![]() A typical breakfast burrito in San Diego. (egg, avocado, cheese, bacon) | |
Course | Main dish |
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Place of origin | Mexico, United States |
Region or state | New Mexico |
Associated cuisine | New Mexican cuisine and the Southwestern United States |
Serving temperature | Hot |
Main ingredients | eggs, potatoes, wrapped in a tortilla. |
Ingredients generally used | bacon, sausage, meat, onions, cheese, etc. |
Variations | In the state of New Mexico, instead of other peppers or chorizo, it has red and/or green New Mexico chile. |
The breakfast burrito (Spanish : Burrito de desayuno), sometimes referred to as a breakfast wrap outside of the American Southwest, [1] is a variety of American breakfast composed of breakfast items wrapped inside a flour tortilla burrito. This style was invented and popularized in several regional American cuisines, most notably originating in New Mexican cuisine, and expanding beyond Southwestern cuisine and neighboring Tex-Mex. Southwestern-style breakfast burritos may include any combination of scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheese, peppers (usually New Mexico chile, Jalapeño, or other chili peppers), salsa, onions, chorizo, bacon, or sour cream. [2] In other variations of breakfast burritos, more ingredients such as tomatoes, cheese, ham, and other fresh products can be added. [3]
Some fast food restaurants such as Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, and Taco Bell sell breakfast burritos. [4] [5] [6] [7] The breakfast burrito is also a popular street food, [8] and street-style breakfast burritos are found in the food truck scene in places such as Los Angeles. [9]
Tia Sophia's, a New Mexican diner in Santa Fe, claims the first use of the term "breakfast burrito" on a menu, in 1975, although a rolled tortilla containing some combination of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheese existed in New Mexican cuisine well before that. [10] [11] [12] Fast food giant McDonald's introduced their version in the late 1980s, [13] and by the 1990s, more fast food restaurants caught on to the style, with Sonic Drive-In, Hardee's, and Carl's Jr. offering breakfast burritos on their menus. [14] In 2014, Taco Bell launched their breakfast menu, which included breakfast burritos. [15]
The breakfast burrito can be prepared with a myriad of filling ingredients, such as eggs, ham, cheese, onion, chile or bell peppers, bacon, Canadian bacon, potatoes, sausage, avocado, tomato, spinach, beans, and olives. [1] [16] [17] In New Mexico, breakfast burritos are often served "smothered" (covered with a chile sauce) or "handheld" (with chile sauce or chopped green chile inside). [12] It is usually served heated up or cooked.