Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

Name: Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked white rice; 15 ounces canned pinto beans (rinsed and drained); 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1 cup frozen corn (thawed); 2 cups romaine lettuce; 2 cups red cabbage (shredded); 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved); 2 avocados (diced); 2 limes; 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)

Vegetarian burrito bowls are a healthy and easy way to use up leftovers! Even though this is a vegetarian recipe, it's easy to customize and make vegan.

A vegetarian burrito bowl next to a small bowl of salsa, a small bowl of sour cream, lime wedges, and an avocado cut in half.

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Ingredients
How to make a vegetarian burrito bowl
Top tips
FAQ
More vegetarian Mexican recipes
Recipe

Burrito bowls are one of my favorite go-to vegetarian dinners. They're super easy to customize (use up those fajita veggies!), filling, and so flavorful.

I never have trouble finding enough tasty toppings to add to a burrito bowl, but I do often realize my eyes are bigger than my stomach once I see how high it's all piled. I usually enjoy my burrito bowl with a few tortilla chips, but they're also great on their own. You could also use more lettuce to make it more of a salad.

This recipe for burrito bowls is a great option if you have multiple dietary preferences in your house. It's easy to make them vegan by leaving off the cheese and sour cream. Meat eaters can add cooked, shredded chicken, beef, or pork to their bowls. It's also naturally gluten-free (just check things like beans and cheese, which can sometimes contain hidden gluten)!

With this recipe being so customizable, feel free to add toppings in whatever quantity you'd like, leave off an ingredient, or add another. This is your burrito bowl!

Close up of cut avocado, tomato, shredded cabbage, corn, cilantro, and lime.

Ingredients

White rice
Pinto beans
Monterey Jack cheese
Corn
Romaine lettuce
Red cabbage
Grape tomatoes
Avocados, diced
Limes
Cilantro

How to make a vegetarian burrito bowl

Cook rice according to package directions.
While the rice is cooking, add the beans to a small pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and warm over medium heat until hot, 5-10 minutes. Drain the water from the beans.
In a bowl, layer rice, beans, corn, cheese, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, and avocado. Add a squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Top tips

How to add protein to a vegetable burrito bowl

There are lots of great ways to add plant based protein to your burrito bowl. I like using pinto or black beans (or try a combination of the two!). You could also add mushroom walnut taco meat, sofritas, or swap the rice for quinoa taco meat!

How to add more flavor

This is a pretty basic bowl, meaning you can add flavor to suit your tastes. I usually add flavor with a spicy chipotle salsa, but any kind of salsa would be a great addition.

You could also use a flavored can of beans (Bush's has a lot of options), cilantro lime rice, or flavored tortilla strips. Another option would be to flavor the beans yourself with garlic, chili powder, cumin, or your other favorite spices.

Close up of rice, pinto beans, cheese, cilantro, and lime.

Let your rice rest

After all the water has been absorbed by the rice, let the pot sit, covered, off the heat for 5-10 minutes. This will allow any remaining moisture to be absorbed and give you perfectly fluffy rice every time!

How to store burrito bowls

This recipe is great for meal prep, but also stores well in general. I recommend storing warm ingredients separate from cold ingredients. Things like rice, beans, and roasted veggies will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro are best chopped right before eating, but you could chop enough for a few bowls and keep them together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend cutting an avocado right before serving.

Tips for customizing vegetarian burrito bowls

Swap the pinto beans for black beans
Add diced or pickled jalapenos
Add a few spoonfuls of your favorite salsa
Instead of shredded cheese, try queso fresco or cotija
Top with healthy guacamole or green avocado sauce
Use your other favorite vegetables such as mushrooms or fajita veggies
Top with crispy tortilla strips or enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips

Close up of a vegetarian burrito bowl full of rice, vegetables, cheese, and pinto beans topped with cilantro and lime wedges.

FAQ

Are burrito bowls healthy?

Healthy means something different to everyone, but thanks to abundant vegetables and whole food ingredients, I would consider this burrito bowl to be a healthy meal. It's easy to let the portions get out of control when adding so many toppings, so keep that in mind when trying to make healthy choices.

Can I make this burrito bowl into a burrito?

Absolutely! Just layer the ingredients in a line down the center of a large flour tortilla. Fold up the bottom, fold in the sides, and finish rolling it tight to close.

More vegetarian Mexican recipes

If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

How to make a vegetarian burrito bowl

Top tips