Ready to rock your weeknight? Vegan Fiesta Healthy Burrito Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce are my family's current favorite meal, and they're so easy to make that I'm tempted to have them every night!
I honestly think my family could eat Mexican food for dinner every single night. We're always looking for ways to add our favorite Southwestern flavors into the weekly menu, so the first time I made these Vegan Fiesta Bowls we were all jumping for joy! They're a healthy burrito bowl filled with plant-based nutrition thanks to sweet potatoes, brown rice, avocado, and fresh mango for a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Everyone can customize their bowl so it's just right for each person, but we ALL top it with the Creamy Cilantro Sauce for a flavorful finish.
Ingredients in Healthy Burrito Bowl
This ingredient list is basically my dinnertime DREAM. It's a well-rounded, colorful cast of characters that come together to make every single bite a party...it's truly a fiesta in a bowl!
- Cooked brown rice - I usually use the frozen kind to keep it easy! You can also make brown rice in the Instant Pot in just a few minutes, or use my Easy Coconut Rice for a fun variety.
- Sweet potatoes - I used a large sweet potato, about 13 ounces, peeled and diced into even cubes. You could also do two smaller sweet potatoes!
- Homemade Taco Seasoning - If you haven't tried this homemade seasoning yet, you are in for a treat! I always make a double batch so I have extra on hand.
- Red & green onion - I use both red and green onion for extra color and I dice them small for flavor in every bite.
- Avocado - Every meal is better with avocado on top! This recipe only uses half of an avocado, so if you have a kitchen filled with avocados, use them for my Copycat Chipotle Guacamole...which would also be delicious on top of these bowls!
- Fresh cilantro - If you're a cilantro lover like me, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro along with the creamy cilantro sauce makes this dish SO YUMMY.
- Yellow mango - This is kind of the surprise ingredient! Yellow mango adds a bright splash of summertime to this dish and I LOVE it. Sweet, juicy and pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Black beans - Canned black beans work great here and add plant-based protein, fiber, iron and zinc to this dish.
All About Sweet Potatoes
Are we all obsessed with sweet potatoes at this point? Pretty much any time I get groceries I grab a few because there are SO MANY delicious ways to use them. Savory and sweet, health food or comfort food, sweet potatoes do it all. They provide immune-boosting vitamin A and C (check out that orange color!) as well as dietary fiber and potassium. Let's compare them to russet potatoes: sweet potatoes have similar calorie content but offer more fiber. One medium sweet potato offers almost 700% of your daily recommend intake of vitamin A, while russets offer none, and sweet potatoes offer almost double the amount of vitamin C compared to russets. (Source)
Homemade Creamy Cilantro Sauce (Dairy-Free!)
So many of my favorite meals are topped with a really great sauce! Making your own dressing or drizzle could not be easier, and it's one of the simplest ways to make a homemade meal taste gourmet. This Creamy Cilantro Sauce is a huge favorite of mine. I have several similar variations and I make them all the time! I start with a base of raw, soaked cashews (learn more about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews), then add lime, pure maple, vinegar, and fresh cilantro for that delightful green color. You can also add jalapeno for some heat! I usually leave it out if my kids are eating this dish, but it's a delicious addition.
All About Black Beans
Plant-based protein is so important for vegans, and black beans are a great way to get it in your diet! Black beans are considered a legume and part of both the protein and vegetable group (a vegan superstar!). They also provide dietary fiber and important nutrients such as iron and zinc. I also love how they absorb flavors, so when you have flavors like my Homemade Taco Seasoning they really soak it up.
Toppings for an Easy Healthy Burrito Bowl
This recipe is so loaded with flavor that I like to just use the Creamy Cilantro Sauce as a topping! If you want even more options, though, here are some Mexican food favorites that would be tasty:
I hope you make and love this Healthy Burrito Bowl recipe! This is one of my favorite weeknight meals right now, and my whole family loves them. They're super easy to customize for each person's preferences, and you can prep both the sweet potatoes and the sauce ahead of time for quick assembly! If you make them, please tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations, and don't forget to drop a review below! You can also find fun videos of many of my recipes in action on TikTok!
More Vegan Mexican Food
- Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls
- Easy Cowboy Caviar (this one was viral on TikTok!)
- Brown Rice Black Bean Salad with Mango
- Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas (One-Pan!)
- Vegan Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Veggie Black Bean Tacos
- Best Vegan 7-Layer Dip (paleo)
- Easy Vegan Tostadas with Refried Beans
Vegan Fiesta Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Fiesta Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce are our favorite meal, and they're so easy to make that I'm tempted to have them every night!
Ingredients
For the bowls
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (I usually use frozen to keep it easy)
- 1 large sweet potatoes (~ 13 ounces), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons homemade taco seasoning
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup diced green onion
- ½ avocado, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (large stems removed)
- 1 yellow mango, diced
- ½ cup cooked black beans
Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked*
- ½ cup water
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 large clove of garlic
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- 1-inch of jalapeno to make it spicy (optional)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (add at the end if desired for texture)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the brown rice and set aside covered to keep it warm. I usually use frozen brown rice and microwave it on busy weeknights.
- Add sweet potatoes, olive oil and taco seasoning to a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Toss well to combine and roast for 15 minutes, toss and roast another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. While the sweet potatoes cook prep your other ingredients.
- For the dressing, add all ingredients to a blender except for the cilantro and blend until perfectly smooth. Add water to thin if needed. If it is warm from blending add ¼ cup crushed ice and blend briefly (instead of the added water) and it will help chill it just before serving. Add the cilantro and pulse a couple times to incorporate so no whole leaves remain. You can blend the cilantro fully in if desired.
- Assemble your bowls once the sweet potatoes are finished cooking. Divide cooked brown rice between two bowls and then top each bowl with the roasted sweet potatoes, red onion, green onion, avocado, cilantro, mango, black beans and a generous amount of the dressing. Enjoy immediately.
- Store leftovers separate from the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you have leftover dressing store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: vegan fiesta bowls
Diane Anthony says
This sounds delicious, however I hate the taste of cilantro. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute sauce?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Diane: What do you typically use as an herb/garnish in Mexican recipes. Do you like parlsey? That might be a good option. Or green onion. Please let me know what you end up trying and how it goes for you.