How to Make Cheesy Burrito Melts -- Quick, Easy & Delicious

 

 

I am here today with a quick and easy hot sandwich recipe that your family is sure to enjoy.  Not only are these sandwiches quick and easy to make, but they are also fairly low in fat and high in fiber, not to mention delicious.  Shh! If you don't tell anyone I won't either! Who knew healthy could taste so good!

This fabulously tasty hot sandwich melt uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.  Toasty English Muffins, kidney beans, sweet green bell pepper, tomato salsa (you choose how spicy you want it!), some minced spring onion, a few herbs and spices and rich cheddar cheese!

 

These sandwiches go together in a flash. You can have them made and on the table in less than half an hour tops. 

They make a fabulously nutritious lunch or light supper that is a great source of protein (something we are all trying to get into our diets these days!)  as well as being high in fiber, iron and calcium!

Add a few crisp vegetable sticks on the side and you have an even more nutritious lunch that everyone will enjoy!  Yes, even the children.  Not only are they tasty but they are also very budget friendly!

 

 These tasty hot sandwiches are great for game nights when you are enjoying the latest match with your family, or for students who are up studying and need something quick and easy. 

You can bake them in the oven or in a microwave oven!  They can also be easily assembled ahead of time and refrigerated, ready to pop into the oven 15 minutes or so before you want to eat!  These are quite simply fabulous! 

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

CHEESY BURRITO MELTS

There is nothing too out of the ordinary needed here. Simple ingredients put together in a really delicious way!

• 1 cup (113g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1 can (19 oz./538g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 tbsp prepared tomato salsa
• 1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano flakes
• Pinch hot pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

    

I like to use a white cheddar, and I grate my own cheese. They add things like cellulose (wood fiber) to pre-grated cheeses to make them flow better and keep them from sticking together. I don't really want to be eating that myself.

You can use any tomato salsa you enjoy. I used a medium strength one. If you like things a bit spicier use a hot one. It's your choice!

Spring onions are also called Scallions or Green Onions. I like to quarter them down the length after I have washed and trimmed them. I then chop them into smaller pieces.

You can use as many or as few chili flakes as you enjoy.  I err on the side of caution because I am not a huge fan of really spicy foods.

HOW TO MAKE

CHEESY BURRITO MELTS

These are really very simple to make, requiring not a lot of effort or a great deal of time, making them ideal for a nice quick and easy lunch!

1. Put the drained and rinsed beans into a bowl. Mash them well with a fork. (You will want the mixture to be fairly smooth for the best results.)
2. Take 1/4 of the green pepper and chop. Cut the remaining pepper into 1/4-inch strips. Set aside. (See chef's tip below for how to do this in the most efficient way!)
3. Stir the chopped pepper, tomato salsa and the chopped spring onion into the mashed beans. 
4. Toast the ground cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until it smells quite fragrant. Add to the bean mixture along with the oregano and pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (Toasting spices in a dry skillet really helps to enhance and bring out their flavors!)
5. Split and toast your English muffins. (I split mine using a fork which gives a lovely rough surface to toast with lots of little nubbly bits.)
6. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or baking paper for an easy clean up. (Yes, I am that lazy at times.)
7. Place the toasted muffin halves onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread each toasted muffin half with a portion of the bean mixture. Top with the cheese and some pepper strips. (You can get as fancy as you like with this!)
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot with some crisp veggie sticks on the side. Delicious!

CHEF'S SUPER TIP

Here is an extra special tip to help you get uniform sizes for your pepper strips.  Lop off the top and bottom of your pepper.  You will be left with a cylinder. Make a slit down the side and open it out.  Trim off all of the ribs and discard the seeds.  You now have a length of pepper that you can use to cut into evenly sized strips.  Chop 1/4 of these into smaller bits for the filling.

The parts you lopped off? Don't worry, they won't go to waste!  Pop them into a freezer container to use in the future for soups and sauces. You can coarsely chop them first.

   

A FEW OTHER

HOT SANDWICH OPTIONS

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY 

When the temperatures outside start to dip, there is nothing like enjoying a tasty hot sandwich for your lunch or your supper.  Super simple to make, hearty and delicious! I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy one every now and then.

Here are a few of my favorite hot sandwich recipes that I thought you might also enjoy!

 

HOT HAM & CHEESE SANDWICHES - Fresh poppyseed Kaiser rolls brushed with a honey mustard butter and filled with plenty of deli ham, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and crispy bacon! Amounts are for one sandwich but are easily multiplied to make as many as you have guests!  These really are very easy to make. Probably the most time-consuming part is the caramelizing of the onions. If you are not keen you can always leave them out, but I highly recommend you do make them as they really add to the deliciousness of this tasty sandwich!

 

CROISSANT REUBENS - There is nothing I enjoy more than a Reuben Sandwich and this juicy homemade Reuben Sandwich recipe, using flaky and buttery croissants is a real winner! Crispy flaky buttery croissants, filled with tangy crisp sauerkraut and a homemade slightly spicy dressing, hot juicy meat and oodles of melted cheese.  This is everything a good Reuben Sandwich should be. Prepare to fall in love with this fantastic hot sandwich!  Yum! Yum!

 

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Yield: Serves 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Cheesy Burrito Melts

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

A delicious lunch or light snack that goes together quickly and easily! Serve with raw vegetable sticks for a quick and healthy lunch or a light supper.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (113g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1 can (19 oz./538g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 tbsp prepared tomato salsa
• 1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano flakes
• Pinch hot pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Put the drained and rinsed beans into a bowl. Mash them well with a fork.
2. Take 1/4 of the green pepper and chop. Cut the remaining pepper into 1/4-inch strips. Set aside.
3. Stir the chopped pepper, tomato salsa and the chopped spring onion into the mashed beans.
4. Toast the ground cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until it smells quite fragrant. Add to the bean mixture along with the oregano and pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
5. Split and toast your English muffins.
6. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or baking paper for an easy clean up.
7. Place the toasted muffin halves onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread each toasted muffin half with a portion of the bean mixture. Top with the cheese and some pepper strips.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot with some crisp veggie sticks on the side. Delicious!

Notes

Alternately, you can place the topped muffin halves onto microwavable plates, top as above and microwave on medium (50%) until heated through and the cheese melts and bubbles.

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