Fast & Budget-Friendly: Crispy Bean & Cheese Air Fryer Burrito

Make a Crispy, Cheesy Air Fryer Burrito in Minutes 🌯

Need a fast, affordable dinner? This air fryer burrito is golden and crispy outside, melty and cheesy inside—ready in about 15 minutes. It’s vegetarian, kid-approved, and meal-prep friendly. One batch comes in under $6 for 8 filling burritos, making it a weeknight MVP or grab-and-go lunch.

Below you’ll find the best tortillas to use for air fryer burritos, an easy bean filling, leak-proof rolling technique, exact temps for crispy results, plus freezer tips and how to air fry frozen burritos. Want to add protein or veggies? See the swaps below.

Ingredients & Supplies

Simple pantry staples for an easy, homemade bean & cheese air fryer burrito:

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
• 1–1 ½ cups shredded Colby Jack (or Monterey Jack/Cheddar blend)
• ⅓–½ cup enchilada sauce (optional but delicious)
• 8 small to medium flour tortillas (soft taco or burrito size)
• Seasonings: ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp oregano, salt to taste
• 1–2 tsp water or broth to loosen beans (as needed)

Optional Add-Ins

• Protein: shredded chicken, seasoned ground beef, or sweet pork
• Breakfast twist: eggs & sausage
• Veggies: onion, corn, black beans, bell peppers, or roasted cauliflower

Supplies

• Small pot or skillet (for heating/seasoning beans)
• Reusable oil sprayer
• Air fryer (basket or oven style)

Step-by-Step: Roll & Air Fry (Crispy Every Time)

Season the Beans (5–7 min)

Warm refried beans in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in water or broth until smooth and spreadable. Season with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt (or use taco seasoning). Remove from heat.

Assemble & Roll (Leak-Proof Technique)

1. TIP: Warm tortillas briefly in the microwave so they’re pliable and easy to fold.
2. Spread 2–3 Tbsp seasoned beans down the center; add a spoonful of enchilada sauce and a generous pinch of cheese.
3. Fold the sides in first, then roll up from the bottom tightly (seam closed). This prevents spills in the air fryer.

Oil & Load the Basket

Lightly spray the air fryer basket and the tops of the burritos with oil. Place burritos seam-side down in a single layer with a little space between each for air flow.

Cook Temps & Timing

Decide how crispy you want your air fryer burritos to be. Tip: If the tortilla is browning faster than the inside is melting, reduce temp slightly and cook 1–2 minutes longer. Air fryers vary—peek at 4 minutes.

• Standard crisp: air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 4–6 minutes
• Extra crispy finish: Spray with oil and increase to 400°F (204°C) for 1–2 minutes

Serving & Topping Ideas

Serve hot with any of the following:

• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Diced avocado or guacamole
• Fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Lime wedges and hot sauce
• Shredded romaine for crunch

Air Frying Freezer & Frozen Burritos

How to Freeze Homemade Burritos

1. Assemble and roll burritos (avoid watery fillings).
2. Place on a baking sheet; freeze until solid.
3. Wrap individually or place in freezer bag. Label and freeze up to 3 months.

How to Air Fry Frozen Burritos

1. Unwrap the burrito from the packaging. The outside may cook faster than the center, so first wrap in a paper towel and microwave at 70% power for ~90 seconds per burrito to thaw the center.
2. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 3–4 minutes until crisp and heated through.

Food-safety note: For general home cold-storage guidelines, see the FDA’s FoodKeeper guidance here. For bean nutrition, see USDA FoodData Central.

Final Thoughts

These crispy air fryer burritos prove that fast, budget-friendly, and delicious can all live on the same plate. Keep a stack of tortillas on hand, a can of beans in the pantry, and cheese in the fridge—then customize with proteins or veggies for endless variety. They’re ideal for busy weeknights, after-school snacks, and make-ahead meal prep. Save this to your dinner rotation—you’ll make it on repeat!

Air Fryer Tips & More Easy Recipes

• Easy Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
• 5-Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken Dinner
• Honey Garlic Pork Chops (Air Fryer)
• Get more easy air fryer recipes in our Yummy Air Fryer Recipes Cookbook

Air Fryer Bean and Cheese Burritos

Make a batch of easy, budget-friendly bean and cheese burritos that are perfect for meal prep and freezer-friendly for quick, delicious meals anytime.

4.71 / 5 ( 24 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 can refried beans
• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese
• 1 can Enchilada sauce
• 1 pack tortillas preferably flour tortillas - you can choose any size from taco to burrito size tortillas
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• 1 dash salt or to taste

Instructions

Homemade Bean and Cheese Burritos

• Heat one can of refried beans in a small pot or skillet on the stove top. Combine with ⅛-¼ cup of water or chicken broth to help smooth it out.
• As the refried beans heat up, add in garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt.
• Once the refried beans are heated through and combined with the seasonings, lay out the tortillas. Layer the tortillas with refried beans, a spoonful or two of enchilada sauce, and a handful of cheese. 
• Roll and fold the tortillas into burritos.
• Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
• Place the burritos in a single layer, seam side down, in the air fryer basket. Spray the tops with oil. Then, cook the burritos in the air fryer at 350 °F for 4-6 minutes. If you want your burritos to be more crispy, air fry for an additional 1-2 minutes at 400 °F
• Remove and enjoy!

Freezer Meal Instructions

• Assemble the burritos. Layer the tortillas with refried beans, a spoonful or two of enchilada sauce, a handful of cheese, and any additional toppings of your choice.
• Fold the burritos then wrap the burritos in tin foil.
• Place the wrapped burritos in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer

• Unwrap the burrito from the packaging (or foil, if you are making homemade frozen burritos).
• Place the burrito in the microwave at 70% power for 1 minute and 30 seconds to start cooking the burrito. (For homemade frozen burritos, I like to stab the burrito a couple of times with a fork to allow air to flow through the burrito and to help it cook better).
• Place the burrito in the air fryer basket and air fry at 380 °F for 3-4 minutes.

Recipe Notes

You can add additional protein to your burritos. Just add your favorite meat, like chicken (this recipe works great with rotisserie chicken), beef, or pork! 

You can also beef up your burrito by adding black beans, rice, onions, corn, and/or bell peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 646mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g