How to Fold a Burrito

Feel all thumbs when you try to fold a burrito? Here’s the easy way to do it for neat and tidy burritos.

By
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice is a food and beverage writer and photographer. Her work can be found in CiderCraft Magazine, King Arthur Flour’s SIFT Magazine, The Coastal Table, and Plate Magazine, as well as at CraftBeer.com.
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Updated May 01, 2023
Lori Rice
Nicely Folded Burrito on a Plate with a Small Bowl of Salsa and in the Background, a Stack of Tortillas

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

It’s not hard to successfully wrap a burrito around a filling, but it does take a few key steps to make sure you don’t have salsa squeezing out the unfolded ends! 

Well-folded burritos lead to a neater eating experience, which is especially important when you are eating them on the go. When the ends are firmly tucked inside, you avoid having fillings and sauces drip out the bottom as you eat. This also makes them better for freezing, since the filling stays safely inside the tortilla and won’t get freezer burned. 

Once you get the hang of it, you can quickly make a bunch of burritos to eat now or freeze for later. 

Nicely Folded Burrito on a Plate with a Small Bowl of Salsa and in the Background, a Stack of Tortillas

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Tips for Successfully Folding a Burrito

  1. Warm the tortillas before folding. Larger, slightly warmed tortillas are much easier to fold and they are also less likely to crack or tear. Aim to use a 10-inch flour tortilla or larger. Warm it by placing it in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds on each side or microwave it for about 20 seconds.
  2. Don't place the filling right in the middle. Place the filling just a little bit closer to you on the tortilla versus it being right in the middle. Don’t bring it all the way to the end, but visualize the tortilla in quarters and place it about three-quarters away from the furthest end.
  3. Think of the steps as occurring almost simultaneously. While a step-by-step process shows you to fold in the ends and then fold up the burrito, these steps are really somewhat simultaneous. As you fold in the ends, immediately roll the filling inside as you continue to keep those tucked ends in their place while you work.
  4. Use a bit of guacamole or mayo to seal the ends. I like to spread very thin layer of guacamole or sriracha mayonnaise on the far end of the tortilla to help seal the end of the burrito. But don’t add so much that it squishes out the seam!

The same process for rolling a burrito can be used for spring rolls, sandwich wraps, and breakfast wraps, too. Whether you are using larger or smaller tortillas and wraps, the folding method is the same.

Nicely Folded Burrito on a Plate with a Small Bowl of Salsa and in the Background, a Stack of Tortillas

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Perfect Your Technique With These Burrito Recipes

How to Fold a Burrito

Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Serving 1
Yield 1 burrito

For this burrito, I’m using our Freezer Breakfast Burritos with Sausage, Eggs, and Salsa Verde and 10-inch flour tortillas. These are often marked a burrito-sized on the packaging.

Ingredients

  • 1 flour tortilla, preferably burrito-size (10 inches)

  • Fillings of your choice

Method

  1. Warm the tortilla, then lay flat:

    Warm the tortilla so it’s nice and pliable, then lay the tortilla on a flat surface like a clean countertop or cutting board.

    Tortilla on the Counter for How to Fold a Burrito

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  2. Add the filling:

    Layer your filling about 3/4 of the way down from the top edge of the tortilla.

    Burrito Filling Added to One End of the Tortilla

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  3. Fold the sides, the begin to roll:

    Fold each side of the tortilla over the filling with your index fingers. Begin to roll up the filling. Continue to tuck the sides, using your thumbs to fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling as you roll it up.

    Sides Folded onto the Filling for How to Fold a Burrito

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
    Bottom Folded over the Sides and Filling, Initiating the Burrito Roll

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
    Burrito Roll Coming to the End

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
    Rolled Burrito on a Counter

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  4. Seal the ends with a sauce, if using, then serve seam-side down:

    If you have a little guacamole or mayonnaise on hand, use a bit to seal the end of the burrito. Place the burrito seam-side down to serve or wrap to freeze (skip the guac if freezing). 

    How to Fold a Burrito

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
868 Calories
33g Fat
113g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 868
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 2174mg 95%
Total Carbohydrate 113g 41%
Dietary Fiber 18g 64%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 434mg 33%
Iron 9mg 49%
Potassium 983mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.