Name: What To Serve With Burritos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion burrito

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your burrito, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for burritos.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with burritos are calabacitas, esquites, roasted mango habanero salsa, drunken beans, grilled guacamole, and slaw. For something super traditional, try a Mexican cactus salad. For lighter options, go with pickled jalapenos or a Mexican chopped salad.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Calabacitas

Give your burritos a delicious and nourishing boost with a serving of calabacitas on the side.

This classic Mexican dish features a summery medley of zucchini, corn, yellow squash, peppers, and tomatoes.

But what makes this dish really stand out is its luscious cheese sauce that’ll make you want to lick the plate clean.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a great way to get picky eaters to eat their veg.

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Calabacitas
Fire up the oven
Mexican roasted zucchini
Make it crispy
Parmesan zucchini fries

Homemade baked tortilla chips and salsa

Tortilla chips are a quintessential accompaniment to any Mexican dish.

You can easily buy them at your local grocery store, but if you have 30 minutes to spare, why not try making them from scratch?

These baked tortilla chips involve minimal preparation, and you can season them with whatever you want.

Serve them with a tasty salsa (see recipe below) to complete the meal.

Why we love this recipe: they’re easy to make and far healthier than shop bought chips.

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Homemade baked tortilla chips
Make it low-carb
Keto tortilla chips
Make it indulgent
Carne asada nachos

Esquites (Mexican street corn cups)

Elotes are a classic Mexican dish made of corn cobs covered in a spicy lime crema.

But they have one major downside. They’re so messy to eat!

Imagine getting all the goodness from traditional elotes in one convenient, easy-to-carry cup… that’s where esquites come in.

Why we love this recipe: it takes 15 minutes to put together.

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Esquites
Make it hearty
Black bean and corn salad with jalapeno lime dressing
Stick with the basics
Elotes

Roasted mango habanero salsa

This mango habanero salsa is fast becoming my go-to condiment.

The extra step of roasting the habaneros and tomatoes brings an earthy, complex flavor that pairs superbly with the caramelized mangos.

Slather this vibrantly colored sauce on your burritos to add a sweet, zingy bite that’ll make your taste buds tingle.

Why we love this recipe: it’s far superior to store-bought salsas.

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Roasted mango habanero salsa
Make it traditional
Homemade salsa
Make it different
Tomatillo avocado salsa verde

Tater tots

Tater tots may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of burritos, but don’t knock it until you try it.

You can stuff these crisp potato bites into a breakfast burrito…

Transform them into an even more indulgent version of nachos called totchos…

Or use them to scoop up any filling that oozes out of your burrito.

Why we love this recipe: it will transport you straight back to your childhood.

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Homemade tater tots
Make it low-carb
Cauliflower tots
Make it cheesy
Mozzarella-stuffed tater tot balls

Grilled guacamole

Everyone has their own version of guacamole, but this recipe is a must try!

Grilling the avocados might sound like a hassle, but the resultant smoky twist is well worth it.

You can enjoy the guac immediately, but I prefer to let it chill before serving.

Use it to line the inside of your burrito or enjoy it as a dip on the side.

Why we love this recipe: this unique approach to a classic will leave your guests raving.

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Grilled guacamole
Make it crispy
Beer-battered avocado wedges
Make it even healthier
Spinach guacamole

Drunken beans

If you’ve never tried drunken beans, you’re missing out!

True to its name, this dish calls for a dark Mexican beer, but don’t worry – the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind a deep, savory flavor you can’t achieve by just using stock.

Create the ultimate comfort meal with a warm burrito and a piping hot serving of these beer-infused beans.

Why we love this recipe: you can have a family-sized serving ready in just 30 minutes.

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Drunken beans (frijoles borrachos)
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Mexican pinto beans
Make it refreshing
Cowboy caviar

Green apple jicama slaw

A fully loaded burrito is just calling out for a light side dish like this slaw.

The jicama and apple matchsticks offer a satisfyingly crunchy bite to contrast your burritos’ soft textures.

And the cilantro and mint vinaigrette will provide a refreshing, but peppery bite to cut through the richness of your burrito.

Why we love this recipe: it’s healthier than your usual creamy slaws.

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Green apple jicama slaw
Keep it simple
Red cabbage and carrot slaw
Make it Tex-Mex-inspired
Mexican coleslaw with creamy avocado dressing

Sweet potato hash

Burritos aren’t just for dinner.

Start your weekend on the right note with a breakfast burrito and a side of sweet potato hash.

This recipe combines crispy sweet potatoes with caramelized garlic and onion, resulting in a mouth-watering dish packed with flavor.

And the best part? The oven does most of the cooking for you.

Why we love this recipe: you only need a handful of simple ingredients but you wouldn’t know it when you taste it.

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Sweet potato hash
Add leafy greens
Sheet pan black bean, potato, and kale breakfast hash
Make it Spanish-inspired
Patatas bravas

Mexican cactus salad

Want something a bit different with your burritos?

Try going traditional with this cactus salad.

The recipe’s centerpiece are nopales which, for those who don’t know, are a type of cactus native to Mexico and a typical accompaniment to many local dishes.

What does the cactus taste like? Think green vegetables, but with a slight citrus undertone.

Why we love this recipe: it adds a unique yet traditional flavor to your feast.

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Mexican cactus salad
Fire up the grill
Grilled cactus and corn salad
Make a condiment
Pickled cactus

Stuffed padron peppers

Padron peppers are perfect for stuffing and are often found on Tapas menus around Spain.

They’re not spicy but, instead, have an earthy sweetness that pairs brilliantly with this recipe’s three-cheese stuffing.

Psst.. I know I said they aren’t spicy, but there’s always one in every batch thst randomly packs a punch, so watch out!

Why we love this recipe: it’s a fun dish to make and serve when hosting friends.

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Stuffed Padron peppers
Make it savory
Grilled Padron peppers and chorizo skewers
Keep it simple
Blistered Padron peppers

Mexican chopped salad

This Mexican chopped salad isn’t just for burritos – it’s great with any meal.

Aside from the chopped lettuce, it’s loaded with classic Mexican ingredients like avocados, tomatoes, and corn.

But what makes this salad extra special is its sweet and tangy honey lime dressing that ties everything together.

Why we love this recipe: it’s delicious, healthy and easily customizable.

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Mexican chopped salad with honey lime dressing
Skip the lettuce
Southwest kale salad
Skip the leafy greens
Tomato, cucumber, avocado salad

Poblano pepper soup

There’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of soup on a cold day.

This recipe calls for ten poblano peppers, which sounds like a lot but these peppers are smoky rather than spicy.

Once blended, this cheesy soup is so creamy you won’t be able to resist dipping your burrito in it.

Why we love this recipe: everyone always begs for second helpings.

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Poblano pepper soup
Make it filling
Sopa de fideo
Make it protein-loaded
Mexican lentil soup

Pickled jalapenos

I always have a jar of these quick pickled jalapenos in my fridge.

They add a tanginess and a pinch of heat to any meal – the perfect palate cleanser for a rich and meaty burrito.

And the best part? Making these is such a breeze you’ll have no problem doing it every week.

Why we love this recipe: you can get so much use out of a single batch.

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Quick fridge-pickled jalapenos
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Quick pickled cabbage
Add more veggies
Homemade escabeche (Mexican pickled vegetables)

Tajin watermelon mint salad

This is by no means a traditional side dish, but trust me – you won’t regret trying it!

The highlight of this dish is the tajin seasoning.

It’s a popular Mexican blend made of mildly spicy dried chili and lime that perfectly contrasts with the sweet watermelon. But if you can’t find it, don’t worry there are lots of tajin seasoning substitute options.

This recipe also calls for mint leaves, which have a subtle cooling effect on the heat from the tajin.

Why we love this recipe: it’s ideal for summer cookouts.

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Tajin watermelon salad
Skip the watermelon
Chili lime grilled pineapple
Make it colorful
Mexican fruit salad

The best side dishes to serve with burritos

Calabacitas
Homemade baked tortilla chips and salsa
Esquites (Mexican street corn cups)
Roasted mango habanero salsa
Tater tots
Grilled guacamole
Drunken beans
Green apple jicama slaw
Sweet potato hash
Mexican cactus salad
Stuffed padron peppers
Mexican chopped salad
Poblano pepper soup
Pickled jalapenos
Tajin watermelon mint salad