We Tasted And Ranked 10 Store-Bought Frozen Burritos

When the days are long and cooking time is short, what do you reach for when it comes to lunch, dinner, or even a quick snack? Sometimes, you might not have the energy or skillsets to spend your free hours in the kitchen cooking from scratch. What better way to sate your hunger than with a frozen burrito? Beef, chicken, tofu, beans, cheese –- the options are endless in the freezer aisle, especially in this day and age. 

But which brands are worth the buy and which should be avoided at all cost? That's where I come in. I taste-tested 10 top frozen burrito brands to see which options offered the best flavor, texture, and overall satisfaction. I'll also let you know those that were a complete fail. Let's see if your go-to brand made the cut or if a new favorite might creep into your cart. Like most of my taste tests, I was definitely surprised!

I have eaten a lot of great gluten free food options, especially within the freezer aisle, but I have to say, Feel Good Foods Chicken Chile Verde Burrito was not it. This last place contender featured a gluten free tortilla, rice, pinto and black beans, and tomatillo poblano sauce with chicken raised without antibiotics and or anything artificial.

While this all sounded great on paper, I could not get past the texture of the tortilla. It was the biggest ick factor I've had in a long time. It was too thick, rubbery, and mushy in various places. There also wasn't enough good stuff on the inside, which meant that tortilla taste and texture was the star of the show, and by star, I mean burning ball of fire plummeting towards earth.

I think the overall taste of this one could be considered fine, but the tortilla killed it for me. GF didn't stand for 'gluten free' here — it stood for 'great failure.'

Up next in the failure category was Alpha's Mexicali Burrito. This one was not your average burrito, as it was filled with a mixture of "meatless beefy crumble" made from soy, dairy-free cheese, onions, and black beans. Needless to say, I was instantly skeptical.

This one was super sauce and spice heavy. From the packaging, I gathered it was some red and green pepper starting that heat, but the rest was left unknown. I will say this wasn't horrible, but the flavor was simply too much after just a few bites. It was quite acidic and led to an unenjoyable experience. There was no balance or real complexity here. It's like when you order ribs but all you taste is a mediocre barbecue sauce. If you do like a lot of spice and a brand that offers a vegetarian options, this might be for you, but it absolutely was not for me.

I am one to tout Aldi whenever I can, but the German chain's Casa Mamita Beef & Bean Burritos did not live up to the brand's stellar snack line up. First, I didn't like that these burritos were sold in an 8-pack and weren't individually sealed. Therefore, I had a giant block of frozen burrito mass to contend with as I started my taste testing project. With that said, if you need a quick fix for a large group, these are definitely the burritos you're looking for.

These burritos weren't inherently bad, but they placed No. 8 for me because of the taste. The Aldi burritos only featured seasoned beef and beans, but the latter really took over the flavor profile. I don't dislike refried beans, but this was an overload. I could barely find the meat in taste and texture. It was too much for me.

Overall, these didn't taste bad, but they were bean heavy, and the packaging was inconvenient unless you're looking to cook them at once. It's a no from me with so many great individually wrapped options, but I think these do have a place in the frozen burrito world.

I remember trying the evol. brand's breakfast burrito for another taste test and not being impressed, but I wanted to give this seemingly healthier option another shot. This time around, I tried the brand's Chicken, Bean & Rice Burrito. This frozen option featured chicken, beans, rice, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, and onions, with flavorful ingredients like jalapeño, garlic, and paprika, to name a few. With so much packed inside, I was convinced I was in for a ride to flavor town.

The first thing I noticed was the bland chicken flavor on the front end with pepper spice on the back. I was missing all of those listed ingredients in each bite, wondering if my burrito was defective. It didn't necessarily taste bad, but there was limited flavor and limited joy to be had. This one was on its way to the "fine column" with just one bite.

Overall, I would definitely pass when it came to evol.'s chicken, bean & rice burrito. It wasn't the worst thing on this list, but I wouldn't buy it again.

I have a love/hate relationship with the Amy's brand because it's a healthier option when it comes to a lot of food products, but most times, I find the flavor just isn't there. I was pleased to see the brand's Organic Cheddar Cheese Frozen Burrito make it this far up on the list, but still — it wasn't a favorite.

This organic burrito was also vegetarian, which was nice to see in an array of meat products. Unlike some of the other "fake meat" options, this one was sans meat completely, with pinto beans, brown rice, cheddar cheese, and other goodies like yellow onions, bell peppers, tomato puree, and a handful of spices for flavor. My only real complaint about Amy's was that it was super bean heavy, which was to be expected with a vegetarian option like this. However, I did taste the cheese within the profile; it just wasn't super prominent.

I do think this was the best vegetarian option on the list, but buyer beware: You need to love beans to love this one. Personally, I'll take a meat option any day.

I think Red's Natural Foods is one of the better brands out there when it comes to frozen products, so I was eager to see how it would fare in this burrito competition. Red's burritos are also organic, with this specific option featuring free-range chicken. For this taste test, I tried the Organic Chicken, Cilantro & Lime option, praying these flavors would translate into a Mexican masterpiece.

What I loved about this burrito was that you could actually taste all the flavors listed on the packaging. It wasn't a mushy mess like some of the other brands, overshadowed by one ingredient or a sauce. The chicken had a clean taste and nice texture, and the cilantro and lime offered a balanced bite each time.

However, I liked this one — I didn't love it. Something just tasted a little off. After a few bites, Red's ended up being too chicken-forward with a lack of seasoning. What I will say is that this option tasted healthy, clean, and offered a flavor with the cilantro and lime that wasn't found with any other brand. There were some big positives with this one. I suggest you give it a try!

I remember seeing this packaging as a kid as I walked through the freezer section with my mom. I'm not sure why this memory is emblazoned in my mind, as I never tried them, but what I will say is it's clear these burritos have withstood the test of time, which translates to a No. 4 place pick in this ranking.

Up next is Tina's with their Beef & Bean Burrito. What you see is what you get because this thing was really just pinto beans and beef. Like some of the other options, this one was very bean heavy, but it was the seasoned beef that really did it for me. The ingredient list was long with products like tomato paste, jalapeño puree, chili pepper, diced green chili, and a whole lot more that really made the taste shine.

There was something tried and true about the flavor profile of Tina's, offering a classic taste and texture. With the exception of there being a little too much pinto for me, there was no real fail here. If you need a quick and easy burrito fix, and one that's super cheap I might add, Tina's won't let you down! Try this flavor or try them all — I actually might.

The top three frozen burritos definitely stood out in this competition. They were clear outliers within the realm of flavor, and that line starts with the Vista Hermosa brand's Bean & Oaxaca Cheese option. This was the biggest of the bunch in terms of size, which was a welcomed change from the other options that I'd need at least two burritos to satisfy my hunger. Vista Hermosa also featured more complex cooking directions, covering the burrito with a plate and heating multiple time. But with cooking complexity came the safe and secure feeling that this one wouldn't be frozen in the middle.

This brand had a cool story from its humble beginnings in a taqueria, and the ingredient list showed it. From avocado oil to pickled cactus and some organic ingredients, too, it's clear this brand knows a thing or two about cooking up an authentic burrito.

Regarding taste, the package said medium when it came to spice, but to me, it was super spicy. However, I'm super Irish, so take my words as you will. Under that spice, there were so many more flavors to be found. I loved the layers of tomatillo and peppers, but what's wild was that the beans and the cheese took a back seat to the spice. This is one frozen burrito that won't disappoint and won't leave you hating beans. Give it a try!

It's interesting. Trader Joe's came in second on my store-bought breakfast burrito taste test, and now the brand's frozen Carne Asada Burritos claim the runner-up spot, too! This frozen option really stepped up this ranking, offering actual chunks of meat that tasted delicious.

What I loved about this burrito was that it tasted like steak and had a great spice to it. These burritos were also bigger than the rest (except for Vista Hermosa), offering an actual meal that will fill you up.

So, what kept these burritos out of first place? The filling. Yes, the grilled Angus beef was great, but the rest of the good stuff was a bore. The chopped onions, roasted poblano chiles, cilantro, and lemon pepper seasoning with hints of garlic and red pepper was a great combo, but there wasn't any rice, bean, cheese, etc. With that said, this meat can't be beat. My only note is that I'd add my own guac or sour cream to break up that consistent flavor.

If you're looking a really good frozen option that has real meat and tastes delicious, you can't go wrong with Trader Joe's. One bite and you'll get hooked!

Okay, I'm really not a frozen foods kind of girl anymore, but El Monterey may have just changed my life. Maybe I was really hungry or maybe I was really craving a good burrito — nevertheless, the brand's Loaded Nacho Chimi was unreal!

This frozen option that stole first place featured Angus ground beef, black beans, and three cheeses: Mozzarella, Monterey jack, and cheddar. You could taste every ingredient and man, they all worked so well together. The beef was seasoned and yummy, and the cheeses were a great complement. There was a great harmony of traditional Mexican flavors with heat that wasn't overly spicy. I also loved that the beans didn't really add or detract for me, unlike some of the others that were so bean heavy.

At the end of the day, I couldn't stop eating this one, which meant it had to place first. I may or may not have gone back to the store...I'll never tell!

For this taste test, I researched and sought out the top frozen burrito brands I could find in my area, landing on 10 popular options. I focused mainly on taste, looking for unique ingredients and flavor complexity, but texture did play a role in my overall ranking. It there was too much sauce or too much of one ingredient, it moved to the back of the list. I'm here for balance and complexity only.