These Chipotle-Inspired Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls have all the restaurant flavor, made quickly at home! It's an inexpensive, speedy recipe that everyone in my family loves. Put out a variety of toppings so everyone can customize their own dish!
Speedy, healthy dinners are my love language these days. These Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls totally fits the bill: they're ready in under 30 minutes! With three young kids I want to be able to get dinner on the table fast but also feel good about what I'm making.
These Chipotle-inspired bowls have been game changers for us. My husband goes crazy for them and says how delicious and filling they are. I love how easy and healthy they are to pull together and my kids even enjoy them! They usually skip the pico de gallo but they love everything else.
These bowls are easy and yet they're colorful, full of fun Mexican flavor, loaded with vegetables, plant-based protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Serve alongside homemade tortilla chips and make dinner super casual and fun. What could be more perfect than that?
Chipotle-Inspired Bowl Ingredients
I love this list of fresh ingredients! I usually have brown rice in my freezer and a can of black beans in the pantry, so it's just a couple produce aisle items and I'm ready to go.
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Bell peppers
- White onion
- Roma tomatoes
- Jalapeno
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado
- Lime
How to Make Veggie Burrito Bowls
- Start by sautéing the bell peppers and onions since they take about 20 minutes to cook. These can also be made in advance and reheated in the microwave just before serving!
- To keep life simple I opt for frozen brown rice and throw that into the microwave for 2-3 minutes depending on the brand. You could also make Instant Pot rice for a quick option! While that cooks I make the pico de gallo, which could also be made one day in advance. That's a meal prep win!
- To assemble the bowl I drain and rinse the canned black beans and cut up an avocado.
- Then add in sautéed peppers and onions, brown rice, and pico de gallo.
It is super efficient if you layer the tasks this way! By the time the bell peppers and onions are done sautéing everything else comes together perfectly and you can build your bowl.
Health Benefits of Bell Peppers
Bell peppers range in color and flavor based on how ripe they are. A red bell pepper is riper and therefore sweeter and milder than a green bell pepper. Red peppers contain 11 times more beta carotene and four times more vitamin C than green bell peppers. Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keep teeth and gums healthy, and beta carotene benefits your immune system, vision, skin health and bone health.
Red bell peppers also contain an important phytochemical, lycopene, which could benefit prostate and heart health, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation. Select bell peppers that are brightly colored and firm with tight skin. You can store bell peppers for up to five days in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.
Burrito Bowl Garnishes
This is all part of the Veggie Burrito Bowl fun! Put out some delicious toppings and let everyone dress their own bowl. I like to have Vegan Sour Cream on the table, fresh lime wedges, extra Pico de Gallo, and of course...chips and my copycat Chipotle Guacamole!
These bowls are great for a packable lunch or simple weeknight dinner. If you are planning to meal prep more (check out my post on how to meal prep), these bowls are great to add to your weekly rotation!
This dish makes regular rice and beans way more interesting. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and refined sugar-free. If you give it a try, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook so I can see your burrito bowl creations!
More Mexican Food Recipes
Copycat Chipotle Guacamole
Creamy Vegan Black Bean Dip
Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Strawberry Salsa
Vegan Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers
Southwestern Jicama Slaw with Lime-Agave Creamy Tahini Dressing
Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad
Spanish Rice & Beans
Fresh & Classic Margaritas (refined sugar-free)
Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate
Creamy Vegan Mexican Casserole with Black Beans, Quinoa, and Bell Peppers
Easy Vegan Black Bean Soup
Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos
Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls
- Total Time: 27 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy plant-based and gluten-free entree will simplify your life in the most delicious way! The warm brown rice, beans and sautéed onions and peppers pair beautifully with the chilled and refreshing pico de gallo and creamy avocado. These burrito bowls are full of good-for-you ingredients that will fill you up without making you feel stuffed. Mexican night is on!
Ingredients
For the bell pepper saute (serve hot):
- 3 medium bell peppers (I like to use one red, one orange and one yellow), stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- ½ large white or red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- optional: 1 glove fresh garlic, minced + ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Everything else:
- pico de gallo (salsa fresca)
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice* (serve warm or hot)
- 1 can black beans, drained (serve room temperature or warm) OR sub my Refried Beans OR Easy Creamy Black Bean Dip
- ⅓ cup guacamole (or 1 avocado, diced)
- vegan sour cream
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
For garnish:
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- For the bell pepper saute: Bring a 12-inch cast iron skillet to medium-low heat and add bell peppers, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add garlic and chili powder if desired for added flavor. Cook for 20 minutes or until bell peppers are tender, stirring occasionally. This can be made a couple days in advance and warmed just before serving.
- Prepare the pico de gallo. cooked rice, black beans, guacamole and vegan sour cream.
- Assemble your bowls: Add 1 cup of warm or hot cooked rice to each bowl. Add ½ cup room temperature or warm black beans to each bowl. Add ½ cup warm or hot sautéed bell peppers and ½ cup of chilled pico de gallo to each bowl. Just before serving add guacamole, vegan sour cream and romaine lettuce (all should be chilled in advance).
- Garnish the bowls with lime wedges and cilantro leaves. Enjoy!
Equipment
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Notes
Enjoy the extra pico de gallo with your favorite chips! Store extra ingredients in an airtight container in your refrigerator and assemble more bowls throughout the week. You will likely have some leftover black beans and sautéed bell peppers & onions.
When I'm in a rush I use frozen white or brown rice and microwave it.
If you have extra time, turn the black beans into creamy refried beans. To do this, pour the entire can of black beans into a saucepan and mash with a potato masher while they cook over medium heat. Season with salt, garlic and chili powder if desired. So good!
You could also add my vegan walnut taco meat to this bowl.
Serve with my Jalapeno Chimichurri Sauce - so good!
- Prep Time: 7 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Mexican
Deirdre Errico says
Love this recipe! Making it again tonight as it's part of our regular rotation lately! 🙂
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Deirdre! So happy to hear you enjoy this recipe and it is part of your rotation! It is a nutritious and flavorful meal for sure! We love it over here too and make it on the regular. Thank you so much for the five star rating! Best, Elaine