Are Chipotle’s beans vegan-friendly?

Chipotle offers a variety of vegan options, but you may be curious about the vegan status of their beans. This confusion is common, as many Mexican eateries prepare beans with non-vegetarian ingredients like lard or chicken stock. Fortunately, Chipotle’s beans are entirely vegan-friendly.

This wasn’t always the case. In 2011, Seth Porges discovered that Chipotle’s pinto beans contained bacon, despite no notification on menus. As someone who avoids pork for religious reasons, Porges was appalled and expressed his frustrations on social media. To mitigate the backlash, Chipotle promptly addressed the issue. Initially, they posted signs in stores to inform customers about the bacon in the pinto beans. Two years later, the company eliminated pork from their beans entirely. A spokesperson confirmed, “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).

Today, both pinto and black bean options at Chipotle are free of pork. They are prepared with a similar blend of ingredients, including bay leaf, black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, onion, oregano, rice bran oil, and salt, providing a delightful flavor profile.

Chipotle’s black beans are made from several varieties, including Condor and Black Magic, which add to their rich and layered flavor. The beige pinto beans are equally tasty, delivering a smoky flavor that complements a range of other ingredients. If you can’t decide, you’re free to enjoy both black and pinto beans!

In addition to the beans, Chipotle offers numerous other vegan options to customize your meal. You can choose lard-free tortillas (either crispy corn or soft flour), cilantro-lime rice (either white or brown), guacamole, and fajita veggies (a mix of onions and green bell peppers). All the salsas on the menu are vegan, including fresh tomato salsa (a basic pico de gallo), tomatillo-green chili, tomatillo-red chili, and roasted chili-corn salsa.

One topping you might think is vegan but isn’t is the salad dressing. The chipotle-honey vinaigrette contains wildflower honey, which many vegans consider an animal product. Since it’s the only salad dressing available, if you want to keep your salad vegan, opt for salsa and/or guacamole. Additionally, a secret menu hack allows you to add fresh cilantro to any Chipotle dish at no extra cost.

Chipotle offers another bean-based choice as its primary plant-based protein: sofritas. Made from tofu sourced from U.S. grown, non-GMO, organic soybeans by Hodo Soy, the mildly spicy mixture consists of shredded tofu braised with tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices. Although Chipotle launched a vegan chorizo using pea protein in 2022, it was discontinued in 2023.

All main items at Chipotle, except for the quesadilla, can be made vegan by selecting either beans, sofritas, or fajita veggies. Your options include burrito, burrito bowl, salad, and tacos. If you opt for the veggies or just beans, guacamole can be added at no additional cost. However, if you choose sofritas (or meat), guac will incur an extra charge. You can also take advantage of the Chipotle kids’ meal hack, which offers savings. The kids’ menu features two choices: one a cheese quesadilla, and the other build-your-own tacos, which can be easily veganized just like regular menu items.

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