These vegetarian chimichangas are crispy, golden, and stuffed with refried beans and melty Monterey Jack cheese. They’re an easy weeknight dinner made with just four ingredients!

vegetarian chimichangas
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The first time I had a chimichanga was at my in-laws’ house! My mother-in-law made them, and they were so good. I knew I had to try making them at home and I wanted to see if I could make these work for a healthy dinner. I knew the beans would add fiber and the cheese would add protein, but could I make them without feeling greasy or heavy? I’m happy to tell you, yes!

What Is a Vegetarian Chimichanga?

A chimichanga is really just a deep-fried burrito. You take a flour tortilla, fill it, roll it up tight, and fry it until the outside is golden and crackly. Chimichangas are a Tex-Mex and Southwestern dish rather than a traditional Mexican one. Most restaurant chimichangas are filled with shredded beef or chicken, but making them vegetarian is easy. Beans and cheese are the classic meatless filling and honestly my favorite, but you can also stuff them with sautéed vegetables, rice, or even crumbled tofu. More on that below!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Four ingredients. Tortillas, refried beans, cheese, oil. You probably have all of it in the kitchen right now.
  • Pan-fried, not deep-fried. A few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet gets you the same crispy shell without a pot of hot oil on the stove.
  • Ready in about 15 minutes. 5 minutes to roll, ten to fry. Faster than ordering takeout.
  • Easy to customize. Keep them simple or load them up with Spanish rice, fajita peppers, mushrooms, or crispy potatoes.
  • Kid-approved. It’s a crispy cheese burrito. Hard to argue with.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Chimichangas

  • Burrito-size flour tortillas. This matters. Regular taco-size tortillas won’t hold enough filling once you roll them tightly, and you’ll end up with sad little chimichangas. Grab the big ones. Flour tortillas are the way to go here; corn tortillas crack when you try to fold and roll them.
  • Refried beans. Canned is totally fine. Traditional pinto, vegetarian, or black bean refried beans all work. Check the label if you’re cooking for vegetarians, since some brands still use lard. If you want to make your own, this homemade refried beans recipe is a good one.
  • Monterey Jack cheese. It melts beautifully and has a mild flavor that lets the beans shine. I really recommend grating it yourself from a block. Pre-shredded bagged cheese is coated in anti-caking agents, which keep it from melting as smoothly. Pepper jack or Colby Jack work too.
  • Olive oil. This is what crisps up the outside. Canola or vegetable oil work just as well if that’s what you have.

How to Make Vegetarian Chimichangas

Spread a thin layer of refried beans over each tortilla, then top with a generous handful of cheese. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in toward the center, then roll from the bottom to the top so the filling is completely enclosed.
Add 1-2 chimichangas to the skillet with the seam facing down and cook for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Starting seam side down seals the tortilla shut, so the filling stays put while you cook the other sides.
Turn them every couple of minutes until they’re golden and crispy on all sides.

Pan Fry, Deep Fry, Bake, or Air Fry?

There’s more than one way to get a chimichanga crispy, and they all work. Here’s how they compare:

Pan fry (my pick). A thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat. You get a shell that’s nearly as crisp as deep-fried with a fraction of the oil and no mess. This is what the recipe card uses.

Deep fry. The restaurant method. A couple of inches of oil at 350°F, about 2-3 minutes per chimichanga. Crispiest result, but it’s a lot of oil for a Tuesday night.

Bake. Brush the rolled chimichangas with oil and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. The texture is closer to a toasted burrito than a true chimichanga, but it’s the lightest option and it’s hands-off.

Air fry. Brush or spray with oil and air fry at 390°F for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway. Crispier than baking, less oil than pan frying. A good middle ground.

Tips for the Crispiest Chimichangas

  • Don’t crowd the skillet. Two at a time, max. Crowding drops the oil temperature and you lose the crisp.
  • Wait for the oil. I know I’ve said it twice already, but hot oil over medium heat is the difference between crispy and greasy.
  • Grate your own cheese. It melts into the beans instead of sitting in little clumps.
  • Keep the bean layer thin. Too much filling makes them hard to roll and more likely to burst open while frying.
  • Warm stiff tortillas first. If your tortillas are cold and cracking when you fold them, wrap the stack in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds. They’ll roll much more easily.
  • Add more oil if you need it. Depending on your pan, you may need another splash between batches. You want a thin layer coating the bottom.

Veggie Filling Ideas

Bean and cheese is the classic, but chimichangas are a great way to use up whatever vegetables are in the fridge. A few things that work really well tucked inside, on their own or layered over the beans:

  • Rice. Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice makes them heartier and more like the restaurant version.
  • Fajita veggies. Sautéed bell peppers and onions with a little garlic, cumin, and chili powder.
  • Mushrooms. Sauté sliced mushrooms with onion and taco seasoning until they’re browned and most of the liquid has cooked off. Great texture, almost meaty.
  • Crispy potatoes. Roasted or air-fried diced potatoes are so good in here.
  • Black beans and corn. Swap some of the refried beans for whole black beans, add a spoonful of corn and a pinch of cumin.
  • Spinach or zucchini. Wilted spinach or sautéed diced zucchini sneak in some greens. Squeeze out any extra moisture first.
  • Green chiles or jalapeños. A spoonful of canned green chiles or a few pickled jalapeño slices if you want some heat.
  • Tofu. Crumbled, seasoned tofu adds protein and works really well with the beans.

Whatever you add, make sure the filling isn’t wet. Watery vegetables will steam the tortilla from the inside and you’ll lose the crispiness. Cook off any liquid first, and go a little lighter on the beans and cheese so you can still roll them up tightly.

What to Serve with Chimichangas

We almost always serve these with guacamole, blender salsa, and a bottle of Tabasco on the table. Sour cream, salsa, or a drizzle of cilantro sauce are great too. If you want to go full restaurant-style, spoon some queso or enchilada sauce over the top and finish with chopped cilantro and sliced avocado. To round out the meal, a simple black bean salad or Mexican street corn would be perfect.

Storage and Reheating

These are best fresh out of the skillet, but leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave one for about 45 seconds if you’re in a hurry. For the crispy shell back, use the air fryer: 4 minutes at 390°F gets them close to how they were on day one. A 375°F oven for about 10 minutes works too.

You can also roll them up a few hours ahead, cover, and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to fry. I wouldn’t fry them ahead of time, though. The crispiness doesn’t hold up.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What’s the difference between a chimichanga and a burrito? Frying. A burrito is a filled flour tortilla served soft. A chimichanga is the same thing fried until the outside is golden and crispy. Chimichangas are usually plated and eaten with a fork, often with sauce or toppings, since the crispy shell gets messy to hold.
  • Are chimichangas vegetarian? Not usually at restaurants, where they’re typically filled with beef or chicken. But they’re very easy to make vegetarian at home. Beans, cheese, rice, and sautéed vegetables all make great meatless fillings.
  • Are chimichangas vegan? Not as written, but they’re easy to make vegan. Use vegetarian refried beans (check the label for lard) and swap in a good melting vegan cheese, or skip the cheese and fill them with beans, rice, and veggies instead.
  • Are chimichangas healthy? Deep-fried restaurant chimichangas can be pretty heavy. This version is lighter: pan-fried in a few tablespoons of olive oil, filled with beans for protein and fiber, and easy to bulk up with vegetables. If you want to go lighter still, bake or air fry them instead.
  • What kind of cheese goes in chimichangas? Anything that melts well. Monterey Jack is my go-to for its mild flavor and smooth melt. Pepper jack adds a little heat, Colby Jack is a bit sharper, and a Mexican blend works in a pinch. Grate it fresh if you can.
  • Why are my chimichangas greasy? The oil wasn’t hot enough when they went in. Give it a few minutes over medium heat before adding the first batch, and don’t crowd the skillet.
  • Can I freeze chimichangas? Yes. Roll them (unfried), wrap each one tightly in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Fry straight from frozen over medium-low heat, adding a few extra minutes per side, or air fry at 375°F for about 15 minutes.

More Easy Vegetarian Mexican Recipes

If you make these vegetarian chimichangas, leave a comment and a star rating below. I’d love to hear how they turned out!

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vegetarian chimichangas

Vegetarian Chimichangas

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  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

These vegetarian chimichangas are crispy, golden, and stuffed with refried beans and melty Monterey Jack cheese. They’re an easy weeknight dinner made with just four ingredients!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 6 burrito size tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cups refried beans
  • 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Spread a thin layer of refried beans over your tortillas, then top them with a generous amount of cheese. 
  2. Fold the left and right sides of your tortilla inward and then roll it from the bottom to the top to fully enclose the filling.
  3. Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and let it heat up for a few minutes. Cook 3 chimichangas at a time, seam side down, for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
  4. Then flip your chimichangas and continue cooking for 1 minute on each side until they are golden brown on all sides.
  5. Transfer the first batch of chimichangas to a plate lined with paper towels for a few minutes.
  6. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook the remaining 3 chimichangas.