Vegan Burrito Bowl (Chipotle Style)
This vegan burrito bowl is a quick and easy take on a Chipotle-style bowl. It only takes 15 minutes to make, doesn’t require an oven, and is built on fiber-rich black beans, which add protein and heartiness.
In our house, bowl night is a little bit of a party. I set out the toppings in the middle of the table. Everyone builds their own. Someone always goes heavy on the avocado. Someone always sneaks extra corn.
And the star of it all? Warm black beans, sizzled in olive oil with cumin, paprika, and garlic until they’re smoky and fragrant. Spoon them over crisp greens, juicy tomatoes, and sweet corn. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Every bite is soft, crunchy, tangy, and rich.
It tastes like your favorite burrito bowl from the counter down the street. Only fresher, brighter, and made right in your own kitchen.
I also often assemble the vegan burrito bowl in mason jars for a quick-to-go lunch. As a busy parent and a working woman, I love to come up with recipes that can be made ahead of time, stored in mason jars, and then tossed or stirred before eating. This recipe was developed during COVID when we were all working from home or doing school from home, and we missed our favorite lunch order from Chipotle. I tried to make my own healthy version of a Chipotle bowl, and often, I made it the night before and put it in the refrigerator for lunch the following day so there was a bowl for everyone. This copycat Chipotle bowl recipe then became a regular over lockdown for us.
Vegan Burrito Bowl (Chipotle Style)
Ingredients
- 1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup corn, thawed if frozen
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 2 Cups mixed leaves (lettuce, cabbage, etc.)
- 1 bunch of cilantro/coriander, chopped
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 lemon
Seasoning for the beans and salad
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 Tsp paprika
- 1 Tsp cumin
- 1/2 Tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp Water
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Add black beans, and all the spices while mixing well. About 1 minute.
- Stir in water, once evaporated turn off the heat, and set aside.
- Layer the cooked black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, mixed leaves, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Toss gently so the spices from the beans can permeate the entire salad.
Pro Tips:
- For a picnic or a weekday lunch, simply layer ingredients in a mason jar; when ready, toss with lemon juice, and voila!
- Feeling adventurous? Here are some fun additions: cooked brown rice, jalapeño pepper, salsa, red onions, sautéed peppers, grilled tofu, and even fresh mangoes!
- Don’t skip sautéing the beans; it adds so much flavor here.
- If you are doing meal prep, prepare vegetables and cooked beans, and place them in separate, tightly sealed containers. This can be kept in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
- Avocados turn brown quickly, so adding this last with a squeeze of lemon is best right before eating.
If you’ve tried this recipe or any others on this blog, let me know how you liked it by tagging @veggicurean or by leaving a comment below. -BON APPÉTIT!
Nutrition
What Goes in a Vegan Burrito Bowl?
Homemade bowl recipes are great because they come together quickly and let you use different types of protein and fresh vegetables. Here are all the components that make up this vegan burrito bowl recipe:
- Base: This recipe uses mixed greens such as lettuce and cabbage as the base, but you could also use brown rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa as optional add-ins if you prefer.
- Beans: The black beans are sautéed with paprika, cumin, and garlic powder for flavor, and they bulk up the bowls and give you nutritious plant-based protein. For more black bean recipes, check out my Easy Black Bean and Corn Soup.
- Veg: The corn and tomatoes not only add beautiful color to the bowls, but they also impart some sweetness and texture.
- Toppings: The avocado, cilantro, and squeeze of lemon add freshness and contrasting flavors to the burrito bowl recipe.
Build Your Own Bowl
A wonderful thing about making bowls at home is that they are easy to customize according to what you have on hand and what you enjoy. Just make sure that you have a base (greens and/or grains), protein, and vegetables, and a dressing or seasonings to make everything taste delicious. Here are some suggestions for how you could make this vegan burrito bowl recipe all your own:
- Take it on-the-go: If you would like to take this burrito bowl with you on-the-go to have for lunch or a picnic, simply layer the ingredients in a mason jar. Then, when you are having your meal, you can toss everything together gently to combine all of the flavors. Check out my guide for vegetarian picnic recipes if you are looking for more dishes that are easy to enjoy outdoors.
- Add grains: To make your bowl extra filling, consider adding some cooked brown rice or quinoa to the bowls.
- Include more toppings: If you have other ingredients on hand that you would like to use up, you could easily add them to your bowls. Sliced jalapeño pepper rings, salsa, raw or pickled red onions, shredded green and/or purple cabbage, sautéed zucchini, sautéed bell peppers, chopped cucumber, and fresh mango would all be wonderful additions to homemade bowls.
- Amplify the protein: If you are looking to amp up your plant-based protein, you can add some grilled tofu or some tempeh to the bowls.
These bowls are nourishing and have delicious Mexican-inspired flavors with the black beans, corn, avocado, and cumin. For recipes that pair well with this dish or have similar flavors, you might enjoy my Easy One-Pot Mexican Bean Soup or my Mango & Jicama Salad.
Are Vegetarian Burrito Bowls Healthier?
Because these fresh and delicious Vegan Burrito Bowls are not wrapped in a high-carb tortilla like the conventional burrito, they are so much healthier without the guilt of additional carbs and fat. OH! Did I mention that you don’t have to be a professional chef, and you can customize it to any dietary modification? So, get ready, load up on the fiber and micronutrients this Chipotle Bowl is ready to offer you.
How to Make a Chipotle Veggie Bowl
My family and I really enjoy making these Vegan Burrito Bowls because we get to add our favorite things. When crafting my bowls, I typically like to stick with some type of grain, beans, vegetables, and toppings. Here is a step-by-step overview of how to make this vegan burrito bowl recipe:
Season and Sauté the Beans
Sautéing the beans is one of the most important steps in making this bowl recipe, as this is where they get their flavor. To do so, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet, add drained and rinsed canned black beans, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and cook them until the seasonings are fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, stir in water and allow the beans to cook until the water has evaporated.
Prep the Veg
Next, you need to thaw the corn if you are using frozen corn, dice your tomatoes, chop the cilantro, and cube the avocado. If you know that it will be a while before you assemble and serve your bowls, you should wait to cut up the avocado, as it will brown quickly as it sits.
Layer and Toss
Layer the black beans, corn, tomatoes, greens, cilantro, and avocado in bowls, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Then, gently toss the ingredients together before eating.
Protein Options
Being vegan, I have experimented a lot with different proteins; I want to make sure they offer me a satiated feeling while also providing my body with lots of nutrients. Here are a few vegan protein options that work with this bowl recipe:
- Baked, Pan-fried, or Grilled Tofu: Cooked firm or semi-firm tofu is one of the easiest plant-based ingredients to get protein from, and is a great addition to any bowl recipe. Its spongy texture means that it can take on other flavors easily.
- Tempeh: Fermented and made from whole soybeans, tempeh is a high-protein source that will add a strong flavor and chewy texture.
- Seitan: This is wheat gluten that has a dense and chewy texture, which would add contrasting texture to the softer ingredients in the bowl.
- Other Legumes: If you don’t have black beans on hand or would prefer to use another variety of beans, you could use chickpeas, lentils, red beans, adzuki beans, edamame, navy beans, or cannellini beans instead.
Meal Prep and Storage
This vegetarian burrito bowl recipe is a great make-ahead dish, ensuring that you can have a quick and healthy meal any day of the week. To store it, store the beans and vegetables in separate sealed containers in the fridge, where they will keep for up to 4 days. Then, you can quickly assemble a bowl when you need one for lunch or dinner. You should wait to cut up and add the avocado when you plan to serve it.
If you would like to turn your burrito bowl into something easy to take to work or on a picnic, you can layer all of the ingredients in mason jars in the fridge, adding the avocado and lemon just before serving. Then, the mason jar contents will just need a toss before you eat them.
Health Benefits and Allergens of Vegan Chipotle Bowls
There are a multitude of health benefits to this Vegan Chipotle Bowl if prepared as directed. Here are a few you can gain by using the ingredients in this dish:
- Black Beans- They are high in protein, promote heart health, and are high in antioxidants.
- Corn- Has a high fiber content, which can aid in digestion. It is also a good source of antioxidant carotenoids like lutein, which may promote eye health.
- Tomatoes- A good source of Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin K, and Folate, and helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Cilantro- Can help with fighting infections and can help with digestion and gut health.
- Avocado- Loaded with healthy fats, fiber, and potassium. All of these can aid in supporting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Lemon Juice- This is a great source of Vitamin C and can aid in improving digestive and heart health.
- Olive Oil- Olive Oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, may prevent stroke, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Paprika- May help reduce inflammation in the body and regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
- Cumin- Can help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and assist in weight loss.
- Garlic- Can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
- It’s healthy
- It’s vegan
- It’s grain-free
- It’s gluten-free
- It’s nut-free
FAQ
This vegan burrito bowl includes a base of fresh mixed leaves like lettuce or cabbage, along with spiced black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and lemon juice. If you would like your bowl to be a little heartier, you could add brown rice or quinoa to the base as well.
Vegan burrito bowls can be healthy as they often include a mix of plant-based protein along with plenty of vegetables and grains for fiber. This particular bowl includes whole foods like fresh leafy greens, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and avocado, ensuring that you are getting a variety of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats with every bite.
This veggie burrito bowl includes beans, corn, tomatoes, greens, and avocado; however, rice and salsa are common add-ins as well. You could even get more creative by adding tofu, sautéed bell peppers, red onions, mango, and/or jalapeños to the bowls.
Yes, you can! However, it is a good idea to store the ingredients in separate containers in the fridge so they have the best texture possible and don’t become soggy. The beans and vegetables can be stored in separate containers in the fridge for about 4 days so they are ready for you to assemble the bowls. The avocado should only be sliced before serving, or else it will become mushy and brown.
Yes, brown rice is a good choice for its nutty flavor and wonderful texture.
Yes, this burrito bowl is gluten free as written.
If you’ve tried this recipe or any others on this blog, let me know how you liked it by tagging @veggicurean or by leaving a comment below.
-BON APPÉTIT!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy and may vary depending on ingredients used. This content is not intended as medical or dietary advice.
