Breakfast · Tex-Mex
Breakfast Burritos
Crispy hash browns, sausage, chile-flecked eggs and melty cheese, rolled up for now or for the freezer.
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Makes
- 8 burritos
- Serves
- 8
Everything is cooked on the stove, so it's all hands-on: about 15 minutes for the hash browns, 5 for the sausage and eggs, then rolling. If you're freezing them, add about 30 minutes for the filling to cool before you roll.
- easy
- make-ahead
- freezer-friendly
- brunch
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? The filling scales in a straight line, but the pan doesn't: a 30 cm (12 in) skillet holds one batch of hash browns in an even layer. For a double batch, cook the potatoes and the eggs in two rounds instead of piling them up, or they steam instead of browning. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: 30 cm (12 in) nonstick skillet · large heatproof spatula · large bowl and medium bowl · whisk or fork · foil · freezer bags (if freezing) · instant-read thermometer (for reheating from frozen)
Contains: egg · milk · wheat
Method
Start the hash browns
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the 30 cm (12 in) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the 340 g (4 cups) frozen hash browns in an even layer, press them down lightly and leave them alone for 7 minutes.
Ready when: The underside is golden brown and crisp when you lift an edge with the spatula.
Otto tried this firstOtto keeps stirring the potatoes every 30 seconds to 'help'. They never brown. Leave them flat and untouched for the full 7 minutes.Turn and finish the potatoes
Drizzle the last 1 tbsp oil over the potatoes, turn them in sections and cook 6 to 8 minutes more. Tip them into the medium bowl, cover with foil to keep warm and wipe out the skillet.
Ready when: Browned on both sides and hot all the way through, with no icy or pale, soft patches.
Beat the eggs
In the large bowl, beat the 8 eggs with the 113 g (4 oz) can of green chiles, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper until evenly blended.
Brown the sausage, scramble the eggs
Put the skillet back over medium-high heat and cook the 6 sliced sausage links for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the egg mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring now and then, until scrambled.
Ready when: Sausage pieces are browned and sizzling. The eggs are set in soft curds with no runny, liquid egg left in the pan; with a thermometer, 71°C (160°F).
Fill the tortillas
Lay out the 8 tortillas. Put a line of hash browns down the middle of each first, then the egg and sausage, then the 227 g (2 cups) cheese, dividing everything evenly. Keep about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) clear around the edges.
Roll
Fold the left and right sides over the filling, lift the bottom edge up and over, and roll tightly to the top. Set each burrito seam-side down. Serve right away, or cool and freeze (see storage).
Swaps
- Instead of 6 breakfast sausage links: cooked bacon, ground pork sausage, chorizo or ham Raw ground sausage or chorizo must be cooked through to 71°C (160°F) before the eggs go in.
- Instead of Mexican cheese blend: cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or pepper Jack, same amount
Don’t swap
- corn tortillas for flour: they crack when frozen and reheated
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Let the hot filling cool for about 30 minutes before rolling, so the tortillas don't go soggy or get freezer burn. Wrap each burrito tightly in foil, lay them flat in a labelled freezer bag, press out the air and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Storage
- Best eaten fresh or frozen. In the fridge the tortillas soften; if you do refrigerate them, wrap them and eat within 3 to 4 days. Don't leave them out for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F). Freezer: up to 1 month.
- Reheat
- From frozen, no need to thaw: take off the foil, wrap the burrito in a lightly damp paper towel and microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes, turning once, until steaming hot and the centre reads at least 74°C (165°F). For a crisper outside, then put it on a tray in a 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) oven or toaster oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Thawed in the fridge overnight, wrap it in foil and bake at 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot through.
If something goes wrong
- Soggy burritos Why: The filling went in piping hot, or the wet egg and cheese sat straight on the tortilla.
Let the filling cool a little, and lay the hash browns down first so they shield the tortilla. - Burritos tear or won't close Why: Overfilled.
Leave about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) bare around the edges and fold the sides in before rolling.
Good to know
- Leave the hash browns untouched for the first 7 minutes: that's what makes them crisp.
- Pull the eggs off the heat as soon as the last liquid egg has set; they firm up a little more in the warm pan.
- For extra flavour, add 1/2 tsp chili powder, ground cumin or dried oregano to the eggs.
Safety
- Cook the eggs until no liquid egg is left; egg dishes are safe at 71°C (160°F).
- Reheat frozen burritos until the centre is steaming hot and reaches 74°C (165°F). The middle heats last, so check it there.
- Hot oil can spit when the frozen potatoes go in. Lay them in gently, keep kids back from the stove, and let them help with rolling instead.
- Sausages, tortillas and cheese blends vary: check the labels for allergens such as soy or milk.