Mission Burrito Recipe (2024)

As an SF native, I need to step in here. The flour tortilla really has to be cooked or at least thoroughly heated, it's not optional. Eating raw tortillas is disgusting. Not only that, it needs to be heated *before* trying to roll it up into anything, to soften and give it some elasticity. Steaming works best, but it can be done on a low heat griddle as well. Heat until soft, flip often and toss your cheese in at the end to get it melting. Also, some proper Asada spicing wouldn't hurt that meat.

About 100 years ago when I was in my early 20s and living in a small town, I was dating a guy who lived in San Francisco - near Haight Ashbury. I visited him over a weekend and he was excited to take me to lunch "in the Mission" to get a burrito. I was horrified. I thought he was taking me to a soup kitchen as a date. Cue hilarious argument, with me insisting it was morally wrong for us to eat "in the Mission" and him insisting that's where the best burritos were found. Make these.

This starts by name-checking La Taqueria, perhaps the best burrito in America. I get excited, exclaim to the wife: "They're about to reveal one of the greatest recipes in U.S.-based Mexican food! OUR LIVES ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE!" Then all we get is a super basic recipe for steak and beans without any spices (much simpler than La Taqueria, having watched them work many times), which we're then to add to a cold store-bought tortilla and the wrong salsa. I've never felt more betrayed by a recipe.

Thanks for the recipe, but I think there is one important note left out. Store-bought tortillas are firm and don't taste great with that texture. Tortillas at burrito spots in the Mission are usually either thrown on the grill for a minute (before adding the fixings) or steamed briefly (with cheese inside already). When I make burritos at home, I usually a tortilla with cheese on it in a colander, and boil water in a pan below the colander, to steam the tortilla. Makes for a smooth texture.

Love the comments! YES, tiny raw tortillas & betrayal! "About 100 years ago when I was in my early 20s and living in a small town" I moved to the Haight, lived in SF 1980s–2000 'til tech destroyed it. Fab Mission culture–Latinx, lesbian-feminist, arts, punk–SOMA Bohemia subsisted on burritos. I became a chef; still trying to duplicate El Faro & La Cumbre. Use HUGE, WARM tortillas; add Mex rice; guacamole, not avo; roll tightly; foil wrap & steam: soft but not soggy. Now I'm SF homesick & hungry.

I thought the presence of rice was a defining feature of a Mission Burrito?

Right? A 9 inch tortilla is gonna give you a burrito the size of an egg roll...

Pancho Villa is better. La Taqueria is over rated. Try their all meat Burrito with Guacamole and hot salda filling.

I lived in the Mission for most of the 80's. Our preference was El Toro at 17th and Valencia.

also buy tortillas, lol. I assume large ones.

I would definitely not discard that marinade.

Let the Mission burrito wars begin! Lives have been lost, families split up over this... El Farolito, 24th and Mission, for their NOT-smashed avocados. Some friends love Taqueria Cancun for their grilled burritos but what do they know?This is worthy of a larger article. If you don't understand how big and tightly-wrapped they're supposed to be, the way you'll be mingling with all types while trying to squeeze out of the restaurant, and the importance of the "super veggie", no recipe will help

shredded cheese on a skillet, tortilla on top of cheese, press in to adhere. Carmelize the cheese, pull out with spatula, put cheese side inside with the burrito fillings, you'll get 'steamed' tortilla and more complex (better) cheese taste

I am lucky to live in the Bay Area. I’ve rarely met a San Francisco burrito I didn’t like, wherever it’s from, and I’ve tried all of the places that everybody mentioned. I can’t imagine making these, but I suppose it’s easier and far less expensive than flying to San Francisco for you poor, unfortunate souls.

FYI, the recipe is for a SUPER burrito, not a regular burrito. Only super burritos have sour cream, guac, and cheese.

If you can, try toasting the rolled up burrito in a cast iron skillet the way they do it at my favorite Mission burrito spot, Cancun Taqueria

Used to get these all the time in the 80's in SF. Rice is not normally used. Tortilla was steamed (pretty sure). I would always get carnitas, not steak. They tasted awesome.

i added red pepper flakes to the sauce and it was a good move. if i made this again i would thin out the peanut butter glaze. it’s more of a pasty texture, i think i would do less peanut butter and add either some rice wine vinegar or coconut milk or something else.

Just had a La Taqueria carne asada burrito this weekend and it never gets old or indifferent. The same bald guy has been making the burritos since at least 1991. And, yes, El Toro, Pancho Villa, La Cumbre, Taqueria Cancun, El Farolito, and Taqueria Altena(god rest their souls) all get props for one dish or another - La Taqueria reigns supreme. Avocado(not guac) and their salsa verde is key.

I grew up in Northern CA, lived in SF for many years, and very much miss the burritos. Have been in NYC for nearly 30 years and still haven’t a clue where to buy decent flour tortillas. Anybody have tips? Thanks!

I am not a cook but it was my wife’s birthday so I decided to make this burrito for her and she was blown away by it. I have to admit I was also quite surprised at how good the burrito turned out. I modified the recipe a bit by using a bit less lard than suggested, probably about half the portions it dictates. At the end I also “toasted” the burritos by putting them back on the same cast iron pan I used to cook the meat. The left over lard and meat grease gave the tortilla a great flavor.

I’m from the East Bay where we have lots of good Taquerias, but my buddy moved to the Mission District a few years after high school. We were all into punk rock and being hella hipster so bine messengers and burritos, in 2005, were the hype. Needless to say, my buddy, who niw lives in New York, respectively, showed us around and would take us to El Farolito. I think it was El Faro that he lived above, but El Farolito is the spot for the best super burritos. Anyone here remember El Balazo?

The tortillas absolutely need to be heated before you put the fillings in and roll them up, and it is best to wear them after so all the fillings conjoin. Also heat the beans with more lard than the recipe calls for to make them really soft.

I lived in SF in 80's and 90's. Everybody raved about La Taqueria. I went a couple of times, and it was good but got tired of waiting outside (yes, even The Mission and Noe get cold). Across the street stood El Toro. Hm, I tried their carnitas burrito and never ventured across the street again. Have no idea if circ*mstances are the same today, just a bit of SF pre-tech nostalgia.

I made this vegetarian by using 2 cans of black beans which I added to sauteed white onions. Really good!

SF native here: heat the tortilla and make rice for the inside. You can go without (“bronco” style at EBX or regular La Taqueria), but that’s a riff on Mission burrito.

Frank, people have been saying La Taqueria is over-rated for 40 years. I'm going to take a stab, and guess you liked to eat there before it was cool, not now when *everybody* goes there? Parvenues, everywhere!