These Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos are the perfect breakfast for anyone scrambling to get to work or school in the morning. (See what I did there?) They are filled with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and shredded Colby Jack cheese. All this is mixed together to make the perfect filling to be rolled up in a warm tortilla, burrito style.
The best part of Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos is you make them ahead, just like you would expect! They are easy to grab out of the freezer and warm up in 2 minutes in a microwave. I promise these will quickly become your favorite breakfast go to food, as well as an any time snack.
How to Cook Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos
1. When making these burritos, I use Tortilla Land Ready to Cook Tortillas. I like using these tortillas because they are so much thinner than ready made tortillas. The Tortilla Land tortillas need to be cooked on medium heat in an ungreased frypan for about 30 seconds, each side, turning often so they do not burn. I cook all the tortillas first. It takes about 30 minutes. I like to use 2 or 3 fry pans at the same time, just to speed things up.
The Tortilla Land Ready to Cook Tortillas can be purchased at Costco. They come in a two pack with 25 in each package. I usually fill 20-24 tortillas with the filling. I don't mind having extra tortillas as I usually burn one or two while cooking them. Perfect to eat as a snack while waiting for the rest of the tortillas.
2. Cut 2 pounds of cold bacon into small pieces. Take each pound of bacon out of the container and cut across the slices of bacon. Place these in a large frying pan or in a sauce pan. This takes about 15 minutes to cook.
Cooking bacon like this will create a lot of grease.
Drain the grease and place the bacon on paper towels to drain further. Save the bacon grease because you need it to cook the potatoes.
You can also cook the bacon on a griddle in strips, while cooking the tortillas on the stove. I do not have enough burners to cook everything at the same time on my stove so I have to find creative ways to get things done at the same time. Cut or tear the cooked strips of bacon into smaller pieces.
I like using thick cut bacon to cook Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos. You can also use any meat you want instead of bacon like sausage, ham, and/or chorizo. All of those sound delicious to me.
Peel, cut and cube the potatoes while the bacon is cooking.
3. While the bacon is cooking, peel, cut and cube the potatoes. I like using Russet potatoes for Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos because they are a little heartier. They will fry up nicely and get a brown crust without getting too soft.
4. When bacon is done cooking, drain the grease into a heat resistant bowl. Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain a little more. Once cooled, place the bacon in a bowl, large enough to handle all the other cooked ingredients.
5. Place the diced potatoes in the hot pan you just cooked the bacon in. When potatoes start to stick, pour in a little bacon grease to loosen them. Cook the potatoes until they are soft and have lost their crunch, about 20 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
Allow the potatoes to create a nice, crispy, brown edge. You have to let them cook without turning them to get that. Use a metal spatula to get underneath the cooked potatoes whem turning them over. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, place a lid on the pan of potatoes to steam them until they are soft.
Grate the cheese on the small side of the box grater.
6. While potatoes are cooking, grate one pound of cheese. You can use any cheese your family likes, medium, sharp, white cheddar, pepper jack or a combination of any or all of these. I like grating the cheese on the small holes on the side of a box grater so it will melt quickly once placed on the hot eggs. Set the grated cheese aside.
7. Once the potatoes are done cooking, place them on top of the cooked bacon in the large bowl.
8. Break 18 eggs and place in a small bowl and beat with a wire whisk. Beat until they are light yellow and well mixed. Add the water and beat again until mixed well.
The water creates light, fluffy eggs. It makes sense when you think about it. The water heats up and creates steam which puffs up the eggs to a soft, tender texture.
9. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the buttered frying pan. Gently stir them as they begin to cook on medium heat. Keep stirring until eggs are completely cooked. The eggs do not need to be completely cooked because they will continue to cook once you place them on the potatoes.
10. Sprinkle grated cheese on the cooked eggs. Then season them with salt and pepper. With all the ingredients in the large bowl, gently stir everything together to create the filling. You are ready now to assemble the burritos.
Get things ready to assemble the burritos.
11. Place the tortillas and the bowl full of filling on a large surface to form an assembly line. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of filling. Fold in the sides and tuck the top underneath the filling and roll to create a burrito.
I usually get about 22 burritos from all these ingredients, but you might fill yours lighter or heavier than I do. 10 burritos will fit in a gallon size plastic bag. Seal and get as much air out as you can and then freeze. These will last 3 months in your freezer.
12. Once you are ready to heat a frozen burrito, wrap it in a lightly, dampened paper towel. Cook for 1 minute in a microwave on high. Take out and squish the middle of the burrito, wrap in the paper towel again and cook for an additional minute. Serve with salsa or eat plain and on the go!
Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this. Post a picture and then tag me @dinasdiner. I want to know how it turns out.
Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos
8 Medium Potatoes
2 lbs. Bacon
18 Eggs
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbsp. Butter
3 Cups Colby Jack Cheese
25 Medium Tortillas
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 cups Salsa (Optional)
1. Cook all the tortillas.
2. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until done.
3. Peel, slice and dice potatoes into small cubes.
4. Fry the potatoes in some bacon grease.
5. Cook the potatoes until they are tender, using left over bacon grease to create crispy edges.
6. Grate 1 pound of cheese.
7. Place the cooked bacon and potatoes in a large bowl.
8. Scramble the eggs in the butter. When finished place on top of the potatoes.
9. Sprinkle grated cheese on the the cooked eggs.
10. Salt and pepper everything then gently stir all the ingredients together to create the filling.
11. Place the tortillas and the filling on a large surface in an assembly line.
12. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of filling. Fold in the sides and tuck the top underneath the filling and fold to create a burrito.
13. You should get 22-24 burritos. Place 10 burritos in a gallon size plastic bag.
14. Seal and get as much air out as you can and then freeze. These will last 3 months in your freezer.
15. Once you are ready to use, wrap the frozen burrito in a lightly, dampened paper towel. Cook for 1 minute in a microwave. Take out and squish the middle of the burrito, wrap in the paper towel again and cook for an additional minute on high. Serve with salsa or eat plain.