Freezer Breakfast Burritos

I’m a huge proponent of batch cooking and stocking your freezer with portioned meals that you can just grab-reheat-and-go! Not only are these make-ahead freezer breakfast burritos a great answer to the “I’m too busy to make breakfast” conundrum, but for someone who loves breakfast for dinner as much as I do, these burritos make […]

The post Freezer Breakfast Burritos appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I’m a huge proponent of batch cooking and stocking your freezer with portioned meals that you can just grab-reheat-and-go! Not only are these make-ahead freezer breakfast burritos a great answer to the “I’m too busy to make breakfast” conundrum, but for someone who loves breakfast for dinner as much as I do, these burritos make a fast and easy anytime meal. #brinner

Originally posted 1-9-2011, updated 3-15-2020. You can download the original version here.

Freezer-Friendly Homemade Breakfast Burritos

A freezer breakfast burrito cut open on a plate with little cups of salsa and sour cream, a cup of coffee and a tangerine on the side.

What Can I Add to Breakfast Burritos?

I kept my breakfast burritos super simple with just eggs, cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, and cooked ham, but this is another wonderfully flexible recipe. You can skip the ham to make them vegetarian, or switch them up with any of the following ingredients:

  • Meat (cooked): bacon, breakfast sausage
  • Vegetables: hash browns (cooked), avocado, green onion, jalapeño, pickled red onions, spinach
  • Beans: black beans, hummus
  • Cheeses and Sauces: Monterey jack or pepper jack, cotija, feta, taco sauce (sparingly), salsa (thick type, not a watery variety), guacamole

I do not suggest adding sour cream to your breakfast burritos because sour cream doesn’t hold up well to freezing and thawing. Instead, serve sour cream on the side for dipping after reheating.

How Long do Breakfast Burritos Lasts?

I always suggest using up your frozen food within three months for best quality. Frozen goods slowly lose moisture and develop freezer burn over time, so while you may get longer freezer life out of them, the quality will slowly diminish the longer they are stored. So, make sure to label and date everything that goes in your freezer! :)

How to Reheat Freezer Burritos

You’ll have the best results if you let the burrito thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until they are no longer frozen solid in the middle. Reheating from the chilled state instead of straight from the freezer takes less heat and makes it easier to reheat without overcooking the egg. Reheating from a refrigerated, non-frozen state can be done in the microwave (1-2 minutes on high), or in a skillet over medium-low heat until the tortilla is nice and crispy and the insides are heated through. A toaster oven is also a great option, although I don’t own one so I was not able to test the cooking time needed.

If you do need to reheat straight from the freezer, I suggest using the defrost function on your microwave fist for 3-5 minutes to help defrost the inside, before microwaving on high for 1-2 minutes. Cooking times in the microwave will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.

How to Prevent a Soggy Freezer Burrito

Overcooking eggs during reheating is probably the biggest culprit of a soggy breakfast burrito. As eggs continue to cook, the protein molecules seize up and squeeze out water. So, to prevent the eggs from expelling a ton of liquid, reheat only until the burritos are warmed through.

Another culprit is using ingredients that contain a lot of water. Avoid using salsa that are very watery, and if using high-water content vegetables, just make sure to sauté them first to remove some of their moisture.

A hand holding half of a breakfast burrito with the open cut side facing the camera.

 
A hand holding half of a breakfast burrito with the open cut side facing the camera.
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Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Make ahead breakfast burritos are an easy reheatable and portable breakfast meal prep idea. Including options for vegetarian or other add-ins! BudgetBytes.com
Total Cost $11.29 recipe / $1.41 serving
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 615.36kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cheddar $1.69
  • 1 yellow onion $0.32
  • 1 bell pepper $1.00
  • 2 Tbsp butter, divided $0.26
  • 2 pinches salt and pepper $0.05
  • 1 lb. cooked ham $3.75
  • 12 large eggs $2.79
  • 8 large flour tortillas (burrito size) $1.39

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing all of the filling ingredients for the breakfast burritos. Shred the cheddar, if not purchased pre-shredded.
  • Dice the onion and bell pepper. Add the onion and bell pepper to a large skillet with ½ Tbsp butter and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Season the bell pepper and onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the bell pepper and onion to a bowl.
  • Dice the ham, then add it to the skillet with another ½ Tbp butter. Sauté the ham over medium heat until it is browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer the ham to a separate bowl and clean the skillet.
  • Crack 12 eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk. Add the last tablespoon butter to the skillet and heat over medium. Once the skillet is hot, spread the butter to coat the surface, then pour in the whisked eggs.
  • Push the eggs in toward the center of the skillet as they set on the bottom, until most of the eggs have set, but the eggs still look moist. Do not over cook the eggs or they'll become dry. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • To assemble the burritos, add a scoop of scrambled eggs to the middle of each tortilla, then top with a scoop of cooked bell pepper and onion, a handful of cheese, and some of the cooked ham.
  • To roll the burritos, first fold the tortilla up from the bottom, then fold in the sides, and then finish rolling the burrito up until it has closed. Wrap each burrito in parchment paper using the same folding and rolling method (bottom up, sides in, finish rolling up). Label each burrito on the parchment paper or on masking tape
  • Transfer the wrapped burritos to freezer bags, label and date the bags, then place in the freezer.

To Reheat Breakfast Burritos

  • Transfer the breakfast burrito to the refrigerator the day before to thaw. Once thawed, microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or heat in a skillet over medium-low, about 5 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla is crispy and the insides are warm.
  • To reheat from frozen, use the microwave's defrost setting for about 5 minutes, then microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1burrito | Calories: 615.36kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.38g | Protein: 33.31g | Fat: 30.54g | Sodium: 1243.15mg | Fiber: 1.69g

Scroll down for the step by step photos!

The open sides of a cut open breakfast burrito held toward the camera, close up.

How to Make Freezer Breakfast Burritos – Step by Step Photos

Shredded cheddar on a cutting board with the cheese grater.

Prepare all the components of the breakfast burritos before assembly. Shred one 8oz. block of cheddar cheese (or whatever flavor cheese you prefer–pepper jack is also awesome in these!).

 

Sautéed peppers and onions in a skillet

Dice one onion and one bell pepper. You can use any color bell pepper, I just happened to have an extra orange pepper, so I used that. Add the pepper and onion to a skillet with ½ Tbsp butter and sauté over medium until the onions are soft and translucent. Season the peppers and onions with a pinch of salt and pepper, then transfer them to a bowl.

Cooked ham in the skillet

Dice one pound of cooked ham. Add the ham to the skillet with another ½ Tbsp of butter and cook over medium until the ham is browned. Transfer the cooked ham to another bowl. Clean out the skillet.

Whisked eggs in a bowl

Whisk one dozen eggs in a bowl. I like to only lightly whisk my eggs because I enjoy some ribbons of whites and yolks in my scrambled eggs. You can use less or more eggs, if you prefer, but using 12 eggs for 8 burritos will give you 1.5 eggs per burrito, which I find to be a good compromise between budget and quantity.

Cooked eggs in the skillet

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and the skillet is heated, pour in the whisked eggs. Gently push the eggs in toward the center of the skillet as they set on the bottom, until most of the eggs are set, but they still look moist. Avoid over cooking the eggs or they will become dry. Season the scrambled eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Build breakfast burritos, eggs on tortillas first

Now that all the components are prepared, it’s time to start assembling the burritos. You can do this one at a time, or lay out all eight tortillas and do them together if that makes it easier for you to divide the ingredients evenly between all eight. Begin with the scrambled eggs.

Add peppers, onions, and cheese to breakfast burritos

Next, add a scoop of the cooked peppers and onions, and a handful of shredded cheese.

Cooked ham added to the breakfast burritos

Finally, add some of the cooked ham to the breakfast burrito (or leave it out if you want to make plain egg and cheese burritos).

Fold and roll breakfast burritos

To roll the breakfast burritos, first roll up the bottom, then fold in the sides, and then finish rolling up from the bottom until it is closed.

Breakfast burrito wrapped in parchment paper and labeled.

Place the rolled breakfast burrito on a square of parchment paper, then use the same rolling technique to wrap it in paper (bottom up, sides in, then finish rolling up). Label your breakfast burrito (I used sharpie on the parchment, but you can also do masking tape and then write on that).

Breakfast burritos in freezer bags

Then place your wrapped breakfast burritos in freezer bags, label the bags with name and date, and transfer to the freezer. For reheating instructions, refer to the text above the recipe card for options.

A reheated breakfast burrito on a plate with a newsprint liner, two small dishes of salsa and sour cream, a tangerine and cup of coffee on the side

And then pat yourself on the back because you have amazing breakfasts prepared and ready to go! (serving suggestion: salsa or sour cream for dipping). 

The post Freezer Breakfast Burritos appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls 6 Ways

Food trends are one factor that can have a big impact on ingredient costs. It’s all about the laws of supply and demand. If the demand is low but supply is relatively stable, the cost will come down. And do you know what food isn’t exactly trendy right now? Cottage cheese. It may not be […]

The post Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls 6 Ways appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Food trends are one factor that can have a big impact on ingredient costs. It’s all about the laws of supply and demand. If the demand is low but supply is relatively stable, the cost will come down. And do you know what food isn’t exactly trendy right now? Cottage cheese. It may not be a popular food, but it is extremely versatile and an excellent source of inexpensive protein. So I’m going to try to make it popular again. ? Starting with these meal prep friendly Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls.

Six Ways to Eat Cottage Cheese for Breakfast

Six flavors of Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls in glass meal prep containers

How to Meal Prep Your Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls

I made one each of the six different flavors for the photos in this post, but you’ll probably get the most out of your time and money if you prepare four of one flavor at a time. That way you don’t have to buy several different ingredients for each one, or have partial leftover ingredients like a ½ banana, cucumber, or apple. Use the whole piece of fruit and make more than one bowl at a time.

If you’re concerned about the apple and banana getting brown, you can opt to chop those fresh daily. Personally, I’d rather do it all at once and just not worry about the appearance later. Brown does not mean it’s spoiled, only that it has been exposed to oxygen.

Prepared cottage cheese breakfast bowls will be good in the refrigerator for about four days.

What Meal Prep Containers Do You Use?

I’m slowly transitioning from plastic Ziploc containers to glass. The Ziploc containers are inexpensive, convenient (lightweight), dishwasher and freezer safe, and a great option if you’re on a budget. Glass containers are great because they are extremely durable, are also dishwasher and freezer safe (oven safe, too!), they last a lifetime, and therefore reduce waste. The glass containers in the photos are part of a 26 piece set made by Anchor Hocking, and can be found in my Amazon Shop. I also love Pyrex glass meal prep containers.

Customize the Cost and Nutritional Content of Your Breakfast Bowls

I wanted to show you a variety of ways to use cottage cheese in a breakfast bowl so you could see that not only does it pair with many different flavors, but you can also make the bowls to match your price point and nutritional needs. This happens to be the first post on Budget Bytes to include nutritional content (we’ll be adding to the rest of the site starting this week!), so you can see how the different bowls compare. All of the stats below were calculated using 2% fat cottage cheese.

Are you ready to see all these awesome flavors? Yes, I’m calling cottage cheese awesome.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls

Apple Cinnamon:

Close up overhead view of an Apple Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl in a glass meal prep container

This Apple Cinnamon flavored Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl is probably the best flavor for cottage cheese newbies to try. It’s not scary at all. It’s a lot like a yogurt parfait, but with a slightly different texture! And honestly, with all the texture from the apples and walnuts, you’re not going to notice the texture of the cottage cheese at all.

If you’re concerned about your apples browning, either chop them fresh each day, or sprinkle a little lemon juice on them just after chopping.

 

Apple Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Protein packed creamy cottage cheese, sweet and juicy apples, warm cinnamon, and crunchy walnuts make a delightful and healthy no-cook breakfast.

  • 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 1/2 apple, chopped ($0.25)
  • 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts ($0.08)
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup ($0.30)
  • 1 pinch cinnamon ($0.02)
  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl or container. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate in an air-tight container up to four days.


Peanut Butter and Jelly:

A spoon digging into a glass container full of a Peanut Butter and Jelly Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

This flavor may be a little more experimental for some. If you think of cottage cheese as being a lot like yogurt, that might help you imagine how this combo tastes. Cottage cheese is like yogurt, minus the acidity, so it actually tastes creamier. It goes great with both sweet (jam) and savory (PB) flavors. The oats in this bowl will soak up the moisture as it’s stored, just like overnight oats, but you can also eat it immediately with the oats still dry. Banana would also be a great addition to this bowl!

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Hearty oats, creamy cottage cheese, sweet jam, and rich peanut butter make a filling and delicious no-cook breakfast.

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats ($0.04)
  • 1 Tbsp jam (any flavor) ($0.05)
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter ($0.08)
  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl or container. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container up to four days.


The Savory Bowl:

A glass bowl with cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper.

If you’re a savory breakfast lover, like me, you’ll LOVE this one. Tons of fresh crunchy vegetables, an extra dose of protein with the hard boiled egg, and a little cracked black pepper for good measure. It’s simple, delicious, and honestly, good any time of the day!

 

Savory Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Creamy cottage cheese, fresh crunchy vegetables, an extra shot of protein from a hard boiled egg, and a little black pepper to kick things up make this easy, protein-filled breakfast!

  • 1 large egg ($0.23)
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 6 grape tomatoes ($0.47)
  • 6 slices cucumber ($0.22)
  • 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  1. Add one inch of water in a small sauce pot, place a lid on top, and bring the water up to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, carefully add the egg using either tongs or a slotted spoon. Replace the lid and let the egg steam for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use the tongs or slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a bowl of ice water. Peal the egg once it is cool enough to handle. (If meal prepping these bowls, peel the eggs daily.)

  2. Add the cottage cheese, tomatoes (sliced or whole), sliced cucumber, peeled egg, and some black pepper to a bowl. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container up to four days.


Blueberry Almond:

Cottage cheese, blueberries, sliced almonds, and honey in a glass meal prep container

This simple bowl is sure to be a hit with its familiar breakfast flavors. Again, this cottage cheese breakfast bowl is a lot like a yogurt parfait, but with cottage cheese swapped out for the yogurt. The little bit of honey drizzled on top makes the bowl so ???. It almost tastes a little like blueberry cheesecake!

 

Blueberry Almond Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Creamy cottage cheese, juicy blueberries, crunchy almonds, and a little drizzle of honey make a breakfast bowl that tastes surprisingly like blueberry cheesecake!

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract (optional) ($0.03)
  • 1/4 cup frozen blueberries ($0.37)
  • 2 Tbsp sliced almonds ($0.25)
  • 1 tsp honey ($0.04)
  1. Add the vanilla extract to the cottage cheese and stir to combine. Top the cottage cheese with the blueberries, almonds, and honey. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container up to four days.


The Tropical Bowl:

Cottage cheese, pineapple, banana, and coconut in a glass meal prep container

This one is a little like ambrosia salad, minus the icky stuff like marshmallows and maraschino cherries. Haha! The creamy cottage cheese pairs so nicely with the sweet tropical fruit, it’s like they were made for each other! I suggest using frozen pineapple tidbits for this bowl, since you can save the leftovers without them going bad, and they tend to have a better texture than canned. Canned pineapple can be used, if needed. Just make sure to get pineapple canned in juice, not syrup.

 

Tropical Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Creamy cottage cheese, sweet banana and coconut, plus tangy pineapple make a delicious and easy no-cook breakfast.

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 1/2 cup frozen pineapple tidbits ($0.10)
  • 1 Tbsp shredded coconut ($0.02)
  • 1/4 banana, sliced ($0.05)
  1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl. If you plan to enjoy immediately, allow the pineapple to thaw before adding to the bowl. If you plan to store the breakfast bowl for later, the pineapple can be added frozen. Refrigerate the bowl in an air-tight container for up to four days.


Chocolate Peanut Butter

Chocolate flavored cottage cheese with peanut butter and granola in a glass bowl

Yes, you can make chocolate flavored cottage cheese! And I promise, it’s delish!! I added cinnamon granola to my chocolate peanut butter cottage cheese bowl, but you could do any flavor granola, or even plain rolled oats. Sliced banana would also go awesome with this one!

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls

A slightly sweetened chocolate flavored cottage cheese makes the base for this decadent high protein no-cook breakfast.

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese ($0.27)
  • 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.02)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar ($0.02)
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract ($0.03)
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter ($0.08)
  • 1/4 cup granola ($0.18)
  1. Add the cocoa powder, brown sugar, and vanilla to the cottage cheese and stir to combine. The cocoa may not blend in completely immediately, but it will after it sits a few moments and the powder hydrates.

  2. Add the flavored cottage cheese to a bowl and top with granola and a drizzle of peanut butter. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to four days.


So how about you? Do you like this slightly unpopular ingredient? If so, share your favorite way to eat cottage cheese in the comments below!

Six glass bowls with different flavors of cottage cheese breakfast bowls inside.

Want more breakfast meal prep? Check out our Breakfast Meal Prep Category!

The post Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls 6 Ways appeared first on Budget Bytes.