I love a Chipotle burrito bowl as much as the next person, but for my money, this sweet and spicy vegan burrito bowl recipe is just as good. While making it may not be quite as quick as grabbing lunch to-go, it’s still pretty easy to make, thanks to a secret ingredient: chipotles in adobo sauce! The sauce acts as a 1-ingredient marinade for meaty portobello mushroom caps, and I mix pinto and black beans with the chopped peppers to infuse them with some heat. A scoop of pineapple salsa adds a delicious sweet contrast, while burrito bowl essentials – fajita veggies, rice, guac, and greens – round the whole thing out. This vegan burrito bowl recipe is a great make-ahead lunch or weeknight dinner. Serve it with margaritas, tortilla chips, and (of course) extra guac, and dig in!
Vegan Burrito Bowl Components
When you order a burrito bowl at Chipotle, you answer one key question: what’s your protein? Instead of using meat, I pile this plant-based bowl with grilled portobello mushrooms. They’re smoky, juicy, and super easy to make on the grill! If you don’t have a grill, cook them on the stove on a cast iron grill pan, or under the broiler in your oven. Char the fajita veggies in this cast iron skillet on the grill while you cook the mushrooms. In order for the peppers to really char, make sure the pan is sizzling hot. If you don’t have a grill, cook them in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Season the charred peppers simply with salt and pepper when they come off the heat, or spice them up with 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or taco seasoning!
Once your veggies are ready, assemble your bowl with these components:
Rice – If you’ve been to Chipotle, you know that a great burrito bowl has a base of cilantro lime rice. Make it with white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice! Pinto or black beans – Mix them with chopped chipotles for smoky flavor. Use canned beans, or cook your own. Salad greens – Try chopped romaine or arugula. Pineapple salsa – It adds the perfect sweet contrast to the smoky adobo sauce. If you don’t have pineapple, mango salsa would be great here too. And if you’re not a fruity salsa person, try tomatillo salsa verde or pico de gallo! Guacamole – Need I say more?
If you want to load up your bowl even more, finish it with a dollop of vegan sour cream or creamy chipotle sauce and pickled red onion. Then, garnish it all with chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Enjoy!
Burrito Bowl Meal Prep Tips
Like many rice bowl recipes, this vegan burrito bowl is delicious warm or cold, and the components keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. As a result, it’s perfect for meal prep. If you make it ahead of time, follow these easy tips to keep the components fresh: Check out this post for more healthy lunch ideas and this one for more meal prep tips!
More Meatless Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you love this burrito bowl recipe, try one of these Mexican-inspired recipes next:
Vegetarian Tacos Easy Fajitas Best Breakfast Burrito Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas Homemade Taquitos
