. This will result in a burrito that's neither soggy and wet, nor dry and cracked. Once your frozen burritos are thawed, hot, and ready to enjoy, you can serve them as is or use them as the base for an amazing frozen burrito casserole.