The Best Way to Reheat a Burrito

You probably landed on this page because you want to know how to reheat a burrito properly.

If you were too full to finish the burrito you ordered for lunch/dinner or you have leftovers stashed away in the fridge, then this article is for you.

I am going to highlight the 2 best methods to use when reheating this popular Mexican dish.

I will also highlight the pros and cons of using these different methods, along with other useful information.

So, let us get right into it.

What to Know Before Reheating Your Burrito

Before you throw your burrito in the oven or microwave to reheat it, there are a couple of things you need to know.

1. It will Never Taste Like When It was Freshly Made

Your reheated burrito will not taste like when it was freshly made. There are just too many variables to contend with and if you’re ok with that, then continue reading.

2. Make Sure It’s Safe to Eat

Before warming up the burrito, it is important to know if it is safe to eat.

If you had it in the refrigerator, then you should have no problems reheating it. However, if you had it out at room temperature for over 2 hours, you should throw it out, as this is the perfect environment for the growth of harmful bacteria.

3. To Reheat It Properly, It Has to be Deconstructed & Reassembled

To properly reheat a burrito, it is not as simple as throwing it in the oven or the microwave. It is made of a variety of ingredients and they all bring their own challenges when reheated.

You have the proteins like chicken, beef, pork and fish. Then there is the tortilla, rice, beans, etc. Finally, there are the cold components like sour cream, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

There is a delicate dance that needs to be done and you will often have break down the burrito, reheat as needed and then reassemble.

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Best Way to Reheat a Burrito (2 Best Methods to Use)

Reheating a burrito can be a bit challenging, but if done properly, you can have some nice warmed up leftovers to munch on.

The two methods that are recommended to warmup a burrito are:

• The Oven
• The Microwave

Let us take a detailed look at each method below.

Method 1: How to Reheat a Burrito in the Oven

The best way to reheat a burrito is in the oven.

It is important to remove the cold fillings like sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes, before placing the burrito in the oven, as these will taste pretty awful when heated up.

The burrito should be heated properly, so the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/ 74°C (steaming hot).

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F /177°C
2. Wrap the burrito in aluminum foil
3. Place the wrapped burrito on an oven safe dish or baking sheet
4. Place the burrito in the oven and let it heat up for about 15-20 minutes, till it is steaming hot.
5.  If you want the exterior to get toasted, you can remove the foil 5 minutes before it is finished heating.
6. Once heated to your liking, add the cold ingredients, serve and enjoy.

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Method 2: How to Reheat a Burrito in the Microwave

The microwave is a great method for reheating tortillas (a key component of a burrito). However, you might not get the best results if it is used to warm up a burrito.

The biggest issue that can arise from using the microwave, is that the burrito can become soggy and mushy.

You will have to microwave in intervals, as this will ensure that you do not end up with a soggy finished product.

Steps:

1. Place the burrito on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Remove the cold ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
3. Microwave on high for one minute.
4. Flip the burrito on its other side and microwave for another minute.
5. Check to see if the whole burrito is heated all the way through, if not reheat for another 30 seconds.
6. Repeat step 5 in 30 second intervals until your burrito is heated all the way through.
7. Re-add the cold ingredients, serve and enjoy.

How to Reheat a Chipotle Burrito?

If you want to know how to reheat a Chipotle burrito, you can use any of the two methods that were listed earlier. However, there is a little hack on the popular social media site, Reddit, that many swear by.

We haven’t tested this method out ourselves, but if you are interested, here it is below:

It seems like a pretty cool method and a lot of the users swear by it, so the next time I get Chipotle, I am going to test it out.

While you are here, please check out our comprehensive guide to reheating a Chipotle burrito bowl.

Wrapping it up

While reheating a burrito is possible, it is always best to eat it when it is freshly made.

It just won’t taste the same, you will never recapture that magic and warming it up properly can be a tedious process.

With that said, how are you going to be reheating your burrito?

Are you going to go with the oven or just throw it in the microwave and hope for the best?

Whichever way, let me know with method you chose by leaving a comment below.