Favorite Breakfast Burritos

This is our Favorite Breakfast Burritos. It’s my copycat version of The Rooster’s Rico Suave burrito. It’s stuffed with fried eggs, tater tots, bacon, avocado, and cheeses. Savory and packed with flavors!

Every weekend, Bryan and I go out for breakfast or brunch. One of our favorite things to order? Breakfast burritos. We’re always on the hunt for the best one in town.

A few years ago, we discovered the Rico Suave burrito from The Rooster, a cozy spot on the westside of Los Angeles. Back when we lived nearby, we used to grab it all the time. Now that we’re on the other side of town, it’s more of a treat than a routine, but still totally worth the drive.

So what makes this burrito stand out? It’s all about the combination of ingredients. There are the super crispy tater tots and smoky bacon, paired with creamy avocado and hearty over-medium eggs. Then there are the cheddar and salty cotija cheese, adding richness and depth. The salsa and crema are not to be missed. They bring everything together. The burrito is flavorful but not overly heavy.

But if you can’t make it out to the restaurant, don’t worry. You can try my copycat version at home. Here’s what you’ll need and how to prepare each component:

Tater Tots: I cook mine in a toaster oven. Just place them on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. You can also use a deep fryer or air fryer if you prefer.

Bacon: I baked the bacon in a regular oven. Line a baking sheet with foil, lay the bacon in a single layer, and start with a cold oven. Bake until deeply golden and crispy, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up the excess fat.

Eggs: I use large eggs, cooked over-medium in a skillet. The yolks stay a little jammy in the center, and the whites are fully set.

Flour Tortillas: Go with 12-inch flour tortillas. They’re large enough to hold everything and easy to wrap. When you’re ready to use them, wrap the tortillas in a damp clean kitchen towel (or paper towels) and microwave for 20 seconds. This makes them more flexible and less likely to tear during wrapping.

Cheddar Cheese: I use medium cheddar. It’s cheesy but not overpowering.

Cotija Cheese: This salty Mexican cheese is similar to feta but milder. Crumble it into small pieces with your fingers.

Avocado: I usually buy an avocado a day or two in advance and let it ripen on the counter. It adds a creamy, rich element to the burrito.

That’s it for the ingredients! It might sound like a lot, but many of them either cook hands-off in an appliance or come ready to use.

Assembling the Burrito:
Once all your ingredients are ready, it’s time to build the burrito. The key is to layer everything evenly and wrap it tightly.

1. Start by placing the cheddar cheese in the center of the tortilla.
2. Sprinkle cotija cheese over the cheddar.
3. Add a layer of crispy tater tots on top of the cheeses.
4. Lay avocado wedges lengthwise alongside the tots.
5. Add the bacon strips on top of the avocado.
6. Finally, place the eggs over everything the tots.

To wrap: fold the bottom edge of the tortilla over the filling, then fold in both sides toward the center. Roll it up tightly, being careful not to tear the tortilla.

Final Touch:
Heat the wrapped burritos in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. The tortilla gets crisp, and everything inside stays warm and melty.

Don’t Forget the Sauces:

Salsa:
The Rooster uses a salsa de molcajete. I made one last week. You can check out the recipe there. It’s super simple. Roast the veggies on a skillet, then blend in a food processor or blender. It’s fresh, garlicky, and works perfectly with the burritos. You can make it up to a few days in advance. No time to make your own? Store-bought salsa works too.

Crema:
This one’s quick and easy. Just blend sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, and lime juice. Season with salt and chill until ready to use. It’s tangy, creamy, and balances the burrito beautifully.

Both sauces can be made ahead. If you’re serving breakfast burritos in the morning, prepping these the day before makes everything easier.

A Note on Salt:
You might have noticed I didn’t add any extra salt to the burrito filling. That’s intentional. The bacon, cheeses, and sauces all bring plenty of salt to the table, so there’s no need for more.

I can’t wait for you to try these burritos. They’re packed with flavors and full of textures, crispy, creamy, cheesy, and satisfying. Honestly, if it were up to Bryan, we’d be eating them every weekend.

Let me know if you make them. I’d love to hear how they turn out!

Print Pin

Favorite Breakfast Burritos

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword avocado, bacon, breakfast, breakfast burrito, brunch, burrito, cheese, copycat recipe, egg, tater tots, the rooster, tortilla

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Lokness

Ingredients

• 18 frozen tater tots
• 4 slices bacon (not thick cut)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 (12-inch) flour tortillas
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons cotija cheese (broken into small crumbs)
• ½ ripe avocado (peeled and cut into 4 wedges)
• ½ cup Salsa de Molcajete (or your favorite salsa)
• ¼ cup Cilantro Crema (recipe followed)

Cilantro Crema:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 1 small garlic clove
• ½ lime (zested and juiced)
• Salt

Instructions

• For the cilantro crema, in a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients except for salt. Process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a small bowl, season with salt and mix well with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
• Cook the tater tots until golden and crispy in toaster oven, air fryer, or deep fryer following the instructions from the package. It took about 25 minutes for mine to cook in a toaster oven.
• While the tots are cooking, prepare the bacon. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the bacon on a single layer with 1-inch space in between. In a cold oven (no preheating), place the baking sheet in the oven. Set the temperature to 425˚F (220˚C) and cook until deep golden brown and crispy, about 20 – 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add 2 eggs first and add them very close to each other. Then add 2 more eggs close to each other onto the other side of the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook the eggs until the egg white are set and not fully cook. Carefully insert a flat spatula under the first set of 2 eggs, then flip. Now, flip the other set. Cook for 30 more seconds and remove from skillet.
• Wrap 2 tortillas with a large damp clean towel or paper towel. Microwave for 20 seconds. That will help the tortilla to be a little more flexible.
• To assemble, on a clean working surface, place 2 tortillas side by side. On one tortilla, slightly spread out ¼ cup of cheddar cheese in the center. Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons cotija cheese over. Place 9 tater tots on the cheeses. Line the avocado wedges lengthwise on top of the cheeses and next to tots. Add 2 slices of bacon on top of the avocado. Add one set of 2 eggs on top of the tater tots. Keep all the ingredients tight and compact together. Fold the bottom part of the tortilla over the filling, then fold the left side and the right side to the center. Last, roll the burrito up tightly and carefully. Repeat with the other tortilla.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the burritos fold side down and cook until golden brown. Carefully flip over and cook until golden brown. Transfer to a clean chopping board. Using a sharp knife, cut the burritos in half. Serve immediately with salsa de molcajete (or your favorite salsa) and cilantro crema.

Notes

1. The tater tots that I used are Ore-Ida crispy crowns. They’re more like coin shape instead of little tubes, but they taste the same as tots. 
2. For the bacon, I like Whole Foods 365 uncured applewood smoked pork bacon. That is my go-to bacon. It’s smoky with good flavors and not too salty. 
3. For the tortilla, I got Guerrero brand, riquisimas burrito grande flour tortillas from a nearby Mexican supermarket. If you can’t find 12-inch tortilla, I heard you can buy a pack from the restaurant chain Chipotle. I haven’t tried that myself though.
4. Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese that is firm, milky and salty. It’s usually available in regular supermarket. If not, you can definitely get some from Mexican supermarkets. To use them in this recipe, break them apart into small crumbs using your fingers. 
5. When filling the burritos, it’s important to layer and stack the ingredients. So when rolling, the burrito is more tight and round. 
6. Cilantro crema can be made a day ahead.

(Cilantro crema adapted from Isabel Eats)