For an updated version of this recipe, check out my post from 1/26/2017! –> Vegan Burrito Bowl 2.0!
First off, this vegan burrito bowl is absolutely delicious! Second, I must warn you that it does create quite a mess in the kitchen! It is so worth it though. This is one of those meals that you could prep the ingredients over the weekend and toss together for an easy weeknight meal. Just reheat everything and set it out as a build-your-own-burrito-bar at home. No need to run out to chipotle to get your burrito bowl fix.
In this bowl you’ll find spanish rice, seasoned black beans, roasted corn, guacamole, cherry tomatoes, and chimichurri sauce. However, you can customize it as much as you like and make it non-vegan if you prefer – adding cheese, chicken, sour cream, roasted peppers, etc. Either way, this bowl is loaded with good for your nutrients like fiber, protein, monounsaturated fat, vitamins A and C, and iron. If you aren’t familiar with chimichurri sauce, it is simply a green sauce made from pureed parsley, cilantro, oil, and vinegar that originated in Argentina.
Since many of you reached out to say you loved this recipe (thank you!!), I have left the original recipe here. If you want to see an updated version check it out here –> Vegan Burrito Bowl 2.0! I know some have left comments that you had trouble with the brown rice, there are a couple of things you can try. You can cook the brown rice completely beforehand and then just add the rest of the ingredients when you are ready to make the bowl. (Check out this helpful post from The Kitchn on cooking brown rice on the stovetop!) You can also purchase quick cooking brown rice to ensure that your rice will be cooked through in just 15 minutes.
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This vegan burrito bowl is loaded with flavor and nutrients like fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Topped with a simple chimichurri sauce that can’t be beat!
Ingredients
For the Rice:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can chopped tomatoes w/green chiles
- ¼ jalapeño, chopped
- 1 cup brown rice (quick cooking works best!)
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Beans:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
For the Chimichurri:
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup cilantro
- ¾ teaspoon ground red pepper (adjust to your spice preference)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Dash of salt
- To Serve:
- Guacamole
- Corn
- Tomatoes
- Red cabbage
Instructions
To Cook the Rice:
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the rice and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, puree the canned tomatoes and jalapeño together until smooth in a blender or food processor.
- Add the tomato puree, broth, and seasonings to the pan and stir. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed, ~15-25 minutes.
To make the Beans:
- Heat the olive oil and onion up in a small saucepan. Cook about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Stir in the seasonings, beans, and broth.
- Simmer for ~7 minutes or until beans are heated and most of the broth has been absorbed.
For the Chimichurri:
- Simply puree all the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.
To Assemble:
- Divide the rice, beans, and add-ins evenly among four bowls. Drizzle with chimichurri.
If you are looking to try the updated version of this recipe, click below!
Vegan Burrito Bowl 2.0!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
March 24, 2015 at 8:36 pmThis is just one of those perfect recipes 😉 YUM!
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
March 25, 2015 at 5:29 pmThis looks so good! I want to eat it for lunch right now!!
Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says
March 26, 2015 at 2:25 amYes! I made a recipe using chimichurri sauce this weekend and took all my willpower not to lick the entire bowl clean! Love this burrito bowl version- totally my kind of meal!
Sally Beagle says
March 27, 2015 at 6:30 pmDo you think the rice and beans could be prepared and frozen together in individual bowls? Then, just the chimichurri would need to be made when ready to serve.
DietitianDebbie says
March 31, 2015 at 2:34 pmYes – you could definitely freeze the beans and rice together and defrost when you are ready to make the bowl. That would be an easy way to make weekday prep goes even faster!
Miss Polkadot says
March 30, 2015 at 10:09 pmMexican is one of my favourites cuisines and burrito bowls combine the best of it in one meal so I’m a huge fan. Only usually too lazy to prepare them when it’s just me eating but I might need to save this for a family dinner.
Rachel L says
March 31, 2015 at 4:28 amI need this deliciousness in my life!
Christie says
April 5, 2015 at 12:58 amIs the 1 cup rice cooked or uncooked?
Thanks
DietitianDebbie says
April 5, 2015 at 1:23 amGreat question Christie – it’s one cup uncooked rice. 🙂
Erica says
December 18, 2015 at 5:20 pmWhat kind of brown rice do you use? Most of the ones I’ve used call for a 40 minute simmer time.
Dietitian Debbie says
December 18, 2015 at 11:57 pmI think I used a quick cook rice since I was able to have tender rice after about 15-20 minutes of cooking. If using regular brown rice, you will need to simmer closer to 40 minutes like you mentioned, Erica. Thanks for pointing that out!
Lambrina says
January 17, 2017 at 9:30 pmI got very frustrated with this recipe. So brown rice does not take 15 min to cook. I had it cooking for an hr on the stove and it was still hard as a rock. Also, I kept adding stock (veg broth) as the allocated one & a half cups was nowhere near enough. After cooking the brown rice for an hr, I scrapped it and changed it to white rice; this still took over 30 mins to cook. I also found the Chimichurri sauce way too strong and unpleasant to be honest. With all the prep, the cooking and then re-cooking, I was in the kitchen for 3 hours and after all of that, the meal wasn’t anything I’d write home about. Disappointed 🙁
★
Dietitian Debbie says
January 17, 2017 at 11:26 pmI’m so sorry to hear you were disappointed! I’ll be testing this one again to double check the cooking time. Thanks!
Lori says
January 26, 2017 at 11:41 amI always cook a big batch of brown rice in my rice cooker.
I measure out smaller portions in Ziploc bags and place them in the freezer. When a recipe calls for brown rice,
all I do is pull a bag out and either let it thaw at room temp or microwave it for a minute.
The rice will keep in the freezer for up to six months.
Dietitian Debbie says
January 26, 2017 at 12:09 pmThanks so much for the tip Lori!
Francina Atkinson says
February 6, 2017 at 4:38 amThis one has always been a favourite of mine.. I loved the black bean recipe in your original post. Is it possible for you to share again ?
Thanks
Dietitian Debbie says
February 7, 2017 at 12:40 amSo happy to hear you’ve enjoyed it, Francina! I just updated the post to add the black bean directions back in. 🙂
Julie says
February 8, 2017 at 4:37 pmHello there,
Thankyou for all of your wonderful recipes. I have made quite a few and they are all a huge hit with my family! I turn to your blog every time I’m in a supper time rut – it’s been so tremendously helpful! Your burrito bowl has been a favourite for quite some time. Would you mind posting (or messaging) the original recipe? I’m going to try the new one tonight, but I know my little ones will devour your original recipe so I’d like to keep it on file. Just worried this might be a bit too spicy for them.
Thankyou again!
Julie
Dietitian Debbie says
February 9, 2017 at 3:08 amJulie,
Thanks so much for your kind words! I am so happy to hear that you and your little ones have been enjoying my recipes! 🙂 You weren’t the only one that loved the original recipe so I have listed it above again and moved the updated recipe to the newer post. Thanks again!