How To Wrap A Burrito


You’ll find links to other burrito pages on my links page.

I worked in fast food and at greasy spoons from the age of 14 all the way through college, so I sometimes get a little picky when it comes to how my food is prepared. The thing I get most picky about is my Tex-Mex… I rarely order a fast food burrito (a fast food burrito is a burrito from Taco Bell or Taco Cabana… please understand that a burrito served on a plate and smothered in sauce and cheese is an entirely different animal) simply because no one employed at these places can seem to assemble a burrito correctly.

Fact: a burrito (by design) is not supposed to fall apart… if it didn’t matter if it fell apart, it’d just be a big damn taco, right?

Also, a fast food burrito is not to be folded in on both ends; doing so takes away from the total usable foldable area of the tortilla and only results in more rapid burrito self-destruction.

In an effort to contribute to the overall worldly good, I now present an easy and dependable method of reducing the dreaded Burrito Fallout Syndrome:

1. Position your tortilla.(12-inch tortillas are suggested. If you can find bigger, use them!)
2. Place your filling.(No suggestions from me… I made a SPAM burrito once, so anything is fair game.)
3. Fold the bottom flap up. Do not be stingy with the amount of tortilla devoted to the flap… it’s the only barrier between your filling and your lap!
4. Bring the side up and over your filling. Tucking the edge of the tortilla under your filling is an excellent extra step.
5. Create a small fold with the remaining side of the tortilla. This is the KEY to maintaining burrito integrity. Failure is a given if you do not follow this step!(The small, diagonal flap is an extra “lock” for the bottom flap of the tortilla… without it, the weight and viscosity of your filling has the power to force your bottom flap right out of itself.)
6. Bring the remaining tortilla flap over the filling. Eat with confidence.

You’re probably thinking, “this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen on-line”. That may be, but I think this is slightly less dumb than dancing hamsters. In all honesty, I’m so adept at wrapping burritos that friends and co-workers would often have me work my magic for them when we ate at Taco Bell, right at the table… strange but true.

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279 Responses to How To Wrap A Burrito

  1. Andy Webb says:

    Now, wasn’t that easy!
    Unlike many other sites that are not!!
    Nice one, Bill.

  2. Jobs says:

    the topmost answer to “how to wrap a burrito” is 10 years old! a true testament to how correct this is!

  3. Caren says:

    So – almost 10 years later, and this post is still the #1 hit for “how to wrap a burrito”! That makes me smile. Thanks for your clear instructions.

  4. A very nice and descriptive explanation of making the perfect “no-spill” burrito.

  5. Matt says:

    Thanks man! Been struggling with wrapping my lunch! Trying to eat healthier with a whole wheat tortilla, grilled chicken, and romaine lettuce. A healthy, quick portion lunch,but my dam tortillas have been falling apart!

  6. Alicia says:

    I have been experiencing burrito failure for as long as I’ve known burritos–sometimes I got lucky and they didn’t explode too badly, so long as I kept a good grip on them, but I realized the extent of this shortcoming when, today, I attempted to pack a burrito for lunch and, for the life of me, I couldn’t get the darn thing to stick together for packing.
    So I say THANK YOU, burrito expert, for saving my morning!

  7. Lisa Lou says:

    Not dumb in the slightest! I love making burritos, but no matter how carefully I fold, I still have burrito self-destruction happen! Your blog has helped me to discover the missing step in my process… the small fold at the side of the tortilla. I’m going to work this into the equation tonight!

    Thank you! – from the not very sunny, Coventry, England

  8. secret says:

    very nice thanks

  9. Kofi says:

    Thanks dude! From england

  10. zachary moore says:

    Thanks now i know how to fold a burrito :)

  11. Jannie says:

    In South-Africa we do not really eat burrito’s. 10 days ago I started a veggie diet. Excuse the pun, but my tortilla wraps have always been a flop! Can’t wait for tomorrow to try this out! Thanks for taking the time!

  12. shaminy says:

    Thanks! No more fillings on my lap. Great guide.

  13. Casey Elzinga says:

    Just ate a burrito using this folding method… I now present you with the prestigious “Hero of the Day” Award!

    Thank you so much!

  14. Bill A. says:

    #2 can be taken a couple ways… is he trying to tell us don’t ask for filling advice because it will likely be awful, hence the spam example… or is he trying to merely say anything is possible? so far I’m going with the first possibility. Don’t trust anyone that uses spam.

  15. David says:

    If one thinks this is dumb, one does not know Tex-Mex! Nice tip.

  16. Jeriah says:

    Thank you so much. I was making a meat and cheese sandwich with a tortilla and just decided to Bing: How to wrap a burrito… Needless to say I am now enjoying a well wraped meat and cheese burrito :-)

  17. Louise says:

    Thank you very much for sharing this helpful tip Bill :) ! Now I can make wraps with confidence :D

  18. Tawny says:

    You are a burrito God!!!

  19. Steffani Bricker says:

    Thank you for this!! I’ve been cooking for 15 years and STILL have epic fails when I try to properly fold tortillas…so no, I do not think this is one of the dumbest things I’ve seen online :) only dancing hampsters.

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