These meal prep carnitas burritos are filled with juicy and flavorful pork carnitas, rice, and veggies. They are perfect for making ahead of time for an easy grab and go meal. Skip the delivery fee for lunch time and make your own!
My carnitas recipe is so simple and easy, resulting in juicy, tender carnitas. What to do with any leftovers though? Well, carnitas are good for enchiladas, tacos, or, of course, burritos!
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Ingredients
The great thing about this recipe is its very customizable. Add in whatever you like to these burritos. You can even make a few variations to change it up throughout the week.
So, what to put in your carnitas burrito? Here are some of my favorite toppings.
Carnitas - Meal prep burritos are great with delicious carnitas, whether that is leftovers or freshly made. My Dutch Oven Carnitas are made from tender and juicy pork shoulder with crispy edges and hints of lime juice. It’s the perfect protein for a burrito!
Some carnitas recipes use a crock pot or instant pot, but I think they are best slow braised in the oven, and then crisped up on a baking sheet under the broiler. For that recipe you will need pork butt, fresh squeezed orange juice, limes, oregano, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt and garlic.
Tortillas - You will need a large burrito size tortilla, or one at least 10 inches or bigger. Wheat or white flour tortillas will work. You could also skip the tortilla and try this as a carnitas burrito bowl instead! Try gluten free tortillas if you have a gluten intolerance.
Grains:
- Rice - I love using microwave rice to make my meal preps easier. You can also use leftover rice or cook up a large batch to use! This burrito will be great with either white or brown rice. Try it with Vegan Mexican Rice, or make cilantro rice for some extra flavor.
- Other grains - If you don’t want rice, you can try other grains like quinoa or farro.
Meal prep friendly vegetables:
- Guacamole - I’m a huge fan of guacamole! I recently shared this Easy 4 Ingredient Guacamole recipe which is perfect for these burritos.
- Peppers - I love to purchase frozen pre-sliced peppers and then reheat them in a pan before burrito assembly.
- Salsa - Use store bought salsa, or make your own.
- Broccoli and Cauliflower - Try it riced or diced. You can also get this frozen and heat it up before burrito assembly.
- Corn - I prefer using frozen corn if I can’t find it fresh. You could also make your own corn salsa.
- Sweet Potato - You can add sautéed or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Zucchini - Try it shredded or sliced and sautéed.
- Vegetable Slaws - A fresh slaw would add a nice crunch to the burrito.
- Spaghetti Squash - This is a great alternative to adding rice to the burrito.
- Beans - Beans go great with burritos and carnitas. Try black beans, refried beans, or pinto beans.
- Roasted Chickpeas - another way to add a crunchy texture.
- Pickled vegetables - The acidity of pickled veggies goes great with the richness of pork carnitas. Try pickled red onion, radishes or jalapeños.
Other toppings:
- Greens - Add in some kale, spinach, arugula, or chopped romaine lettuce.
- Tomatoes - Putting tomatoes in the fridge hurts the flavor, so I would avoid adding fresh tomatoes in your burritos unless you are eating them right away. Homemade pico de gallo would be delicious in these too.
- Cheese - You could keep this dairy free by omitting cheese, but if you want to use it, white cheddar cheese and queso fresco are both good options.
- Sauce - Add in your favorite sauces, like salsa verde, or Creamy Vegan Avocado Lime Sauce.
How to assemble a burrito
First gather the ingredients you will be adding to your burritos.
Heat up or cook any items that are frozen. You can heat up frozen corn or peppers in a small saute pan. Once heated through, set aside.
If you are making these for meal prep and not to be eaten right away, It is best to let all the ingredients cool completely before assembling.
Next, warm the tortillas. Put the tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30-seconds. The damp paper towel will help prevent the tortillas from drying out in the microwave.
On a large cutting board, lay out the warm tortillas. Place all ingredients on top of one another in the center of the warmed tortilla. Start with rice first as a base, followed by the carnitas and vegetables, finishing with the salsa and guacamole on top.
Next it's time to wrap it up.
How to wrap a burrito perfectly
Folding burritos can be tricky, but here are some tips on wrapping your burrito up perfectly.
- Step One: Fold in short sides of the burrito over the edges of your ingredients.
- Step Two: Fold the long edge of the tortilla (the side closest to you) over the ingredients, tucking in the short sides.
- Step Three: Roll the burrito over, tucking in the sides and any ingredients as you go. Finish seam side down.
If you are making these for meal prep, wrap up the burrito in parchment paper or aluminum foil or place in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you want to eat these right away, you can heat the burrito in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. This will crisp the tortilla and sear the sides.
How to reheat
To reheat, remove burrito from any covering or container and wrap in a damp paper towel. Reheat for 60-seconds in microwave. Remove damp paper towel and eat immediately!
Alternately, you can heat the burrito in a pan on the stove, crisping up sides until warmed through (about 3-minutes).
Variations & substitutions
- Make it a wet burrito by adding your favorite sauce on top.
- Omit the tortilla and try this as a carnitas burrito bowl instead! You can still meal prep it in containers and heat up as you need it.
- Make this a chipotle copycat by adding in your favorite Chipotle ingredients, like white rice, pinto beans, white cheddar cheese, tomatillo green chili salsa, and queso blanco.
Quick tips
- If making for meal prep, allow all ingredients to cool before assembling the burrito.
- Avoid using a lot of wet ingredients like tomatoes or pico de gallo so the burrito doesn’t get soggy.
- Wrap your burrito tightly while tucking in the sides and any ingredients to make eating easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnitas is made from pork butt or pork shoulder. It is usually braised with orange and lime juices with spices like chili powder, cumin, and garlic.
You can meal prep these burritos up to 3 days in advance.
What to pair with carnitas burrito
- Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
- Easy 4 Ingredient Guacamole
- the Best Mexican Mule (aka Tequila Mule)
- Fresh Mexican Avocado Salad
- Easy 4 Ingredient Guacamole
📖 Recipe
Meal Prep Carnitas Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 tortilla burrito sized or 10”+
- ⅓ cup Dutch oven carnitas
- ⅓ cup cooked rice
- ¼ cup frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon salsa
- 1 tablespoon guacamole
Instructions
- Cook the frozen corn (or alternate veggies) in a small sautee pan. Warm vegetables through, until warm, about 3-5 minutes. Leave to the side.
- Warm the tortilla in the microwave in a damp paper towel for 30-seconds.
- Place all ingredients in the center of the tortilla, layering the rice first as a base, followed by the carnitas and vegetables, finishing with the salsa and guacamole on top.
- Fold in the short sides of the burrito tortilla.
- Next, roll the long side (start with the side closest to you), placing it over the ingredients and over the short sides.
- Finally, roll the burrito over, until you reach seam side down.
- If you prefer, you can heat the burrito in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. This will crisp the tortilla and sear the sides. Otherwise, eat burrito immediately or place in aluminum foil or airtight container/ziploc.
- To reheat, remove burrito from any covering or container and wrap in a damp paper towel. Reheat for 60-seconds in microwave. Remove damp paper towel and eat immediately! Alternately, heat burrito in pan on the stove, crisping up sides until warmed through (about 3-minutes).