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Toasts & sandwiches · 22 minutes

Air-Fryer Black Bean Crunchwrap

A crisp tostada folded into the middle keeps the crunch, and the air fryer seals and blisters the whole parcel with barely any oil.

Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Serves
2
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VegetarianEgg-freeAir fryer

The whole point of a crunchwrap is the tostada in the middle: a flat, crackly layer that keeps every bite from turning into a soft burrito. Here it sits between smoky mashed black beans with melted cheese on one side and cool lettuce, tomato and sour cream on the other, so you get hot, cold and crunchy in the same mouthful.

The air fryer does the job a greasy skillet usually does. A light spray of oil and eight minutes at 375°F seals the pleats shut and blisters the tortilla all over, no flipping in hot oil required. Folding the first one takes a minute of concentration; by the second you’ll be showing off.

The recipe

Air-Fryer Black Bean Crunchwrap

Prep 10 min · Cook 12 min · Total 22 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tap to tick off as you go.

For the beans

For the crunchwraps

Method

  1. Step 1: Season the beans

    Mash the beans in a bowl with the cumin, paprika, chili powder, lime juice and salt until mostly smooth but with a few whole beans left. A fork or potato masher is fine.

  2. Step 2: Warm the tortillas

    Air-fry the large tortillas one at a time at 350°F for 30 seconds, or microwave them for 15, so they fold without cracking.

  3. Step 3: Layer the filling

    Spread half the beans in a tostada-sized circle in the center of each large tortilla and top with the cheese. Set a tostada on top, then spread on the sour cream and add the romaine, tomato and jalapeño. Lay a small tortilla over the filling.

  4. Step 4: Fold it shut

    Pull one edge of the large tortilla up over the center, then keep pleating the edges in, working your way around, until the filling is completely covered. Press firmly.

  5. Step 5: Air-fry seam side down

    Spray both sides with oil and set seam side down in the basket. Air-fry at 375°F for 5 minutes, flip carefully with a spatula, and cook 3–4 minutes more until deep golden and crisp. Rest 1 minute, halve, and serve with salsa.

Good to know

  • Seam side down first is not optional: the weight of the filling holds the pleats shut while the tortilla sets.
  • Keep the cold toppings on the sour cream side, above the tostada. The tostada acts as a heat shield and stops the lettuce from wilting.
  • If your basket only fits one, cook them back to back; the first stays crisp for the 8 minutes it takes to do the second.

Swaps

Cheese and sour cream
Make it vegan: vegan shreds and a thick cashew crema or mashed avocado with lime
Black beans
Pinto beans or vegetarian refried beans (check the label for lard)
Romaine
Shredded cabbage, which stays crunchy even longer

Questions people ask

How do you fold a crunchwrap so it doesn’t fall apart?

Use a warm, burrito-size tortilla and pleat the edges toward the center one fold at a time, overlapping each fold. A small tortilla over the filling gives the pleats something to stick to, and cooking seam side down seals them.

Can you make a crunchwrap in the air fryer?

Yes. Spray it with oil and air-fry seam side down at 375°F for about 5 minutes, then flip for 3–4 minutes more until golden all over.

What can I use instead of a tostada in a crunchwrap?

A handful of tortilla chips laid flat, or a small corn tortilla air-fried for 3 minutes until crisp, both work.

Get the romaine, tomato and jalapeño from a farmer.

This recipe is only as good as what goes in it. Find a farmers market or CSA farm near you, or get a produce box delivered when there’s no market this week.

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