High-Protein Breakfast Burritos for Meal Prep

For high protein breakfast burrito meal prep, combine soft eggs, savory ground breakfast sausage, hearty black beans, poblano pepper, and cheddar in a large tortilla. These burritos bring Mexican-inspired flavor to a grab-and-go breakfast that you can prepare ahead for busy mornings.

Each burrito provides 35g of protein, and the recipe makes six burritos with 15 minutes of prep, 8 minutes of cook time, and 23 minutes total. Serve one right away, refrigerate the rest for up to 3-4 days, or cool and wrap them for the freezer for up to 3 months.

Choose the serving path before you begin. Burritos served right away are wrapped in foil and baked at 425°F for 8-10 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted. For freezer meal prep, let the assembled burritos cool completely, wrap them in foil, and store them in a freezer-safe bag for later reheating.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These breakfast burritos use a short list of familiar ingredients and give you several ways to customize the filling and toppings for freezer meal prep on busy mornings. Cook the sausage, pepper, and egg mixture in a skillet, then assemble the burritos individually so they are ready to serve or store.

The same basic filling works with mild or spicy breakfast sausage, a poblano or bell pepper, and your choice of cheddar or another listed cheese. Keep toppings such as salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and raw tomato for the time you plan to eat a freezer burrito, since those additions can become watery after thawing.

• Easy to customize: Choose mild or spicy sausage, change the vegetables or cheese, and add your favorite toppings when you are ready to eat.
• Made for frozen meal prep: Cool, wrap, and store the burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag, then reheat them from frozen.
• Quick and portable: The finished burritos are easy to grab on your way out the door.
• Minimal ingredients: The core recipe uses ingredients you may already have at home.
• High-protein, high-fiber, and lower-carb: Eggs, sausage, cheese, and black beans provide 35g of protein per burrito, and the beans add fiber.

If you enjoy Mexican-inspired breakfast meal prep, try a chorizo breakfast burrito or an easy breakfast quesadilla next. Other protein-filled breakfast dishes that are easy to make ahead include cottage cheese pancakes, cake batter protein balls, chia yogurt pudding, high-protein cottage cheese bagels, and pumpkin pie overnight oats.

Ingredients You Need

Gather the tortillas, filling ingredients, and toppings before you start. Seed and dice the poblano, whisk the eggs, cube the cream cheese if using, and drain and rinse the black beans. Shred the cheddar if you are starting with a block, and keep the six tortillas nearby for assembly.

This ingredient list makes six burritos. The warmed tortillas are filled with cheddar, black beans, eggs, and cooked sausage in that order. Cream cheese is optional in the eggs, while the green onions, cilantro, Chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, and avocado are listed for serving.

• 1/2 lb ground breakfast sausage: Use mild or spicy sausage.
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced: It adds greens and flavor. Bell pepper works too.
• 12 large eggs, whisked: Eggs are rich in protein, choline, and calcium.
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed (optional): A little adds creamy texture to the eggs. Omit it or use another type of shredded cheese.
• 6 large tortillas: Siete grain-free tortillas are one option, but any flour or gluten-free tortilla works.
• 6-8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese: Shredding a block at home is cheaper and melts better.
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed: Black beans are a budget-friendly way to add more protein and fiber.
• To serve: Green onions, cilantro, Chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, or avocado.

How to Make This High Protein Breakfast Burrito

Cook the sausage first, soften the pepper in the skillet, and then cook the eggs over medium-low heat. Keep the eggs just barely cooked and very soft before assembling the burritos. If you plan to bake a burrito right away, preheat the oven to 425°F before you begin.

The heat changes as the filling cooks: start the sausage over medium-high heat, soften the pepper over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, and lower the stove to medium-low for the eggs. When the egg mixture is removed from the heat, it should still be just barely cooked and very soft.

1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 425°F if you plan to bake a burrito right away.
2. Cook the sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1/2 lb ground breakfast sausage and brown it, breaking it into pieces, until no pink remains. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving a bit of the fat in the bottom of the pan.
3. Soften the pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and add the seeded, diced poblano pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
4. Cook the eggs. Turn the stove down to medium-low and pour in the 12 whisked eggs. Sprinkle in the kosher salt and black pepper, or season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the bottom starts to set. Pull up the edges of the eggs and let the eggs run underneath. Add the 2 ounces of cubed cream cheese, if using, and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes with the cream cheese until it melts and the eggs are just barely cooked and very soft. Remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Warm and fill the tortillas. Warm the six tortillas individually in the microwave for 20 seconds, or char each one over an open gas flame for a few seconds on each side, until soft and pliable. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom of each tortilla, then add the drained and rinsed black beans, eggs, and cooked sausage.
6. Fold and bake the burritos. Fold each tortilla over the filling, tuck in both sides, and continue rolling forward to seal. Wrap the tortillas in foil and bake for 8-10 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted. This is the route to use when you are serving the burritos without freezing them.
7. Wrap the freezer burritos. Let the burritos cool completely. Wrap each one in foil before baking and store them in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, bake a burrito directly from frozen at 425°F for 20 minutes to thaw and heat through, or unwrap the foil and microwave it for 1-2 minutes until thawed and heated through.

If you are baking only the burritos you plan to eat immediately, wrap those burritos in foil and bake them for 8-10 minutes. If you are preparing the full batch for later, let the assembled burritos cool completely before wrapping and freezing them.

Tips for Success

A few small choices keep the assembly simple and help you avoid soggy freezer burritos. Warm the tortillas before filling, start with cheese, and let the egg mixture cool a bit before adding it to the tortillas.

Keep the assembly order consistent for each tortilla: cheddar first, then black beans, eggs, and sausage. Fold the tortilla over the filling, tuck in both sides, and continue rolling forward so the filling is enclosed before you wrap the burrito in foil.

• Keep watery additions out of freezer burritos. Salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and raw tomato are more liquid than solid. When thawed, they can become watery and make soggy burritos. Add them when you are ready to eat instead.
• Warm the tortillas before filling. Heating each tortilla in the microwave for 20 seconds helps make it soft and pliable and helps prevent tears during assembly. Charring it over an open gas flame for a few seconds on each side is another option.
• Start with the cheese. Put the shredded cheese on the bottom of the tortilla before the black beans and egg mixture. This creates a barrier before the beans and eggs are added.
• Let the eggs cool a bit. The egg mixture should be just barely cooked and very soft when it leaves the skillet. Allow it to cool a bit before adding it to the tortillas.
• Cool completely before freezer storage. Let the burritos cool completely before wrapping them in foil and placing them in the freezer bag.

Variations and Substitutions

• More vegetables: Add diced bell peppers, caramelized onion, mushrooms, chopped broccoli, or squash.
• Lower-calorie option: Use a low-calorie tortilla, omit the cream cheese, use turkey sausage, and reduce the amount of shredded cheese.
• More topping choices: Finish with avocado, cilantro, green onions, sour cream or Greek yogurt, hot sauce, salsa, or pico de gallo.
• Change the sausage: Swap the breakfast sausage for turkey sausage or chicken sausage.
• Change the cheese: Use a Mexican blend, Monterey, or Pepper Jack cheese, or omit the cheese altogether for a dairy-free option. A good-quality dairy-free cheese alternative is another choice.
• Change the pepper: Use bell pepper instead of poblano.
• Adjust the sausage: Choose mild or spicy breakfast sausage.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Freezing

Make ahead: Wrap each burrito in aluminum foil and place it in a freezer bag. Bake it directly from frozen at 425°F for 20 minutes to thaw and heat through, or unwrap the foil and microwave it for 1-2 minutes until thawed and heated through.

Refrigerate: Allow the burritos to cool to room temperature. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place them inside an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Freeze: Store the burritos tightly wrapped in aluminum foil in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the burritos warm with green onions, cilantro, Chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, or avocado. You can also use sour cream, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, salsa, or extra pico de gallo as toppings.

For burritos served right away, bake them at 425°F for 8-10 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted. The filling includes soft eggs, savory sausage, hearty black beans, and melted cheddar inside a warm tortilla.

For a batch of six, prepare the tortillas and filling together, then finish each burrito with the toppings you prefer when serving. The listed toppings give you options for a simple warm breakfast without changing the core filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are breakfast tortillas good for protein?

Each burrito provides 35g of protein as written. You can add even more by customizing the filling with your own ingredient additions.

Do breakfast burritos freeze well?

Yes. Breakfast burritos can be prepared ahead and kept in the freezer. Store them tightly wrapped in aluminum foil in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake them directly from frozen at 425°F for 20 minutes to thaw and heat through, or unwrap the foil and microwave for 1-2 minutes until thawed and heated through.

How do I prevent a soggy burrito?

Warm the tortillas in the microwave before assembling to help prevent tears. Add the cheese layer first so it creates a barrier before the black beans and egg mixture are added, and let the egg mixture cool a bit before filling. When freezing the burritos, keep wetter ingredients such as salsa or hot sauce out of the filling and add them when you are ready to eat instead.

Can I make them gluten-free or dairy-free?

For a gluten-free option, use your favorite gluten-free tortillas; Siete grain-free tortillas are one option. To make the burritos dairy-free, omit the cheese or use a good-quality dairy-free cheese alternative.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 burrito  |  Calories: 568 kcal  |  Carbohydrates: 35 g  |  Protein: 35 g  |  Fat: 28 g  |  Saturated Fat: 13 g  |  Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g  |  Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g  |  Trans Fat: 0.1 g  |  Cholesterol: 469 mg  |  Sodium: 1132 mg  |  Fiber: 8 g  |  Sugar: 1 g  |  Vitamin A: 988 IU  |  Vitamin C: 16 mg  |  Calcium: 353 mg  |  Iron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an approximation.