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Vegan Burrito Bowl (Better than Chipotle!)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 261kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Cilantro-Lime Rice

  • 1 cup (190g) white Jasmine rice*
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ cups (360 mL) room temperature water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium lime, zested + 1 ½ tablespoons juice
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup (16g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Fajita Veggies

  • 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil (or oil of choice)
  • 1 medium to large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips**
  • ½ tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Toppings (optional)

  • Charred Corn and Tomato Salsa (recipe below) (or salsa of choice)
  • Lazy Guacamole (recipe below)
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Vegan sour cream
  • Shredded romaine lettuce

Instructions

  • Make the protein of your choice. Both the Sofritas and Mexican Black Beans can be made a few days ahead of time.
  • Make the Charred Corn and Tomato Salsa, if using.
  • Prep the rice. Add the rice to a bowl under cold tap water and rinse for 1 minute while you agitate the rice with your hands.*** Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and transfer the rice to a medium saucepan. Add the water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon oil to the rice, stir well.
  • Cook the rice****. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan of rice and simmer for 7 minutes, without stirring, until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (you may want to uncover once or twice to ensure it’s at a simmer and not at a boil, but don’t stir. Take off the heat, uncover the pan, layer a clean dish towel on top of the pan, and place the lid back on. Steam for 10 minutes.
  • Finish the rice. Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, lemon juice, and cilantro. Toss, and season with salt. If desired, add the extra teaspoon of olive oil for a little richness.
  • Meanwhile, make the Fajita Veggies. Heat the 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the peppers, onions, oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to season. Toss occasionally but not too often, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until peppers are tender-crisp and the onions are starting to get caramelized. If there are lots of brown bits on the bottom of the pan, you can deglaze with a splash of water.
  • Make the Lazy Guacamole, if desired (recipe below).
  • Assemble the bowls: Layer some cooked rice into bowls, top with Sofritas and/or Mexican Black Beans, add a scoop of fajita veggies, a scoop of salsa, and a scoop of guacamole. If desired, finish with chopped cilantro and other toppings, such as vegan sour cream or shredded romaine lettuce.

Video

VEGAN BURRITO BOWL - Better than Chipotle?
VEGAN BURRITO BOWL - Better than Chipotle?

Notes

General note: the total cook time is for the rice, fajita veggies, and assembly. It doesn't include the time to make your protein of choice, and if you make the corn salsa and/or guac in the next recipe card, you'll need more time. 
* If using a different long-grain white rice, the cook time might be slightly longer. For long-grain brown rice, rinse and cook with 2 cups (480 mL) water in a saucepan + the salt, bay leaf, and olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes. Steam as instructed in step 4 and finish as instructed in step 5. 
**Feel free to use red peppers instead. If you want more fajita veggies, use 2 large bell peppers and season with a bit more salt. It will look like a lot of veg in the pan, but it’ll cook down (it’ll take 15 minutes though).
*** Agitating the rice removes excess starch and gets you more separate grains.
**** Feel free to cook your rice in the Instant Pot or a rice cooker.