Fast, easy, healthy, and delicious, this Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl is the ideal dish for lunch and dinner. It will fill you up without slowing you down!
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Hands up all readers who love Chipotle! (One hand is fine if you need to keep your other hand on your mouse.) I love their burrito bowls but can’t always find an excuse to eat there. That’s why I’m really excited to share this recipe for something I can make at home. It delivers all the taste of the restaurant with added health benefits you only get from making a meal at home. (Plus, it’s kinder on your wallet!)
What’s more, this is a plant-based version of the popular dish we Americans adapted from our neighbors to the south. I’ve made something similar before but with chicken: Mexican Chicken Bowls with Cauliflower Rice. When I think of rice bowls, I immediately hold my stomach for fear it’s going to be bloated but not with this one! It’s light and—dare I say it—refreshing. That’s down to the cauliflower rice, as well as the corn, onions, and peppers. And if you’re worried you’re going to miss your regular rice, don’t be! Given all the other ingredients, you won’t notice that the switch (but your body will notice the difference with the added vitamins!).
Is This Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl Recipe Healthy?
As with most bowls, the power is in the mix. Beans bring the fiber and protein, the veggies bring the vitamins and minerals. The key difference, of course, is the use of cauliflower rice instead of regular rice, which lowers the carb count and is more nutrient dense. It is grain-free, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. To make it paleo, replace the corn kernels with sweet potato or zucchini and ensure the salsa is a homemade paleo-friendly variation.
how do i make cauliflower rice?
Good question! You have a few options, which I go over in another post. First, you’ll want to “rice” the cauliflower. Chop it up into florets then give them a few pulses in a food processor. If you don’t have one, you can also use a grater. (If you’re short on time, you can buy frozen cauliflower rice too.) You can then cook it in the microwave, steam it in the oven, roast in the oven, or pan-fry it. For this recipe, I recommend either the microwave or the pan.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- ½ onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ½ avocado
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ cup salsa
- 3 lime wedges
- salt and pepper
- fresh cilantro
- jalapeño (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook
Heat a non-stick skillet over MED-HIGH heat. Drizzle in half the olive oil. Add the sliced peppers, onions, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 8–10 minutes.
Saute
Remove the peppers and onion from the skillet. Drizzle in the rest of the oil. Sauté the black beans with the corn, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper for 5 minutes, until the corn is cooked.
Mash
Mash the avocado together with a squeeze of lime, salt, and pepper.
Serve
Divide between two bowls. Top with a lime wedge, cilantro, and jalapeño slices.
DEVOUR!
Tips & Tricks to Making a Perfect Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl
- Watch the cauliflower rice while cooking; you don’t want to overdo it and turn it to mush. (This is especially important if you are using frozen rice.)
- Organize the ingredients in the bowl—it will look alluring and let the diner balance each mouthful.
- Start slow when adding the spices. Taste then add more if you think it needs a flavor boost.
- Look for cauliflower with zero blemishes nor brown spots. The florets should be compact and the leaves a vibrant green.
- If time is an issue, you can buy pre-riced cauliflower in the produce section of your local store.
FAQs
Be sure to squeeze out as much moisture as you can before cooking. Wrap the rice in a paper towel and apply pressure.
If you make this recipe as is, you’ll be consuming about 154 calories. Not bad, eh? Of course, if you play around with the amounts, that number will change.
A large head (approx. 2 pounds) should make about 6 cups of rice.
A blender will work (chop up the florets first). Or, if you don’t mind the workout, you can grate the cauliflower like you would cheese. You can even turn to your trusty chef’s knife and cutting board.
Delicious Variations
Get Meaty: For you carnivores, you have grilled chicken, shrimp, or pulled pork as options.
Vary the Veggies: Which vegetables/starches you use is at your discretion. Roasted sweet potatoes, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes make good additions/substitutions.
Turn Up the Heat: Add chili powder, cumin, or hot sauce if the jalapenos alone aren’t giving you the burn you yearn for.
Ace of Base: Use a different base if you don’t have/want the cauliflower rice. Quinoa, tofu, chickpea, and lentils are solid choices.
Serving Suggestions
I like to pack a crunch alongside my bowls, so I’m going to recommend corn tortilla chips and salsa. If your diet allows for it, add some cheese—cheddar or Monterey Jack, perhaps—and sour cream. And to increase the protein quotient, you have grilled chicken, shrimp, or pulled pork to turn to. To keep it light, make a side salad and keep it simple. To wash it down, a Margarita would keep with the Mexican theme we’ve established.
how to prep and store your cauliflower Rice burrito bowl
Let the burrito bowl cool completely. If you’re tending to leftovers that you’ve already mixed, remove the avocado (it doesn’t age well) then put the rest in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days. You can then reheat on the stove (350°F until warmed through) or in the microwave. If you want to keep them around longer, you can freeze the bowls (again, remove the avocado); they should keep for a month.
Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red pepper sliced
- ½ onion peeled and sliced
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ½ avocado
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ cup salsa
- 3 lime wedges
- salt and pepper
- fresh cilantro
- jalapeño optional
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet over MED-HIGH heat. Drizzle in half the olive oil. Add the sliced peppers, onions, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 8–10 minutes.
- Remove the peppers and onion from the skillet. Drizzle in the rest of the oil. Sauté the black beans with the corn, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper for 5 minutes, until the corn is cooked.
- Mash the avocado together with a squeeze of lime, salt, and pepper.
- Divide between two bowls. Top with a lime wedge, cilantro, and jalapeño slices.
Notes
- Watch the cauliflower rice while cooking; you don’t want to overdo it and turn it to mush. (This is especially important if you are using frozen rice.)
- Organize the ingredients in the bowl—it will look alluring and let the diner balance each mouthful.
- Start slow when adding the spices. Taste then add more if you think it needs a flavor boost.
Nutrition
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