Hello, my wonderful chickpeas! Today we are making something that I consider to be a CLASSIC in any plant based kitchen: a Veggie Burrito Bowl! This burrito bowl has been on repeat in my house for about a month now and I simply cannot get enough of it. This recipe brings together sautéed veggies, Cilantro Lime Rice, spiced black beans, and a delicious Creamy Cilantro Dressing to create the perfect Tex Mex inspired meal.
This Veggie Burrito Bowl has some great nutrition, tons of flavor, and saves well for meal prep! Let's dive in.
Inspiration for Veggie Burrito Bowl With Cilantro Lime Rice
We all know by now that I love a good Buddha bowl, and that I love Tex Mex flavors. A burrito bowl is basically a combination of these things, so it was really only a matter of time before this popped up on the blog!
If you've downloaded my free Buddha Bowl ebook, then you may know that it also has a burrito bowl recipe! That one is also great, but slightly different vibes. That one uses raw veggies, plain black beans, and tomato-flavored rice. This time I wanted to go slightly fancier (but still pretty easy!). For this one we are sautéing our veggies, adding some spice to those beans, and using a flavorful Cilantro Lime Rice!
My go-to order at any burrito or taco place is a burrito bowl, so this is basically a recreation of my ideal order. I am so pleased with how it came out and can't wait for you to try it!
Ingredients
Buddha bowl (and similar burrito bowl) recipes always look like they have a ton of ingredients since there are multiple components to be made, but don't let it scare you away! They come together pretty easily and are so worth it. Here are some of the stars of today's show:
- Rice, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro: these come together to make our Cilantro Lime Rice! This rice is flavorful and complements the rest of our toppings beautifully.
- Onion & bell pepper: a good sautéed veggie is just what this Veggie Burrito Bowl needs. By sautéeing our onions and peppers we are deepening their natural flavors.
- Black beans, corn, cumin, & chili powder: for our spiced black beans! This brings some smoky flavors that contrast well against the bright lime flavors of our rice.
- Cashews, cilantro, lime juice, rice vinegar, and garlic salt: these make up our Creamy Cilantro Dressing, and I promise you don't want to skip this sauce! The cashews make this vegan dressing creamy, and everything else brings a punch of flavor.
- Romaine & cherry tomatoes: for some fresh veg!
How to Make a Veggie Burrito Bowl
As always, full recipe can be found down below. But here are the basic steps so you know what you're getting into!
- Cook rice according to package directions, then stir in salt, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Sauté your onion, bell pepper, and seasonings over medium heat until slilghtly caramelized.
- In a separate pan, sauté garlic until fragrant. Add black beans, corn, and more seasonings. Cook until warmed through.
- Drain soaked cashews, then blend in a high powered blender with all other dressing ingredients.
- Assemble your bowls with whatever toppings you desire!
Tips & Tricks
These burrito bowls are extremely versatile. Here are some ideas on how you can mix up your Veggie Burrito Bowl however you desire!
- As usual, feel free to get crazy with toppings! I love topping mine with homemade guacamole, salsa or Pico de Gallo, and a dollop of coconut yogurt. Fresh avocado slices or tortilla chip strips are also good choices!
- Switch up the sautéed veggies if you wish! We keep it simple here with onions and peppers, but really you can use anything you'd like. Mushrooms would be delicious, or even zucchini! Just keep in mind that you may have to adjust the cooking time depending on the veggies you use.
- If you love this Creamy Cilantro Dressing as much as I do, you need to check out my free ebook where it originally came from! It has 8 other delicious sauces that you'll also love. And my Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl uses this same dressing too!
- Tex Mex inspired recipes are some of my favorites, so we have a great selection of them on the blog! Be sure to check out my Easy Veggie Fajitas With Jackfruit or my Air Fried Avocado Tacos next!
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Veggie Burrito Bowl With Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice - (uncooked)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon lime juice - (from about 1 lime)
- Optional: 2 teaspoon lime zest - (from about 1 lime)
- ¼ cup cilantro - roughly chopped
Sautéed Veggies
- 1 large red onion - sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper - cut into strips
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Spiced Black Beans
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn - thawed
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- salt - to taste
Creamy Cilantro Dressing
- ¼ cup raw cashews - soaked in very hot water for 20-30 minutes (OR in room temperature water overnight)
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 3 tablespoon water
Toppings
- 1.5 cups romaine - chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved or quartered
- salsa - (optional)
- guacamole - (optional)
- shredded vegan cheese - (optional)
Instructions
Prepare Cilantro Lime Rice
- Cook rice according to package directions (while it cooks you can work on the sautéed veggies, spiced black beans, and/or Creamy Cilantro Dressing)
- Once rice is cooked, stir in salt, lime juice (& optional lime zest), and cilantro. Add more salt to taste, if needed.
Prepare Sautéed Veggies
- Bring a nonstick pan to medium heat on the stovetop. Add your onion, bell pepper, dried oregano, and salt. Sauté 7-10 minutes, or until onions are slightly caramelized. Add splashes of water as needed to prevent sticking.
Prepare Spiced Black Beans
- Bring another nonstick pan to medium heat on the stovetop. Add your garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, and salt to the pan. Stir to combine and cook until warmed through (usually another 3 minutes)
Prepare Creamy Cilantro Dressing
- Drain soaked cashews. Add to a high powered blender with all other dressing ingredients, and blend until smooth
Assemble Veggie Burrito Bowls
- Split Cilantro Lime Rice, sautéed veggies, spiced black beans, romaine, and cherry tomatoes between 4 bowls. Drizzle with Creamy Cilantro Dressing. If desired, add optional salsa, guacamole, and/or shredded vegan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your burrito-bowl-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
Marie-Pierre Breton says
This bowl looks so refreshing and perfect for summer!
Delaney Marie says
Love it in the summer months!