Is a burrito a sandwich?

[wonky]

A judge in Massachusetts says that a burrito isn’t a sandwich and I agree. But my husband argues that a burrito is just another form of sandwich.

So, which is it for you? Is a burrito a sandwich?

[Johnny_L.A]

No.

[Queen_Tonya]

Nope, a sub is a sandwich, a pita perhaps, but a burrito is a different creation altogether.

[FormerMarineGuy]

I never considered a burrito a sandwich. From the dictionary:

a. Two or more slices of bread with a filling such as meat or cheese placed between them.
b. A partly split long or round roll containing a filling.
c. One slice of bread covered with a filling.

Sounds like tax money was well spent on this case.

[Amp]

Burrito ≠ Sandwich

[Campion]

@FormerMarineGuy

From the dictionary:

a. Two or more slices of bread with a filling such as meat or cheese placed between them.
b. A partly split long or round roll containing a filling.
c. One slice of bread covered with a filling.

A burrito fits definition c above; a tortilla is a kind of bread:

bread
a kind of food made of flour or meal that has been mixed with milk or water, made into a dough or batter, with or without yeast or other leavening agent, and baked.

tortilla
a thin, round, unleavened bread prepared from cornmeal or sometimes wheat flour, baked on a flat plate of iron, earthenware, or the like.

Thus, a burrito is bread covered with a filling. The bread is then wrapped around the filling for convenience, but I don’t think that matters. I also don’t think that the word “slice” is dispositive above. If that were the case, all one would need do is slice off part of a tortilla (which is sometimes done anyway to get a good shape for wrapping) and then there’s no dispute.

The argument against a burrito being a sandwich seems to be simply an argument from authority, whereas the more reasoned argument – looking at the actual sandwiches at issue and defining terms – seems to be that a burrito is a sandwich.

This post brought to you by the Devil’s Advocate. Everyone knows that a burrito isn’t a sandwich.

[lieu]

If a burrito’s a sandwich, then wouldn’t fajitas, enchilladas and the like be as well? And clearly they’re not.

[Johnny_L.A]

@Campion

A burrito fits definition c above…

Thus, a burrito is bread covered with a filling. The bread is then wrapped around the filling for convenience, but I don’t think that matters.

I disagree. In my opinion definition c implies something like a ‘hot turkey sandwich’ or a ‘chili size’ where bread or a bun is placed on a plate and the filling is put on top and is intended to be eaten with a knife and fork. A burrito is not ‘covered with a filling’, but is wrapped around it and is intended (unless it’s served ‘wet’) to be picked up.

I don’t really like definition c. Is eggs Benedict a sandwich?

[scareyfaerie]

Isn’t definition c geared toward the traditional “open sandwich” which is really one slice of bread with stuff piled on it (obviously “topping” rather than “filling”), maybe not a sandwich at all if you’re a sammdige purist, but still not the folded or wrapped creation that would include burritos, fajitas etc?

[Campion]

@ScareyFaerie

Isn’t definition c geared toward the traditional “open sandwich” which is really one slice of bread with stuff piled on it (obviously “topping” rather than “filling”), maybe not a sandwich at all if you’re a sammdige purist, but still not the folded or wrapped creation that would include burritos, fajitas etc?

So if a burrito were served unfolded it would be a sandwich, but a folded burrito is unsandwich-like?

@Johnny L.A.

In my opinion definition c implies something like a ‘hot turkey sandwich’ or a ‘chili size’ where bread or a bun is placed on a plate and the filling is put on top and is intended to be eaten with a knife and fork.

Actually, then, I’d argue that a “hot turkey sandwich” or “chili size” (or patty melt, for that matter) are less sandwich-like than a burrito. Like a sandwich, a burrito is eaten with the hands, without utensils. Because these others are eaten with utensils, they’re more like, say, casseroles than sandwiches.

[The_Octagon]

I’d call it a wrap. Others would say pita.

[Johnny_L.A]

@Campion

Actually, then, I’d argue that a “hot turkey sandwich” or “chili size” (or patty melt, for that matter) are less sandwich-like than a burrito. Like a sandwich, a burrito is eaten with the hands, without utensils. Because these others are eaten with utensils, they’re more like, say, casseroles than sandwiches.

A patty melt not a sandwich? It has two pieces of bread with a meat filling, and is intended to be picked up and eaten.

So a pizza is bread with a topping, and it can be eaten with utensiles or picked up. Is it a sandwich? How about fried chicken, which had ‘bread’ outside?

A sandwich is a sandwich. A burrito is a burrito. A pizza is a pizza. Personally I don’t consider ‘c’ a definition of ‘sandwich’, since I don’t consider open-faced sandwiches to be ‘sandwiches’.

[The_Octagon]

If I asked for a sandwich and got a burrito I’d be pissed. This is why I don’t like roly poly.

[JacksonRoykirk]

A burrito isn’t a sandwich. I don’t even consider Hot Pockets to be sandwiches, despite advertising they have deli meat and coming in varieties such as Philly steak and cheese.

[Johnny_L.A]

@The Octagon

This is why I don’t like roly poly.

How about rumpy-pumpy?

Sorry. First thing that popped into my head.

Anyway, I’ve never eaten a pill bug.

[The_Octagon]

http://www.rolypoly.com/home.html

Try and spot the “sandwich.”

[aclubs]

No. Absolutely not. No question. Burritos aren’t sandwiches.

But clearly, the more important question is whether God could create a burrito so sandwich-like that even God couldn’t tell the difference.

[Chefguy]

You people are entirely too anal. Just because the name is different doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve the same purpose. Do Mexicans eat sandwiches? No. So a burrito (or a taco) is a Mexican sandwich, just like lumpia is a filipino eggroll, even though technically there is no egg in the wrapper or in the filling. Yes, eggs benedict would fall under the heading of ‘open-faced sandwich’. No, a pizza is not a sandwich; it’s a pie.

[Agnostic_Pagan]

@Chefguy

You people are entirely too anal. Just because the name is different doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve the same purpose. **Do Mexicans eat sandwiches? No. ** So a burrito (or a taco) is a Mexican sandwich, just like lumpia is a filipino eggroll, even though technically there is no egg in the wrapper or in the filling. Yes, eggs benedict would fall under the heading of ‘open-faced sandwich’. No, a pizza is not a sandwich; it’s a pie.

Um, yes they do. See Tortas.. I could see calling a taco a sandwich, the same way gyro might be also, but not a burrito.

“Wraps”, i.e., gringo term for burrito, have become popular with places that also serve sandwiches, but they are not the same animal. Close, sorta like horses and zebras, but thats all.

[WhyNot]

@Chefguy

Do Mexicans eat sandwiches? No. So a burrito (or a taco) is a Mexican sandwich…

Around here they (and I) eat tortas . Those are sandwiches by anyone’s definition.