Vegetarian Burrito Bowls are easy to make, healthy chipotle style bowls loaded with rice, black beans, pico de gallo, fajita veggies , corn, lettuce and cheese. Serve with side of guacamole and sour-cream and enjoy a delicious wholesome meal! Vegan, gluten-free and meal-prep friendly!!
We have been loving Mexican food lately and vegetarian burrito bowls are getting all the love!! Instead of making a copycat chipotle bowl I have been using this quick version to fix our burrito bowl cravings.
What I love is that these bowls are easy to make, excellent for meal prep and highly customizable which comes in so handy especially with kids!! It makes excellent lunch box option too and taste good both warm as well as cold!!
Kids love such meals where they can assemble their own bowls and I love how the bowls get licked clean!!
What is a Burrito Bowl
Burrito is a Mexican dish from Tex-Mex cuisine consisting of flour tortilla that is filled with variety of topping and rolled into a cylinder shaped wrap.
Burrito bowl is deconstructed version of burrito where instead of flour tortilla the various toppings are layered over a bowl or rice or quinoa or lettuce.
Usually the layers consists of White or brown rice topped with black beans or pinto beans followed by options for vegan, veggie or meat based topping to choose from.
Finally all the sides go in like various salsas including pico de gallo and corn salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and lettuce. It is super delicious and healthy with so much texture and flavors!!
For today's post I'm sharing quick and easy way to make these chipotle style vegetarian bowls at home.
What you'll need to make these Veggie Burrito Bowls
Rice - You can use plain steamed white or brown rice or cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice even. Substitute rice with quinoa or even lettuce for that healthier twist.
Beans - We prefer no soak homemade Mexican black beans made in Instant Pot but you can also use canned beans and flavor them for quick fix. Substitute with Pinto beans or if you cannot find either use red kidney beans.
Fajita Veggies - These are basically roasted peppers and onions flavored with Mexican seasoning. Trick here is instead of fire roasting or grilling the peppers and onion, directly cook these veggies in the pan on high and char them for that smoky flavor.
Salsa - To keep it simple, just sticking to one salsa which is pico de gallo (our favorite) which is nothing but onion tomato salad. Substitute with store bought salsa for the quick option.
Corn - I've used frozen boiled corn. You can use fresh or frozen roasted corn too which will add more flavor.
Guacamole - We love our bowl with guacamole but you can also use crema or if in rush just add some diced avocado. My favorite hack is to make extra pico and add that to mashed avocados to make quick guacamole.
Dairy - Cheese and sour-cream. Skip cheese and sour-cream to keep it vegan or use vegan alternative.
Others - Shredded lettuce, some tortilla chips, cilantro and some lime wedges to serve if you prefer something crunchy along.
Meal prep option
Rice, Black beans and fajita veggies can be made couple of days ahead and refrigerated in airtight container. You can also shred the lettuce and cheese ahead of time and store in airtight container in fridge.
The only thing to make is salsa and guac which can be made just before serving. Now isn't that easy!! Meal prep on weekend and enjoy delicious homemade chipotle veggie bowl at home!!
How to Make Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
Making these burrito bowls is really simple, meal prep most of the ingredients and then assemble your bowl. Here is how
Make the rice
I love using long grain basmati rice for this recipe. But any rice or even quinoa would work. This is how I make my rice.
I use 1:1 ratio of water and rice for making it in Instant pot or pressure cooker. Cooking on Stove top in a cooking pot will need more water. Time will vary depending on the brand and quality of rice. Please see details for all methods in recipe card.
Cilantro Lime rice (optional) - Allow the rice to cool & then mix all the ingredients together, toss well. If you mix with warm rice chances of rice grains braking are more.
Make black beans
I usually make my beans at home using my no-soak recipe for homemade Mexican black beans which are made from scratch using stove top and Instant Pot. For a quick fix, use canned black beans in the homemade Mexican black beans recipe.
Make the fajita veggies
Add oil to a skillet on high heat. Stir in the bell peppers and onions and cook for 3-5 minutes before stirring. The idea is to get that char (without burning) which you would get by grilling them.
Once the veggies are half cooked, add in the spices and stir. Cook for 2 more mins. Remove from the heat and serve or store.
To store let them cool completely before storing them in airtight container in fridge for couple of days.
Make Pico de gallo
Chop onion, tomatoes, jalapeños (optional, skip if you don't like it hot/spicy), cilantro. Add salt and generous lime juice. Mix and pico is ready!!
Make guacamole
This easy avocado dip is not only healthy, vegan, gluten-free but also extremely delicious! It doubles up as a sauce and makes the dish creamy and more flavorful.
I've a detailed detailed guacamole recipe with all tips and tricks here!!
Assemble the bowl
Place a generous serving of the rice in the serving bowl. Top with black beans, fajita veggies, corn, pico, chopped romaine lettuce, Mexican shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips (optional) and some extra cilantro and lime wedges as desired. Enjoy!
More Mexican recipes to try
Hope you enjoy this Easy Vegetarian Burrito Bowl!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Easy Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup white rice or use brown rice or quinoa
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 Lime juiced, optional for Cilantro lime rice
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped, optional for Cilantro lime rice
Pico de Gallo (onion tomato salad)
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 2 roma tomato finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped adjust to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ Lemon or lime juiced adjust to taste
Fajita Veggies
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 tablespoon Taco seasoning or use combination of cumin powder and red chili powder.
- Salt and black pepper adjust to taste
For Serving (as needed)
- Mexican Black Beans
- Guacamole
- shredded Mexican Cheese blend or any of choice, or use vegan alternative
- sour cream or yogurt or use vegan alternative
- shredded Lettuce
- Tortilla chips optional
- Cilantro roughly chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
To Make Plain Rice:
- Wash the rice thoroughly 3-4 times until the water runs clear. You can make rice in Instant Pot or on stove top using traditional pressure cooker or cooking pot. Water ratio and cooking time will vary depending on the brand and quality of rice.
- Instant Pot - Start the pot on Saute mode and once hot, add oil followed by washed and drained rice, 1 cup water and salt. Mix well. Close the Iid and press manual or pressure cook mode for 5 mins. Followed by quick release. Use the fork to fluff up the rice.
- Pressure cooker - Heat the cooker on medium heat and and once hot, add oil followed by washed and drained rice, 1 cup water and salt. Mix well. Close the Iid and cook for 1 whistle. . Allow natural release. Then fluff with fork.
- Cooking pot - Heat a thick bottomed pan on medium heat and once hot add oil followed by washed and drained rice, 2 to 2.5 cups water and salt. Cook on medium flame and get it to a boil. Cover and cook on low flame till water is absorbed. Check in between if more water is required. Fluff with a fork and see if the rice is cooked. Once done, switch off the flame and let it sit covered for 5 mins. Then fluff with fork.
To Make Cilantro Lime rice
- Allow the plain rice cooked using one of the above method to cool. Add finely chopped cilantro and lime juice, toss well.
To Make Mexican black beans
- I usually make my beans at home using my no-soak recipe for homemade Mexican black beans which are made from scratch using stove top and Instant Pot.
- For a quick fix, use canned black beans in the homemade Mexican black beans recipe.
To Make Fajita Veggies
- Add oil to a skillet on high heat. Stir in the bell peppers and onions and cook for 3-5 minutes before stirring. The idea is to get that char (without burning) which you would get by grilling them.
- Once the veggies are half cooked, add in the spices and stir. Cook for 2 more mins. The veggies should be half cooked and still retain their shape. Remove from the heat and serve or store.
- To store let them cool completely before storing them in airtight container in fridge for couple of days.
To Make Pico de gallo
- Chop onion, tomatoes, jalapeños (optional, skip if you don't like it hot/spicy), cilantro. Add salt and generous amount of lime (or lemon) juice. Mix well and pico is ready!!
To Make Fresh Homemade Guacamole
- I've a detailed detailed guacamole recipe here!!
- For quick fix, used diced avocados
To Assemble the bowl
- Place a generous serving of the rice in the serving bowl. Top with black beans, fajita veggies, corn, pico, chopped romaine lettuce, Mexican shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips and some extra cilantro and lime wedges as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rice, Black beans and fajita veggies can be made couple of days ahead and refrigerated in airtight container.
- Similarly Shred lettuce and cheese and store in airtight container.
- The only thing to make is salsa and guac which can be made just before serving. Quick hack!!
- Use pico de gallo, a tablespoon or two to the mashed avocados to make a quick guacamole!!
- Prep the pico ahead of time and refrigerate in airtight container and then just before serving mash the avocados, add the pico, mix and serve!!
- Meal prep on weekend and enjoy delicious homemade chipotle veggie bowl at home!!
Happy Cooking!!
Shweta
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