This vegan burrito bowl with quinoa makes the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s super easy to make, healthy, and packed with protein. Besides, it’s vegan and gluten-free. It’s one of my all-time favorite dinner recipes, so I can’t wait to share it with you!
What Are Burrito Bowls?
A burrito bowl mainly consists of the same ingredients as a classic burrito. However, the ingredients are not wrapped in a a flour tortilla as a filling but they’re instead served in a bowl.
Burrito bowls are a popular lunch staple. They usually consist of:
- rice (either brown or white)
- some kind of protein (sofritas, tofu, or meat)
- beans (black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans)
- corn
- lettuce
- salsa and guacamole
- sometimes you can also find grilled vegetables
- sour cream and cheese (omit for a vegan version)
Why to choose a burrito bowl over a classic burrito:
- easy to eat (waaay easier than eating a burrito)
- amazing taste
- they contain less calories than a traditional burrito and are healthier in general
- easy to customize
- budget-friendly (especially if you make them at home)
- packed with protein and plenty of veggies
What You Need for This Vegan Burrito Bowl:
You can find all of the ingredients for this vegan burrito bowl in any regular grocery store.
You need:
- quinoa
- garlic
- one red onion
- an orange and a red bell pepper
- canned diced tomatoes
- cumin
- smoked paprika powder
- cooked black beans (either canned or cooked at home (for example in an Instant Pot))
- corn (frozen)
- fresh lime juice
- green onions
- fresh cilantro
- lettuce
- tortilla chips
- one avocado
- salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
As always, you can find the full ingredient list and detailed recipe instructions in a separate recipe box at the end of this post.
How To Make a Burrito Bowl
I used my Instant Pot for the preparation of this burrito bowl with quinoa. Besides my Vitamix it’s my favorite kitchen appliance. I use it almost every day.
Of course you can use any electric pressure cooker for this recipes. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also use my one pan Mexican quinoa for this burrito bowl. The recipe is similar to this instant pot version and it’s super easy to make.
You need to follow five easy steps to make this burrito bowl.
STEP 1: Finely chop the onion and the garlic. Dice the bell pepper. Press the “sauté” button on your Instant Pot and wait until the pot is hot. Add some oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the uncooked quinoa, the bell pepper, the black beans, the corn, and the spices.
STEP 2: Then stir in the diced tomatoes (do not drain as you need the liquid). You don’t need any additional water for this recipe. The diced tomatoes provide enough liquid. Press the “manual” button and choose 13 minutes on “high pressure”. Close the instant pot and make sure it’s sealing.
STEP 3: When the cooking time is over, do a “quick release”. The quinoa should be fluffy. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
STEP 4: Stir in the fresh lime juice and sprinkle the quinoa with chopped cilantro and green onions.
STEP 5: Serve in a bowl together with lettuce, tortilla chips, and sliced avocado. Enjoy!
What To Put In A Burrito Bowl
When it comes to filling a burrito bowl you can be super creative. That’s what I really love about them. They’re easy to customize depending on your personal taste and appetite.
Here are some great ingredients for a burrito bowl:
- brown rice (you could also use lime cilantro rice) or seasoned quinoa
- some sort of protein (my favorite is sofritas, but cubed and seasoned tofu and tempeh also work well)
- black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans
- fajita vegetables (grilled bell peppers and red onion)
- guacamole
- homemade salsa
- vegan sour cream made of cashews (check out my recipe for vegan tacos with lentil walnut meat for my favorite vegan sour cream recipe)
- vegan queso
- lettuce
- roasted corn
- vegan cheese shreds
Sounds like a real feast, doesn’t it? Burrito bowls are just the best! And they are packed with protein, grains, and tons of veggies and legumes.
Burrito Bowl Without Meat
As I’ve already said, a burrito bowl without meat is absolutely no problem! Instead of carnitas or chicken just choose tofu or use more beans instead. They also provide you with lots of healthy protein, especially in combination with rice.
Even at Chipotle and other popular Mexican fast food chains you can easily get a burrito bowl without meat. Just ask for sofritas or fajita veggies instead of meat. For a vegan version also ask them not to add any cheese or sour cream to your burrito bowl.
But making a burrito bowl at home is still the best. And it’s also much cheaper!
Are Burrito Bowls Healthy?
Yes, burrito bowls are pretty healthy! Of course it depends a little on what you add to your bowl, but they’re definitely way healthier than a burrito.
A burrito usually has between 1,000 and 1,300 calories. If you skip the flour tortilla and just eat the filling in a bowl, it’s much healthier and better for you! In comparison, a burrito bowl has only between 500 and 600 calories and much more fiber than a classic burrito.
And this way you get plenty of veggies and protein while not missing out on the delicious Mexican flavors!
How to Reheat a Burrito Bowl
If you’ve got leftovers, it’s super easy to reheat a burrito bowl. However, reheat only the rice, beans, and the kind of protein you were using (sofritas, tofu cubes, soy protein etc.). In the case of this vegan burrito bowl with quinoa, only reheat the Mexican quinoa you made in the instant pot.
Just reheat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then add fresh lettuce, avocado, and tortilla chips. You might also want to add some more spices and fresh lemon juice.
Other Vegan Mexican Recipes You Might Like:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad with Chipotle Dressing
- Sofritas
- One Pan Mexican Quinoa
- Vegan Cauliflower Tacos
- Tacos with Lentil Walnut Meat
- Healthy Vegan Taco Salad
Or check out my round-up of vegan Mexican food: Vegan Mexican Food – 38 Drool-Worthy Recipes
I hope you like this vegan burrito bowl as much as we do around here! Let me know if you give it a try and leave me a star rating.
As always, I love hearing from you guys!
Sina – xx
Vegan Burrito Bowl with Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes do not drain!
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1/2 cup corn (frozen)
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- juice of one lime
- 2 green onions, sliced into rings
- 1 handfull fresh cilantro, chopped
- lettuce
- 1 avocado, sliced
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and the garlic. Dice the bell pepper. Press the "sauté" button on your Instant Pot and wait until the pot is hot. Add some oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the uncooked quinoa, the bell pepper, the black beans, the corn, and the spices.
- Then stir in the diced tomatoes (do not drain as you need the liquid). You don't need any additional water for this recipe. The diced tomatoes provide enough liquid. Press the "manual" button and choose 13 minutes on "high pressure". Close the instant pot and make sure it's sealing.
- When the cooking time is over, do a "quick release". The quinoa should be fluffy. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the fresh lime juice and sprinkle the quinoa with chopped cilantro and green onions.
- Serve in a bowl together with lettuce, tortilla chips, and sliced avocado.
Nutrition
I sautéed the veggies in the instant pot without oil, by using a water or vegetable stock. Healthier this way.
I making this for the second time . I’ve made guacamole instead of avocado slices. I’ve also made it with brown rice as well as quinoa . Delicious. I think the prep is longer than stated
I tried this vegan burrito bowl yesterday and it turned out really good! I got an Instant Pot for Christmas but I’ve barely used it so far. I’l definitely make this recipe again – so easy and good! Even my hubby liked it. I didn’t have any tortilla chips at home though and also didn’t add avocado. Just lettuce and I also added a few cherry tomatoes. Still 5 out of 5 stars for me. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!