How to Fold a Burrito, Step by Step

Nicely Folded Burrito on a Plate with a Small Bowl of Salsa and in the Background, a Stack of Tortillas — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

It’s not hard to successfully wrap a burrito around a filling, but it does take a few key steps to make sure you don’t have salsa squeezing out the unfolded ends!

Well-folded burritos lead to a neater eating experience, which is especially important when you are eating them on the go. When the ends are firmly tucked inside, you avoid having fillings and sauces drip out the bottom as you eat. This also makes them better for freezing, since the filling stays safely inside the tortilla and won’t get freezer burned.

Once you get the hang of it, you can quickly make a bunch of burritos to eat now or freeze for later.

Tips for Successfully Folding a Burrito

Warm the tortillas before folding. Larger, slightly warmed tortillas are much easier to fold and they are also less likely to crack or tear. Aim to use a 10-inch flour tortilla or larger. Warm it by placing it in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds on each side or microwave it for about 20 seconds.
Don't place the filling right in the middle. Place the filling just a little bit closer to you on the tortilla versus it being right in the middle. Don’t bring it all the way to the end, but visualize the tortilla in quarters and place it about three-quarters away from the furthest end.
Think of the steps as occurring almost simultaneously. While a step-by-step process shows you to fold in the ends and then fold up the burrito, these steps are really somewhat simultaneous. As you fold in the ends, immediately roll the filling inside as you continue to keep those tucked ends in their place while you work.
Use a bit of guacamole or mayo to seal the ends. I like to spread very thin layer of guacamole or sriracha mayonnaise on the far end of the tortilla to help seal the end of the burrito. But don’t add so much that it squishes out the seam!

How to Fold a Burrito

For this burrito, I’m using our Freezer Breakfast Burritos with Sausage, Eggs, and Salsa Verde and 10-inch flour tortillas (these are often marked "burrito-sized" on the packaging).

Warm the tortilla, then lay it flat. Warm the tortilla so it’s nice and pliable, then lay the tortilla on a flat surface like a clean countertop or cutting board.

Tortilla on the Counter for How to Fold a Burrito — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Add the filling. Layer your filling about 3/4 of the way down from the top edge of the tortilla.

Burrito Filling Added to One End of the Tortilla — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Fold the sides, the begin to roll. Fold each side of the tortilla over the filling with your index fingers. Begin to roll up the filling. Continue to tuck the sides, using your thumbs to fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling as you roll it up.

Using the Index Fingers, the Tortilla Sides Are Folded onto the Filling for How to Fold a Burrito — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Thumbs Used to Fold Tortilla Bottom over the Sides and Filling While the Index Fingers Continue to Hold Down the Sides, Initiating the Burrito Roll — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Fingers Hold onto the Sides, Tucking in Extra Tortilla Sides, While Burrito Is Carefully Rolled — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Hands Holding Burrito Tightly as Rolling Continues — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Rolled Burrito on a Counter — Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Seal the ends with a sauce, if using, then serve seam-side down. If you have a little guacamole or mayonnaise on hand, use a bit to seal the end of the burrito. Place the burrito seam-side down to serve or wrap to freeze (skip the guac if freezing).