The Best Way To Reheat Your Burrito Without Ruining It

When is a burrito more than just a burrito? When it's big enough to leave you with tasty leftovers and you get to enjoy it all over again. A next-day burrito in the fridge is like a delectable gift from the Mexican food gods, so the last thing you want to do is spoil the moment by reheating it wrong. While it does take a little bit longer, the absolute best way to reheat your burrito without ruining it is to do so in the oven.

We get it. Maybe you're starving; maybe you're hangry. You want your burrito hot, and you want it now. Sure, you could wrap it in a moistened paper towel, stick it in the microwave, zap it for 60 seconds, and hope for the best. But as you watch those seconds tick by, you will know deep down inside that the result will be a mediocre burrito at best, either dried out, soggy, or paradoxically, both. One bite will be scorching hot, the next will be still cold, and with a tortilla that's turned into cardboard. You don't deserve to be treated that way, and neither does your burrito.

While there are times when nuking it might be your only option, if it's the best reheated burrito you're after and you've got a few minutes to spare, the oven is the only way to go. It may not be as fast or convenient as in the micro, air fryer, or toaster, but the quality will be that much better and 100% worth it.

An oven-heated burrito will retain its juiciness while the outer tortilla gets nice and toasty. Thanks to their dry heat, both conventional and convection ovens work great to evenly reheat burritos without turning them into hard, dry bricks. While oven temps and cook times vary, this method should suffice for most.

Assuming your burrito has been kept in the fridge, the first step will be to preheat the oven. Set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it get good and hot. Remove any wrappers from your burrito, then roll it up in aluminum foil. This is not optional, as it is the secret key to achieving reheated burrito perfection. The foil acts as a barrier that locks in moisture, keeping your burrito soft and scrumptious.

Place the burrito on the oven's middle rack for maximum air circulation and even heating. Heat for 15 to 20 minutes. The precise time will depend on the size of your burrito. A small bean and cheese drive-thru burrito won't need as long as a ginormous one from Chipotle. To check if it's hot all the way through, poke it with a sharp knife, and if it comes out feeling warm, you're good to go. If you want the tortilla extra-crispy, peel off the foil for the last few minutes of heating. This oven-plus-foil reheating trick works like a charm for most burritos, no matter if you're having meaty carne asada, a breakfast burrito, or all veggies.

You might be wondering what to do about burrito fillings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and guacamole. Some folks aren't too keen on warming those ingredients up. You can circumvent this problem by unwrapping the burrito before heating, carefully scooping out the toppings, and replacing them after the burrito is out of the oven. This is a hassle, though, since you'll need to know how to roll a burrito; first to wrap in foil for heating, then to re-wrap after you put your toppings back in. We prefer to keep it simple and reheat burritos as they are. Lettuce and tomatoes should stay fresh thanks to the foil, and the sour cream and guac will blend with the other flavors into a delicious medley.

To reheat frozen burritos, the process is the same, just at higher temperature and for a bit longer. Wrap in foil and heat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes. Plan ahead by moving frozen burritos into the refrigerator the night before to thaw.

If you're hankering for a warm brekkie burrito in the morning, dreaming about burritos for tomorrow's lunch, or fixing to heat up a leftover burrito for dinner, there's only one option to consider for reheating. Wrap it up snuggly in foil, pop it in the oven, and let your burrito live its best life. Just let it cool before devouring.