Chipotle offers a variety of vegan options, and you might wonder if their beans are vegan. Many Mexican restaurants prepare beans with non-vegetarian ingredients like lard or chicken broth, leading to confusion. However, Chipotle’s beans are entirely vegan.
This wasn’t always the case. In 2011, a long-time customer, Seth Porges, discovered that Chipotle’s pinto beans contained bacon, a fact not listed on the menu. As a person who abstained from pork for religious reasons, Porges expressed his concern on social media. Chipotle acted quickly to address the issue by placing signs in stores informing customers about the pork. However, two years later, the pork was removed entirely, and a representative from Chipotle confirmed that they phased out bacon, making the pinto beans vegetarian-friendly.
Currently, Chipotle’s pinto and black beans are free of pork. Both are made with similar ingredients, including bay leaf, black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, onion, oregano, rice bran oil, and salt.
A Complete Beans List of Vegan Ingredients at Chipotle
Chipotle’s black beans are crafted from a blend of five varieties, such as Condor and Black Magic beans, offering a unique flavor profile. The pinto beans have a smoky essence that pairs well with other ingredients in your meal. If you’re unsure, you can opt for a combination of both beans!
Besides beans, Chipotle provides a variety of vegan ingredients, including lard-free tortillas (crispy corn or soft flour), cilantro-lime rice (white or brown), guacamole, and fajita veggies (onions and green bell peppers). All their salsas are vegan too, including fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo-green chili, tomatillo-red chili, and roasted chili-corn salsa.
One item that may seem vegan but isn’t is the salad dressing. The chipotle-honey vinaigrette contains wildflower honey, which some vegans avoid as it’s considered an animal product. If you want to keep your salad vegan, you can opt for salsa and/or guacamole instead. Additionally, fresh cilantro is available for free as an extra topping.
Chipotle’s Sofritas and Other Vegan Options
Chipotle’s sofritas are another great plant-based option, made from tofu sourced from non-GMO, organic soybeans in partnership with Hodo Soy. The mildly spicy filling consists of shredded tofu braised with tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices. In 2022, Chipotle introduced a vegan chorizo made from pea protein, though it was discontinued in 2023.
Many of Chipotle’s main menu items can be made vegan, such as the burrito, burrito bowl, salad, and tacos, by choosing beans, sofritas, or fajita veggies. If you choose these with veggies or just beans, guacamole is free. However, if you opt for sofritas or meat, guacamole will incur an extra charge. For a budget-friendly option, the Chipotle kids’ meal hack allows you to build vegan tacos or a cheese quesadilla.
For a simple vegan meal, you can try one of the two plant-based bowls: the Veggie Full Bowl, which includes black beans, or the Plant Powered Bowl, which features lettuce and sofritas. Both bowls come with white rice, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, and guacamole.
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