Are the beans at Chipotle plant-based and vegan-friendly?

Chipotle offers a wide range of vegan options, but you may be curious if their beans are vegan. This confusion arises because many Mexican restaurants use non-vegetarian ingredients like lard or chicken stock in their beans. Fortunately for those avoiding animal products, Chipotle’s beans are completely vegan.

This wasn’t always the case. In 2011, Seth Porges, a long-time Chipotle customer, discovered that the pinto beans contained bacon, despite this not being indicated on the menu. As someone who refrained from pork for religious reasons, he was both shocked and horrified, leading him to express his concerns on social media. To quickly address what could have become a significant public relations issue, Chipotle acted swiftly. Initially, they posted signs in stores to inform customers of the pork in the pinto beans. Two years later, the company fully eliminated bacon from the recipe. A spokesperson confirmed this change, stating, “We are phasing in a new bacon-less pinto bean recipe […] we simply didn’t think the bacon added anything and, by removing it, we make the pinto beans vegetarian” (via Consumerist).

Currently, both pinto and black beans at Chipotle are free from pork. They share a similar preparation method and obtain their flavor from ingredients like bay leaf, black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, onion, oregano, rice bran oil, and salt.

Chipotle’s black beans consist of five different varieties, including Condor and Black Magic beans, which likely add to their rich and nuanced flavor. The beige pinto beans are just as tasty, with a smoky essence that complements any of the other ingredients you can choose from. If you can’t decide, you can always have both black and pinto beans!

In addition to beans, Chipotle’s menu features numerous vegan selections to build your meal. You can choose lard-free tortillas (either crispy corn or soft flour), cilantro-lime rice (available in white or brown), guacamole, and fajita vegetables (a mix of onions and green bell peppers). All salsas offered are also vegan, including fresh tomato salsa (a simple pico de gallo), tomatillo-green chili, tomatillo-red chili, and roasted chili-corn salsa.

One condiment that might seem vegan but is not is the salad dressing. The chipotle-honey vinaigrette contains wildflower honey, which many vegans avoid as it is considered an animal product. Unfortunately, this is the only salad dressing available, so for a vegan salad, consider using salsa and/or guacamole as a dressing substitute. Additionally, you can enhance any dish at Chipotle with fresh cilantro at no extra charge.

Chipotle also offers sofritas, a bean-based option serving as their primary plant-based protein. Made from tofu sourced from U.S. grown, non-GMO, organic soybeans supplied by Hodo Soy, the mildly spicy filling combines shredded tofu with tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices. Although Chipotle introduced vegan chorizo made from pea protein in 2022, it was unfortunately discontinued in 2023.

Most main items at Chipotle, except for the quesadilla, can be customized to be vegan by including either beans, sofritas, or fajita veggies. Choices include burritos, burrito bowls, salads, and tacos. When ordering these with just veggies or beans, guacamole can be added without any extra charge. However, if you opt for sofritas (or any meat), there will be an additional cost for guacamole. Another money-saving tip is to consider the Chipotle kids’ meal, which includes two options — a cheese quesadilla or build-your-own tacos, both of which can easily be veganized.

For a straightforward approach to ordering vegan at Chipotle, you can try one of the two plant-based lifestyle bowls. Both bowls come with white rice, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, and guacamole. The Veggie Full Bowl features black beans, while the Plant Powered Bowl includes sofritas and lettuce.