A faithful recreation of the beloved Nearly Nasty Burrito from Nearly Normals Gonzo Cuisine in Corvallis, Oregon — seasoned pinto beans, sharp cheese, green pepper, and scallions in a flour tortilla, smothered in homemade red enchilada sauce and finished under the broiler.

Nearly Nasty Burrito from Nearly Normals

Photo from the OSU CS290 restaurant-finder project (GPL licensed repository)

Ingredients

Pinto Bean Filling

  • 1 lb dried pinto beans (or 2 cans, 15 oz each)
  • 6 cups water (for soaking and cooking)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves, whole
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1.5 tsp salt

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

  • 3 tbsp dried chili powder (ancho or New Mexico)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

  • 4 large flour tortillas (burrito-size, 10-12 inch)
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup your favorite red salsa (medium or hot)
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar or cheddar-jack blend, shredded
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups fresh green lettuce (romaine or leaf), torn

Steps

1. Soak the beans (if using dried)

Rinse 1 lb dried pinto beans and soak overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain and rinse before cooking. Skip this step if using canned beans.

2. Cook the pinto beans

Add soaked beans to a large pot with 6 cups water, 2 bay leaves, 4 whole garlic cloves, and 1.5 tsp cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered until beans are very tender and creamy inside, about 60-75 minutes. Add 1.5 tsp salt in the last 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard bay leaves. The beans should be whole but very soft — not blended, but easily smashable. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them and proceed from here, using vegetable broth in place of cooking liquid.

3. Season and finish the bean filling

In a wide skillet over medium heat, warm a splash of oil. Add the cooked beans and lightly smash about a third of them with a wooden spoon or potato masher — you want a chunky, cohesive mixture with texture, not a smooth paste. Stir in the diced green bell pepper, sliced scallions, and salsa. Cook together for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until the peppers have softened slightly and everything is melded together. Taste and adjust salt. The filling should be moist but not watery — add a splash of reserved bean liquid if needed to keep it scoopable. This filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat gently before assembling.

4. Make the homemade enchilada sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour and cook 1 more minute to toast the flour. Add 3 tbsp dried chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 0.5 tsp dried oregano — stir constantly for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Whisk in 2 tbsp tomato paste, then gradually add 2 cups vegetable broth in a steady stream, whisking out any lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to a pourable, gravy-like consistency. Finish with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be deep red, fragrant, and slightly smoky. This makes more than you need — it keeps refrigerated for a week and freezes beautifully.

5. Warm the tortillas

Warm the flour tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 20 seconds per side, until pliable and slightly golden in spots. Keep them warm wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. This step is essential — a properly warmed tortilla won’t crack or tear when rolled.

6. Assemble the burritos

Preheat your broiler to high. Place a tortilla flat on your work surface. Spoon a generous mound of the warm bean-pepper filling — roughly 3/4 to 1 cup — down the center, leaving about 2 inches clear on each side and at the ends. Don’t overfill or they won’t hold together. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese over the beans. Fold in the sides, then roll tightly from the bottom into a firm cylinder. Place seam-side down in an oven-safe baking dish or sheet pan. Repeat for remaining burritos.

7. Sauce, cheese, and broil

Ladle about 1/3 cup of the warm enchilada sauce generously over the top and sides of each rolled burrito — it should pool around them a bit. Sprinkle another 2-3 tablespoons of shredded cheese over the sauced burritos. Slide the pan under the broiler and cook for 4-6 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling, and showing some golden-brown spots. The sauce will caramelize slightly at the edges. This is the “salamander finish” that gives the dish its characteristic look and texture.

8. Finish and serve

Transfer each burrito carefully to a plate with a wide spatula. Add a generous dollop of sour cream on top of each — centered, just like the photo. Tuck a small handful of torn fresh lettuce alongside or lightly on top. Serve immediately. The contrast of the hot, saucy burrito against the cool sour cream and fresh lettuce is the whole point.

Notes

On the beans: Nearly Normals was known for cooking from scratch with organic ingredients. Dried pinto beans cooked low and slow with garlic and cumin produce a far richer, creamier result than canned. That said, good-quality canned pintos (drained well) work fine for a weeknight version. The key to their texture is the partial smash — you want some whole beans for body and some broken-down starch to bind the filling.

On the enchilada sauce: This was the signature element reviewers consistently praised. The toasted dried chili + roux + broth method gives you a deeply flavored sauce with none of the tinny taste of canned. Ancho chili powder is closest to what a 1980s Oregon vegetarian restaurant would have used — earthy and mild. Add a pinch of cayenne if you want more heat.

On the cheese: Cheddar-jack or a sharp yellow cheddar is the right move here. It melts beautifully under the broiler and has enough sharpness to punch through the rich beans and sauce.

On the broiler finish: Position the rack about 6-8 inches from the element so the cheese melts through before it burns. Watch it closely — the window between perfect and scorched is about 60 seconds.

Make-ahead: The bean filling and enchilada sauce both improve overnight. Assemble and broil to order, just like the restaurant did.

References

This recipe was created by Claude as a copycat recreation based on descriptions and reviews of the original Nearly Nasty Burrito from Nearly Normals Gonzo Cuisine in Corvallis, Oregon.