This Vegetarian Chimichanga is a mouthwatering combination of flavors and textures. With a hot, crunchy exterior and an extravagant interior combining all your favorite burrito fillings, you are sure to impress with this simple vegetarian entree recipe.
This Vegetarian Chimichanga recipe is an oldie, but a goodie. My mom used to make this all the time when we would have a bunch of guests over because it’s so easy to make the day before (or the day of!)
It is the perfect recipe to whip up when those surprise guests come knocking and you need something to feed them. It’s simple, quick, and full of classic Mexican flavors, sure to make everyone happy.
The only downside is those last-minute guests will continue to barge in knowing you can cook something that good that fast!
If you’re not familiar, a chimichanga is basically a deep-fried burrito, so you already know it’s off to a good start. It’s typically crunchy and filled with your classic burrito fillings, which gives you a mouth-watering contrast of textures.
You get a crispy exterior with delicious Mexican or Spanish rice, vegetables, onions, and more. Even meat lovers are sure to like this vegetarian chimichanga because it’s so satisfying. I use a mixture of yellow squash, zucchini, and corn to balance out the crunch of crisp onions and peppers.
However, it’s a super flexible recipe because you can fill it with whatever vegetables you want! Whatever you choose for your veggie filling, you can combine it with leftover Mexican rice, if you have some, and refried beans to make it even more filling.
If you want to make your refried beans at home, you can use my Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe, which is super easy. It literally only takes five to ten minutes to prepare and the rest of the work is done by your Instant Pot.
If you want to opt for a quicker option without having to sacrifice flavor, I recommend using Amy’s refried beans. Their refried black beans are so delicious, you don’t even need to add anything. Simply scoop them from the can, heat them up, and they’re ready to go!
Of course, a chimichanga isn’t perfect without your favorite sauce to smother it in. At restaurants, you’ll usually find chimichangas covered in traditional sauces, such as a green tomatillo salsa or a basic enchilada sauce.
You can definitely go that route and pick up brands you like, but if you’re like me and happen to be a fan of all things cheesy and creamy, queso is always a great option.
I usually make my Garlic Jalapeño Queso for my chimichangas, which you can find on my Chile Relleno Enchiladas recipe. Still, if you prefer a more classic cheesy queso, you can use my Hatch Chili Cheddar Queso recipe. (Or if you hoard Taco Bell sauce, you could always use those too…)
Whichever queso or sauce you choose, cover your chimichanga in it to your heart’s desire, then top it off with sour cream and some crispy iceberg lettuce for some added freshness.
Time-Saving Cooking Hacks for Veggie Chimichangas
As always, my recipes wouldn’t be complete without time-saving kitchen hacks. For the Vegetarian Chimichangas, you can do several things to make it in advance!
Make the chimichanga filling the night before and store it in an air-tight container overnight to help make assembling and frying them easier the next day.
You can also do all the pre-frying steps earlier in the day and then pop them in the air fryer right before serving to ensure a hot, crispy chimichanga.
I usually fill my chimichangas up in the morning and shallow fry them very quickly. You can let them drain on a paper towel throughout the day. Then, when guests arrive, I preheat the air fryer and place them in there for 4-5 mins at 300ºF and serve.
Overall, this veggie chimichanga recipe is great for lunch or dinner and can serve multiple guests if you’re entertaining. Plus, because of how simple it is to make, you have so many different options to help prepare them ahead of time while still being able to serve a hot, homemade, and delicious meal.
1 tsp each – smoked paprika, onion & garlic powder
Instructions
In a hot cast iron skillet, drizzle some oil and add the onions, peppers, zucchini and squash. Let the veggie get a little char and sprinkle in all the seasonings. Cook for 5-7 mins and set aside.
Take a tortilla and spread a few spoonfuls of the refried beans in the lower middle half horizontally. Top with some shredded cheese and the veggie filling.
Fold the two sides of the tortillas in and while holding them in place, fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the filling and over the two side flaps. Continuing to tuck the sides in, roll the tortilla from the bottom to the top until secure.
Gently shallow fry these or air fry them at 380F for 7 mins. Brush the top with a little bit oil for air frying.
Serve these hot, add sour cream on top along with my garlic queso. You can add shredding lettuce and diced tomatoes and scallion on top as well.
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
3 replies on “Veggie Chimichanga’s”
Love this! Can’t wait to make it. And thank you for adding a scale tool to your recipes. Makes your blog very user friendly.
That’s me so happy to hear, its one feature I really wanted to incorporate, glad it’s so helpful!!
Loved the recipe!! Can’t wait to try it…