This is a variation of our healthy burrito bowl base recipe. If you’re looking for a delicious Mexican inspired meal that’s easy and meal prep-friendly, a vegetarian burrito bowl is a great choice! Packed with plant protein, fiber, and flavor, this recipe is great for lunch or dinner!
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Culinary Tips for the Best Burrito Bowl Recipe
To make your burrito bowl meal prep-friendly, cook the brown rice at the beginning of the week. If using dried beans, you can also prep those ahead of time.
Purchase parboiled (quick-cooking) brown rice to speed up the cooking time.
Whether you use regular or quick cooking rice, simmer until al dente or until cooked through but not mushy. Usually, this happens once all the water evaporates, but occasionally it might be done before all of the water is gone. Don’t worry! Simply drain excess water.
Make our chipotle black beans, cherry tomato salsa, and guacamole to take your burrito bowl to the next level!
If preparing your burrito bowl ahead of time, keep the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado separate from the rest of the ingredients and add them to the bowl when ready to serve.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Brown Rice: substitute any intact whole grain. Quinoa, bulgur, barley, farro, and millet are favorites.
- Spices: substitute taco seasoning or another Mexican seasoning blend.
- Salsa: use any flavor of your favorite jarred, fresh, homemade, or restaurant leftovers. We love a spicy chipotle salsa.
- Black Beans: substitute canned pinto beans or make our Instant Pot Chipotle Black Beans.
- Pepitas: substitute sunflower seeds or replace the crunch with whole grain tortilla chips.
- Romaine Lettuce: substitute spinach, red or green leaf lettuce, spring mix, or baby kale.
- Cherry Tomatoes: substitute any full size tomato, grape tomatoes, or add our cherry tomato salsa!
- Avocado: substitute another vegetable, sauce, or dip, or make our delcious guacamole.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: substitute shredded Mexican cheese, asadero, cheddar, or your favorite!
We like to buy our spices from the Spice House. They have great quality, variety, and flavor!
Recipe Variations:
Change this vegetarian burrito bowl with rice and beans to your taste! Feel free to add, swap, or omit ingredients. Look at the optional toppings list to take your bowl to the next level.
Want more burrito bowl recipe inspiration?
Use our burrito bowl base recipe as a guide, or try these tasty variations!
Equipment Recommendations
Use these kitchen tools for recipe success:
- 2-3 Quart Saucepan
- 8” saute pan
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Spatula
- Prep bowls
- Liquid measuring cup
Check out our essential equipment guide to stock your kitchen with ALL the tools you need to prepare anything and everything!
Is this a Healthy Burrito Bowl?
Yes! This easy vegetarian burrito bowl is a powerhouse of essential nutrients for a healthy mind and body. The featured ingredients in this bowl, including brown rice, beans, colorful vegetables, and pepitas, are packed with health benefits.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is a good source of fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Fiber is important for digestion, satiety, stable blood sugar, good cholesterol, and healthy gut bacteria. Phytonutrients work as antioxidants to help fight off diseases and keep us well.
Beans
Beans of all varieties contain plant-based protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients promote gut health, decrease the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and promote a healthy weight. All of the world’s longest lived populations consume beans daily.
Colorful Vegetables
All vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. This bowl features romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados – each vegetable provides different benefits for our bodies. The more variety and colors, the better for your health!
Pepitas
All seeds contain plant-based protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Pepita seeds contain heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that most Americans do not consume enough!
For more information about the best ingredients to use, check out our ingredient guide!
Chicken Burrito Bowl Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this burrito bowl for lunch or dinner with toppings to your taste. It’s a perfect example of a Whole Life Plate!
Learn how to build more healthy balanced meals with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
Storage Tips
To keep your burrito bowl ingredients fresh and ready for the week, store them separately in airtight containers for up to one week, except the avocado. Cut the avocado right before you plan on eating.
If you cooked more than you can eat this week, don’t worry! Brown rice and beans can be frozen for 3-6 months, preserving their quality and flavor.
Want more healthy dinner recipes?
Try out these favorites!
Healthy quesadillas base recipe
Share the Love – Leave us a Review!
Unlike many other recipe blogs, we actually encourage you to tweak our recipes. Not because they’re in need of change, haha, but because we believe one of the secrets to success in the kitchen is cooking to YOUR taste. Make the recipe, leave us a review, and tell us if you made any changes! We love hearing how you’ve made it your own.
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 ¼ cups brown rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- Dash salt
Black Beans or Chipotle Black Beans
- 2, 15- ounce cans low-sodium black beans
- ¼ cup salsa
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Bowl
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp pepitas
- ½ head romaine lettuce, shredded (~6 cups)
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced (~1 1/2 cups) or fresh cherry tomato salsa
- 2 medium avocados, diced or guacamole
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Toppings to YOUR Taste
- Dollop Greek yogurt sour cream, or lime crema
- Salsa pico de gallo, or diced tomatoes
- Shredded or crumbled cheese
- Fresh or pickled red onion
- Fresh or pickled jalapeño
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Prepare rice. Add rice, water, and a dash of salt to a 3-4 quart saucepan. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is al dente and water is mostly absorbed (~40 minutes). Rest covered for 10 minutes, then remove lid, drain any excess water, and fluff with a fork.
- Prepare beans. Place beans with liquid (do not drain), salsa, and spices in a 3-4 quart saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until liquid thickens.
- Toast pepitas. Place pepita seeds in a small saute pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until slightly toasted and golden brown.
- Assemble bowls with brown rice, black beans, shredded romaine, cherry tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheese, pepitas, and optional toppings to your taste. Enjoy!
This Post Has One Comment
Great meal prep recipe! Let us know how it turns out for you.