Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls | Vegan & GF

Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls | Vegan & GF are a one pot dinner with deliciously seasoned veggies and beans along with herb loaded tangy rice, crunchy lettuce and salsas and a deliciously creamy guac to complete the bowl. The various textures give these bowls a distinct flavor! Basically, if you love tex-mex, then these bowls are your besties! 

Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls | Vegan & GF can be customized to our preferences. Since we love tex-mex, these bowls are a common feature on our menu for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. They don’t take much effort to put together and that is really what makes them so much fun. I usually do an all vegetarian or vegan version with lots of lettuce for the last crunchy bit of topping. They add a lot roughage as well as flavor. My hubby has no complains as far as it’s spicy and tangy!

Let’s decode what went into these bowls:

The Rice – this is the key, make it or break it sorts for us. I make a Signature Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice which is absolutely flavorful. You can go with kind of Mexican rice you like. This is the base of the bowl so choose the flavor wisely.

The Sides – we love our Pico de Gallo, so that is a must! Along with some sweet corn salsa which is so delicious and refreshing! Actually this is just the basic that I usually do. The staple Chipotle style Fajita Veggies is a must have too! There days when I go all out with the sides but I’ll save that for another time. Keeping it real simple for this version.

The Crunch – you can do a lot of improvisation here, from crispy salads or lettuce leaves to crushed nachos or baked tortilla chips. We stick to gluten free options as far as possible.

The Toppings – jalapeno, grilled tomatoes, fresh cilantro, pickles, guacamole, lemon wedges, anything you fancy! We are extremely partial towards a good, creamy guac so that is our go to topping usually! We skip sour cream when going for a vegan version because I’m simply unable to find a good version around here. And we do not add cheese either if making vegan version.

Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls | Vegan & GF have a good number of components, so start the prep accordingly. Once everything is ready, they come together in a bowl in minutes.

Let us make the easiest Vegan & GF Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowl ever!

For the Cilantro Lime Rice –

Wash and soak any long grained variety of rice for 10 minutes. (I use Basmati rice).

Cook the rice with bay leaf and salt. Drain the rice and set aside until slightly cooled.

Add olive oil, minced garlic and chopped cilantro. Add the lime juice too and mix well. The rice is done. Set it aside.

For the Fajita Veggies –

Heat olive oil in a pan, add sliced green bell peppers and onions. Sauté for few minutes.

Add fajita seasoning and salt to taste. Again sauté for a few minutes until the peppers and the onions char a bit.

Turn off the heat, set these aside too.

For the Beans- 

I have used fresh red kidney beans here. You can use canned black beans or even pinto beans.

Heat oil in a pan, add the drained beans. Season with salt, smoked paprika and some cumin powder. Mix well. That’s done, set it aside.

For the Guacamole –

Mash the avocado until smooth and creamy, add all the mentioned ingredients and mix well. Set it aside.

For the Pico de Gallo – 

Chop the tomatoes, jalapeno (if you don’t find fresh jalapenos, use regular green chilies), red onion and cilantro really fine.

Chop the pickled jalapenos as well.

Mix all these together. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice. Mix well!

For the Sweet Corn Salsa- 

Take corn, chopped jalapenos, red onion and cilantro in a bowl, season with salt, sugar and lime juice. Mix well. Set it aside.

To Assemble the Rice Bowl –

In a plate bowl, add the prepped rice, some beans, Pico de Gallo, guac, sweet corn salsa, fajita veggies and lastly some freshly torn lettuce. A squirt of lime juice and it’s ready, serve immediately and enjoy!

Print

Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls | Vegan & GF

Chipotle Copycat Burrito Bowls have layers of Cilantro Lime rice, crunchy salsas, creamy guacamole, spicy veggies and some beans!! A final squirt of lemon juice just adds to the freshness of it all! The perfect hearty and healthy GF and Vegan rice bowl. 

Course Lunch Box, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 2 persons

Author Shreya Ashish Tiwari

Ingredients

For the Rice

• 3/4 cup rice plus water to cook the rice
• 1 bay leaf
• salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• fresh cilantro, as needed chopped
• juice of 1 lime

For the Pico de Gallo

• 2 nos. large, juicy tomatoes chopped
• 1 nos. large, red onion chopped
• 1/2 nos. fresh jalapeno chopped
• 1 tbsp pickled jalapeno chopped
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• fresh cilantro, as needed chopped
• juice of a large lemon

For Guacamole

• 1 nos. large, ripe avocado
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup red onions, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp jalapeno, chopped
• fresh cilantro, finely chopped

For Beans

• 1 cup red kidney beans, boiled or canned black beans/ pinto beans
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

For the Fajita Veggies

• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 nos. green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 nos. red onion, sliced
• salt to taste
• 3/4 tsp fajita spice or a blend of cumin, paprika, black pepper powders

For Sweet Corn Salsa

• 1 cup american sweet corn, blanched
• juice of half a lime
• salt to taste
• two pinches of sugar
• 1/8 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp jalapeno, chopped
• fresh cilantro, finely chopped

To Assemble the Rice Bowl

• prepped rice
• prepped Pico de gallo
• guacamole as needed
• fresh lettuce, as needed chopped
• lemon wedges, as needed
• sweet corn salsa
• fajita veggies
• beans

Instructions

For the Cilantro Lime Rice

1. Wash and soak any long grained variety of rice for 10 minutes. (I use Basmati rice).
   

2. Cook the rice with bay leaf and salt. Drain the rice and set aside until slightly cooled.

3. Add olive oil, minced garlic and chopped cilantro. Add the lime juice too and mix well. The rice is done. Set it aside.
   

For the Pico de Gallo

1. Chop the tomatoes, jalapeno (if you don't find fresh jalapenos, use regular green chilies)**, red onion and cilantro real fine.

2. Chop the pickled jalapenos as well.

3. Mix all these together. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well! It is ready. 
   

For the Fajita Veggies -

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, add sliced green bell peppers and onions. Sauté for few minutes.

2. Add fajita seasoning and salt to taste. Again sauté for a few minutes until the peppers and the onions char a bit.

3. Turn off the heat, set these aside too.

For the Beans-

1. I have used fresh red kidney beans here. You can use canned black beans or even pinto beans.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add the drained beans. Season with salt, smoked paprika and some cumin powder.

3. Mix well. That's done, set it aside.

For the Guacamole -

1. Mash the avocado until smooth and creamy, add all the mentioned ingredients and mix well. Set it aside.

For the Sweet Corn Salsa-

1. Take corn, chopped jalapenos, red onion and cilantro in a bowl, season with salt, sugar and lime juice. Mix well. Set it aside.

To Assemble the Rice Bowl

1. In a plate bowl, add the prepped rice, some beans, Pico de Gallo, guac, sweet corn salsa, fajita veggies and lastly some freshly torn lettuce. A squirt of lime juice and it's ready, serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Add sour cream and Mexican grated cheese blend if you prefer non vegan options.

Also you can add vegan variants of the same if you prefer. 

Love,
Shreya.

Pin it here for later?!