I was recently introduced to the phrase escapism cooking – described by cookbook author Mandy Lee as “cooking your way out of an untenable living situation.” This notion may resonate with us more than usual right now. Sustenance aside, many of us are turning to cooking and baking as a survival mechanism during these uncertain times.
We’re pumping out bread for the feeling of comfort. We’re pouring our hearts into mastering homemade pasta for the feeling of accomplishment. We’re searching food blogs for recipes on new cuisines and spending hours in the kitchen to escape from reality. A lot of these motivations may be unconscious, but if you’re spending a lot more time in the kitchen than normal, the forces of escapism cooking are likely at work in your life.
To that end, I offer you a recipe to satisfy your yearnings for big, bold, unique, impressive food creations. The kind of creation that you’ll undoubtedly sit back after making and say, “Heck yes, I made that!” The best part? It’s not very difficult or time-consuming. Small investment, big rewards – now that’s a win!
The idea for this monstrosity came from Native Foods Café, a vegan establishment that debuted a Chimichanga Mac & Cheeseburgerito as a menu item when I cooked for them. After assembling the burrito, it was deep-fried to make it a chimichanga. While everything in this creation works flavor-wise, the deep-frying process was frustrating to say the least… The tortilla almost always broke in the fryer, allowing the contents to spill out. Additionally, the crispy end result of a fried burrito, to me, is not as satisfying as biting into a fluffy tortilla, and not nearly worth the effort. So I dispense with the Chimichanga label and settle for a humble (albeit extremely loaded and off-the-charts) burrito.
This giant, comforting, DELICIOUS burrito is so easy and requires only 20 minutes from start to finish. You need this in your life – go make it NOW! Let the kitchen shenanigans begin!
Mac ‘n Cheeseburgerito
Ingredients
Burrito
- 1 extra-large burrito tortilla I enjoy 10" wheat flour tortillas for burritos; adjust amounts of filling ingredients proportionate to the size of your tortilla
- 1 Beyond Burger cooked (or another plant-based patty)
- 1/2 C tomato sauce store-bought or make your own (see recipe below)
- 1 ½ C vegan mac & cheese store-bought (e.g. Annie's brand) or homemade
Quick Homemade Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 C canned tomatoes diced or pureed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh
- 2 sprigs basil leaves torn into small/medium pieces
- salt & pepper to taste
Garnish
- 1/2 C romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/4 C avocado sliced (or guacamole)
- 1 Tbsp diced green chilies or green pepper hot sauce (e.g. Cholula brand)
- ¼ C unsweetened vegan yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, stirring until fragrant, about one minute.
- Before the garlic browns (and turns bitter), add canned tomatoes, dried oregano, and basil leaves. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced and flavors are concentrated, around 10 minutes.
- Season to taste and allow to cool slightly before using or storing.
Burrito Assembly
- Prepare mac & cheese according to product directions.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet or grill over high heat, greasing with a small amount of fat if not using non-stick. When very hot, place burger patty on the cooking surface and cook both sides until caramelized. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 4-5 strips.
- Lay out a large, burrito-sized tortilla and arrange the burger in the center, followed by approximately ½ cup of the tomato sauce. Top with 1 – 1 ½ cups of the prepared mac & cheese.
- Roll into a tightly sealed burrito (see recipe notes for video).
- Heat a skillet with a small amount of oil to medium (can use the same skillet used to cook the burger – will impart extra flavor). Place your burrito seam-side down. This will fry the seam shut. Check after 1 minute – you're looking for some GBD (the *highly* technical industry term for Golden-Brown Delicious).
- Optional step (but recommended!): Carefully rotate the burrito one-quarter turn. Fry for another minute, or until golden brown. Repeat two more times until you have 4 nicely browned sides (this makes for a crunchy, almost chimichanga-like result).
- Plate the Mac 'n Cheeseburgerito, topping with avocado slices or guacamole, green chilies (or green chili hot sauce like Cholula), vegan yogurt/sour cream, and chopped romaine lettuce. Devour with abandon!
