Vegan Mexican Rice Bowl

Name: Vegan Mexican Rice Bowl
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower; 2 bell peppers; 1/2 white or yellow onion; 1-2 cups corn kernels (frozen or fresh) OR street corn; 1 cup uncooked white rice OR mexican red rice; 1 avocado for plain guac OR mango guac; pinch salt; 1-2 Tbsp oil; 1 can black beans, pinto beans or black bean salsa; mango; cilantro; greens; pico de gallo

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This vegan mexican rice bowl might as well be from Chipotle...only better. Between the mango guac, spicy street corn and sauted veggies, we have a burrito bowl that's perfect for meal prep, feeding a crowd or a weeknight dinner.

bowl with roasted cauliflower, sauteed red and yellow peppers, guacamole, corn and red mexican rice — grab a fork, we're going in...

There's never a bad time for a burrito bowl, but this particular bowl is best in the summer given corn, peppers, tomatoes, and mango are all in season. You can always use canned or frozen veggies in a pinch.

Looking for more vegan mexican food? Check out these butternut squash nachos, vegan mushroom quesadillas or black bean enchiladas.

Lastly, this burrito bowl pairs well with my black bean salsa and a cucumber basil margarita if you're feeling spicy.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions & Variations
Equipment
Storage
Frequently asked questions
Top tip
Related recipes
Vegan Mexican Rice Bowl
Food safety

Ingredients

one heat of cauliflower, red and yellow pepper, half of a white onion, frozen corn kernels in a glass bowl, bag of jasmine rice, avocado, salt bowl, grapeseed oil and can of black beans

Here are the basic burrito bowl ingredients. I highly recommend picking a couple components to "upgrade." It's worth a tiny bit of extra effort.

cauliflower
bell pepper
onion
corn kernels (frozen or fresh) OR street corn
white rice - for plain rice or mexican red rice
avocado (for plain guac) or mango guac
salt
oil
black beans or pinto beans

You can also add...

mango
cilantro
greens
other beans of choice
pico de gallo or black bean salsa

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

First, prep the cauliflower. To cut, remove the green part, and cut off the bottom to make a flat edge. Slice into planks, then remove florets smaller than a golf ball. Remember: the smaller the florets, the more caramelized they will be.

Toss with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of grapeseed oil. Roast at 350 F for 30 minutes, then remove from oven to let steam escape. Once steam is gone (2-3 minutes), roast for another 20-30 minutes or until slightly brown. By letting the steam escape, the cauliflower will brown instead of steaming.

raw cauliflower bites smaller than golf balls on a baking sheet — perfect cauliflower florets...don't worry, they'll shrink some!

Meanwhile, prep the rice. There are three options:

Mexican red rice for something a little spicy
Coconut lime rice for a sweeter, beachier vibe
Plain rice, cooked according to package instructions

As always, RINSE YOUR RICE!!! We want to remove as much excess starch as possible to prevent a gluey mess.

rice in a mesh strainer above a glass bowl with some slightly cloudy water — this rice is pretty clean - the water is only slightly cloudy.

While the rice cooks and cauliflower roasts, prepare the veggies. Slice onion and peppers, then saute in a large frying pan on medium heat with a drizzle of grapeseed oil and pinch of salt to break down the veggies.

red and yellow bell peppers and white onion slices in a frying pan with salt — start here...

Stir frequently until onions are golden brown and peppers are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

soft red and yellow bell peppers and slightly caramelized onions in a frying pan — finally done! perfect caramelization on the onions.

In the same pan, add corn kernels with a little more oil. If you're making street corn, add diced jalapeño as well. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Finally, make the guac! First, cut avocado in half lengthwise (hotdog style). Then using your knife, remove pit (twist once it's stuck in the pit). Keep your hands out of the way!

avocado sliced in half, with a chef's knife cutting into the pit of the avocado — get rid of the pit...

Then scoop flesh of the avocado out of the skin and into a bowl.

spoon scooping out the soft green flesh of half an avocado — scoop out the good stuff!

Mash with any leftover onion (diced into small pieces), a pinch of salt, and a spritz of lime juice (if you have it). Or make this mango guacamole.

Finally, assemble the bowl. Start with rice, then add roasted cauliflower, sauteed veggies, street corn, guacamole and if desired, black or pinto beans. Enjoy!

Substitutions & Variations

While this mexican rice bowl is naturally vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and nut free, there are plenty of substitutions you can make to suit your needs and preferences. Here are some of my favorites:

Greens: add some shredded romaine or leafy green of choice
Spicy: make street corn and red mexican rice - both have extra spice!
Sweet: try this mango guacamole

Want a bowl but not feeling Mexican tonight? Check out this mango chickpea buddha bowl with spicy peanut sauce or lemon tahini dressing.

bowl with red mexican rice, roasted cauliflower, bell peppers, guacamole, and street corn kernels

Equipment

I use stainless steel pots and pans in my kitchen, which conduct heat more efficiently than ceramic or nonstick cookware. You may need another half notch of heat if using non-stainless cookware (e.g. medium becomes medium high).

You'll also need a solid chef's knife and cutting board. Prep bowls never hurt too...

Storage

Store each component separately in airtight containers until ready to use.

For meal prep, place a portion of each component into container with a lime slice EXCEPT guacamole...

Guacamole is best fresh. For meal prep, dice the components and store in an airtight container. When ready to eat, slice open avocado and mash.

If storing for later, make sure the guac has plenty of lime juice.

Reheat non-guac components in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then top with guac and enjoy!

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a burrito bowl efficiently?

To efficiently make a burrito bowl, the order of operations matters.

Start with anything that needs to be roasted, like cauliflower. Prepare and place into oven before starting anything else. Usually takes 40-50 minutes depending on the veggie.

Then prepare and cook rice while the cauliflower roasts. Rice can take 20-40 minutes depending on the kind (brown takes longer).

Now prepare and saute "harder" veggies like onion and bell pepper - usually takes 5-15 minutes to cook.

Prepare sauteed corn or "soft" veggies. Corn off the cob is a softer veggie and only takes 5-10 minutes.

Lastly, prepare any salsa or guac. If not serving right away, add plenty of lime juice to guac to keep from browning. Set up your burrito bowl bar (or meal prep containers) and enjoy!

What do I put on a vegan burrito bowl or rice bowl?

Here are some of my favorite plant-based & topping ideas for burrito bowls:

Rice
- Mexican red rice
- Coconut lime rice

Veggies & protein
- Street corn off the cob
- Sautéed onions and peppers
- Roasted cauliflower
- Jalapeno
- Fresh cilantro
- Tomato
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Refried beans
- Tofu / Sofritas
- Shredded romaine
- Spinach
- Kale

Finishers
- Pico de gallo
- Black bean salsa
- Butternut squash nacho cheese
- Guacamole
- Vegan sour cream

Pair with hard or soft tortillas to turn into a burrito or tacos.

Top tip

Making the components of this mexican rice bowl in the right order is key to ensure everything is done (and hot) at the same time. Follow the order of operations...but don't sweat if you're off schedule! Just set aside off the heat and keep moving.

Want to amp up your burrito bowl game? These recipes fit perfectly into this mexican rice bowl with minimal extra effort.