WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: We wanted a burrito that balanced the usual beans and cheese with fresh, hearty vegetables. To that end, we sautéed a pound of Swiss chard in aromatics and simmered it until tender. We mashed some of the beans into a paste with some vegetable broth and left the rest whole to create a more cohesive filling. We relied on tomato paste, spices, and lime juice to bump up the flavor. White rice, cooked in broth for more flavor and sprinkled with cilantro, and Monterey Jack cheese round out the filling. Given that the vegetable filling had a relatively soft texture, we decided to run the assembled burritos under the broiler briefly to crisp up the tortillas before serving. For a final flavor boost, we sprinkled some more cheese over the top before broiling.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2¼ cups vegetable broth
• ¾ cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt
• 1 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves sliced into 1-inch-wide strips
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 6 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 10 ounces Monterey jack, shredded (2½ cups)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring 1¼ cups broth, rice, half of garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove rice from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Add cilantro and fluff with fork to incorporate; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, chipotle, cumin, oregano, remaining garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chard and ½ cup broth, cover, and simmer until chard is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Using potato masher, coarsely mash half of beans with remaining ½ cup broth in bowl, then stir into pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in lime juice and remaining whole beans; cover to keep warm.
4. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wrap tortillas in damp dish towel and microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Lay warm tortillas on counter. Mound warm rice, chard-bean mixture, and 1½ cups Monterey Jack across center of tortillas, close to bottom edge. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, fold sides then bottom of tortilla over filling, pulling back on it firmly to tighten it around filling, then continue to roll tightly into burrito.
5. Place burritos, seam side down, on prepared sheet and sprinkle remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack over top. Broil until cheese is melted and starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.