A burrito on a plate with guacamole and sour cream

I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative.

Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence.

We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed.
Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor.
When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
Burritos for beginners

Burritos are a perfect example of how thoughtful layering and balanced seasoning can transform simple ingredients into a complete, satisfying meal. Originating in northern Mexico and popularized across the American Southwest, the burrito has evolved into a versatile format that accommodates countless fillings—rice, beans, vegetables, eggs, meats, and sauces—all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. The key is in the construction: each component should be well-seasoned, properly cooked, and proportioned so the burrito eats neatly and delivers flavor in every bite.

Whether served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a well-made burrito showcases both culinary technique and comfort.


This recipe is outstanding, and one of the best parts is how easily you can adapt the fillings to suit your preferences. Whether you lean toward classic beans and rice, roasted vegetables, braised meats, or breakfast favorites, the burrito becomes a blank canvas for creativity and flavor.

Burritos

Prep Time: 60 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Yield: 4 portions


Ingredients       

4  ea                   Flour tortilla; 8 or 10 inch                                                                                   

1 C                      Cheese, shredded (cheddar, jalapeno Jack, quest etc...)

1. C                     Tomato salsa/ chopped tomatoes

1  C.                    Breakfast meat, cooked (bacon, smoked ham, chorizo, etc...)

1 C                      Ground beef, chili spices

4 Tbsp              Cheddar, shredded


4 Tbsp              Sour cream, salsa, hot sauce etc...


How to Prepare Burritos


Step 1

Set up mise en place of the fillings you plan to roll into your burrito.



Warm a tortilla to soften for rolling, place the tortilla onto a clean surface.

Spoon scrambled eggs, shredded cheese onto tortilla and add bacon stips in the center being careful to leave room to roll the tortilla.


Step 2

If you like, add salsa or diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocado, etc... again, being careful not to overstuff or the burrito will crack/split.

You can also serve these on the side!




Step 3

Roll the tortilla halfway; fold the left & right side in, then roll completely. Cut in half or quarters and enjoy.


A burrito on a plate with guacamole and sour cream
By Tom Griffiths August 11, 2026
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 3 Cooking Pork Spare Ribs
By Tom Griffiths August 8, 2026
Years ago I traveled around the south for a few weeks researching some of the amazing foods of each region. In Charleston, I was introduced to a local pig farmer, Tank Jackson who manages Holy City Hogs. Tank and his wife raise heritage breed pigs and distribute the pigs around the country. He offers on-site cooking whole pig roasts, primal cuts and sausages, and I believe he produces the best pork in the country.
By Tom Griffiths August 8, 2026
Years ago, while working as a chef in a busy continental restaurant, we featured grilled, fresh swordfish on the menu—finished with a generous spoonful of herbed compound butter and capers. It was popular and delicious. One afternoon, a seafood purveyor stopped by with a sample of frozen swordfish steaks, fully thawed and ready for evaluation. Curious, we grilled it side by side with the “fresh” swordfish we had been serving—fish we believed to be of high quality. The result was surprising. The frozen swordfish was superior—firmer, cleaner in flavor, and more consistent in texture. In contrast, our “fresh” fish, likely several days out of the water, lacked the same integrity. It was a defining moment and an important reminder: in many cases, properly handled and quickly frozen seafood can offer better quality than fish labeled as fresh. For chefs, understanding sourcing and handling is just as critical as technique—especially with a product as prized as swordfish.
By Tom Griffiths August 8, 2026
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 2 Cooking Rice: creating socarrat—
By Tom Griffiths August 6, 2026
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 1 The Biggest Mistake People Make When Cooking Scallops 
By Tom Griffiths July 27, 2026
The name "caponata" itself has a fascinating origin story. One popular theory suggests it derives from capone, the Sicilian word for mahi-mahi. Historically, wealthy Sicilian aristocrats enjoyed a sweet-and-sour fish dish. Because seafood was too expensive for the working class, local home cooks substituted fish with affordable, meaty eggplant. Over time, this creative peasant food evolved into the beloved antipasto we celebrate today, often rounded out with celery, olives, and capers.
By Tom Griffiths July 23, 2026
From Talk to Action: A Chef’s Challenge for School Lunches 
By Tom Griffiths July 22, 2026
The legendary New York-style cheesecake was famously popularized by Lindy’s Restaurant , an iconic Theater District deli opened in 1921 by German-immigrant Leo "Lindy" Lindemann and his wife Clara . A NY-style cheesecake has a dense but velvety cream cheese base, citrus zest, and a distinct cookie-dough pastry crus t. For years, I took the bus into NYC to work in amazing restaurant kitchens. On one bus ride I met and became friends with a manager at the legendary Lindy’s Restaurant. One day, he did the ultimate honor: he shared the closely guarded, original cheesecake recipe with me. This new recipe is directly inspired by that legendary Lindy’s classic, capturing its iconic velvety richness and signature flavor profile, but re-engineered for a modern, protein-packed lifestyle.  Why This Recipe Delivers High-protein swap : Cottage cheese provides a clean, protein-packed base that replaces heavy fats without sacrificing richness. Silky texture : Blending the batter thoroughly ensures a velvety smooth consistency that rivals any NY-style cake. Savory-approved : Simple, foolproof assembly that requires no pastry-chef precision to get a perfect bake every time.
By Tom Griffiths June 28, 2026
One of the great pleasures of my career is spending time each year working as a Culinary Educator aboard a cruise ship alongside my wife. She teaches baking & pastry while I focus on savory cooking and culinary techniques. Our travels take us to fascinating ports around the world, providing opportunities to explore local markets and study regional cuisines. I have a particular affection for the Mediterranean and always make it a point to seek out local variations of pesto, one of the world's great culinary treasures. One evening aboard ship, the pasta station served rigatoni with a choice of pesto, marinara, or Alfredo sauce. The cook prepared each order by reheating the pasta in hot water and then finishing it briefly in a sauté pan with the selected sauce. I watched in disbelief as he prepared to heat the pesto exactly the same way. "Horror!" flashed through my mind. Pesto is not a cooked sauce. Heating it aggressively dulls the fresh basil aroma, darkens its vibrant color, and diminishes the delicate flavors of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and extra virgin olive oil that make pesto so special. I may have startled the cook when I quickly called out, "Please don't cook my pesto!" Instead, I asked him to simply toss the hot rigatoni with the pesto off the heat, allowing the warmth of the pasta to gently release the fragrance and flavor of the basil. The result was exactly as pesto was intended to be enjoyed—fresh, vibrant, aromatic, and unmistakably Mediterranean.
By Tom Griffiths May 13, 2026
As chefs, we spend years mastering sauté work. I remember my early days working the sauté station for lunch in a French restaurant in NYC. We served over one hundred guests in an hour-and the food was excellent — a dozen hot pans on the flat top, stocks simmering, mise en place of freshly chopped herbs, minced shallots, butter for mounting into sauces à la minute. There is rhythm to good sauté cooking. You learn quickly that great sauté work is not about rushing — it is about organization and control .