It’s no secret I have a thing for Mexican food. We eat it in some form at least twice a week, and I have countless recipes on the blog for tacos, beans, salads, enchiladas, and nachos. You’re smart – you can see a pattern.
Another favorite? The burrito bowl. It’s the first thing I crave when we come home from a long trip. It’s fast, easy, healthy, delicious.
I have my classic take on the 30-minute burrito bowl in our print cookbook (!!). And after trying my hand at Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers (!!) recently, I knew a faster, inspired version of the same meal was in order. I think you know what happened next. (Hint: this deliciousness.)
Origins of Burritos
It’s not clear when or who invented the burrito, but there are several theories that place its roots in Mexican cuisine. The concept seems to have later been introduced to the US around the 1950s and has since boomed in popularity and taken on many forms. I mean, how can you go wrong with delicious ingredients stuffed in a tortilla?
Our inspired burrito bowl version skips the tortilla and loads up on all the fillings instead!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls
The base is cauliflower rice, which gets steamed slightly on the stovetop and then packed with flavor thanks to salsa, cilantro, lime juice, and spices. I could eat that for lunch on its own, but wait, there’s more.
Guacamole is optional, but the black beans and sautéed peppers and onions are not.
This pairing adds plenty of plant-based protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals, and not to mention tons of flavor. Yes, please.
I hope you guys love this 30-minute, vegan, GF dinner! It’s:
Fast
Easy
Flavorful
Veggie-packed
Protein- and fiber-rich
Super healthy
Crowd-pleasing
& Delicious
This would make the perfect meal when you want something substantial but healthy on the table fast (story of my life). It’s delicious on its own, but is only elevated when served with fresh corn tortillas or all the chips. It’s your life and I’m not going to tell you what to do, but this + chips = life.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see! We love seeing our recipes come to life in your kitchens. Cheers, friends!
Note: We are hosting an event at Watermark Books in Wichita, KS this Thursday, July 7th at 6pm! Swing by, sample some cookbook recipes, let us sign your book, and give us a hug. It’ll be so much fun. Also, be sure to check out all of our upcoming events here!
Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
BEANS
- 1 15-ounce can black or pinto beans, slightly drained
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- ~1/8 – 1/4 tsp sea salt (to taste)
CAULIFLOWER RICE
- 1 Tbsp olive or grape seed oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1/4 cup diced red or white onion
- 1 medium head cauliflower, grated into “rice” (see method here)
- 1 pinch sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice (~ 2 limes)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/3 cup red or green salsa (plus more for serving // I like Trader Joe’s Chunky Salsa)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro (plus more for serving)
PEPPERS + ONIONS
- 1 Tbsp olive or grape seed oil
- 1 medium red, green, orange, or yellow bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 1/2 medium red onion (sliced into 1/4-inch rings)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Add beans to a small saucepan over medium heat and season with spices to taste. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally.
- Prepare cauliflower rice by following these instructions. Then heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add oil, garlic, onion, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then add cauliflower ‘rice’ and stir to coat.
- Place the lid on to steam the rice for about 2-4 minutes or until almost tender like rice (al dente in texture), stirring occasionally. Chop up your bell pepper and onion at this time.
- Remove rice from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salsa and fresh cilantro. Stir to combine and taste and adjust seasonings accordingly, adding salt, pepper, lime juice, salsa, or more spices as desired. Set aside.
- Heat the large skillet back over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil, bell pepper and onion and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and they take on a little color – about 4 minutes.
- To serve, divide rice, beans, and peppers between serving bowls. Enjoy as is or with corn tortillas, chips, salsa, lime juice, hot sauce, or guacamole (recipe in notes).
- Best when fresh, though leftovers keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
- Serve with desired toppings (listed above) or as is. I recommend avocado, lime juice, hot sauce, and cilantro.
- Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until warmed through – about 20 minutes. See notes for instructions on making ahead of time.
Notes
*Recipe adapted from / inspired by my Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional toppings or guacamole.
Christin says
Delicious! This is one of my favorite burrito bowl recipes ever! I have made it several times & it never disappoints! I also used frozen cauliflower rice to save time. Thank you so much for another healthy + flavorful recipe!
So glad you are enjoying this, Christin. Love your tips as well! Thanks!
Karyn says
So good! I didn’t have cilantro and the cauliflower rice was still flavorful. Also, I just used a bag of the frozen cauliflower rice from Superstore and it was great. I used it from frozen and just steamed it a little longer. Great recipe! I highly recommend!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Karyn! Thank you for sharing! xo
Halle says
I used a large cauliflower to make the rice, so added a second can of beans to this, and topped it with a massaged kale and cabbage salad dressed with just lemon and olive oil, with a little salt (and a few squeezes of the leftover limes). I put avo slices on top of that, and tomorrow I’m going to make guac with the rest of the avo. This is way flavorful, and made so much!
Lovely! We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavors, Halle! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Jennifer Payne says
Yummmy! This was so good! I added jalapeño to the peppers and liberally used the cumin and chili powder. I used frozen cauliflower rice to save time.
Smart! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Thank you for sharing! xo
Barb says
Drain and rinse the beans? I did but the recipe doesn’t mention it. Superb recipe!
We typically only slightly drain them for this one so they have some liquid to cook in. We’ll update that! Thanks for sharing!
Karen says
This was delicious! My hubby and I are trying a plant-based diet and this was one of the first recipes we tried. You were right about this having lots of flavor — WOW! And we loved all the different foods on one plate. And it filled us up without feeling gross. We will be making this again!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Karen! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Chantal says
I was feeling uninspired on a Meatless Monday and decided to try this one out. It was simple and fun. My 7 YO ate the whole bowl. In order to tone down the spice level for her, I rinsed the beans with water after cooking them. For the adult version of the black beans, I also added two tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice and some shredded kale. So delicious. Add a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt to the bowl as a finishing touch.
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Chantal!
MiR and Dan says
This is so flavourful! My meat and potatoes hubby had absolutely no complaints. I added some corn to the peppers and onions but other than that stuck to the recipe. This is getting added into our favorite recipes book!
How great! Thanks for sharing!!
Julie N says
I don’t see instructions in the notes for making ahead of time. Is it just the recommendation to reheat in the oven?
Hi Julie, we would recommend making the beans and cauliflower rice ahead of time and leaving separate. Also, slicing the peppers & onions, but preferably making those fresh. Hope that helps!
Con says
I make burrito bowls every week, and every week I try to make it differently, so I feel like I’m some what if an expert. This is the Best by far! Simple to make, takes no time and was crazy tasty!
I just threw avo on top, I didn’t bother making guacamole – baby was crying!
So taste I’ll make again thank you
So glad you enjoyed it, Con! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Dale says
Delicious! I added some jalapeño peppers to the rice mix and was very flavorful and fresh!
Faye says
My husband HATES cauliflower, but ate every morsel. He said it was “really great.” Definitely on my repeat list. Thanks for your hard work on such lovely and healthy recipes.
Yay! So glad to hear it, Faye! Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review! xo
Scott says
Great recipe, simple to make very good. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it looked good…it was VERY GOOD…this will be a go to in the future
Meghan says
This recipe is excellent! I used TJ’s frozen cauliflower rice and prepared according to the package directions then skipped to step 5 (like you recommended below). We loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Meghan, So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for the lovely review!
Alimp says
I really enjoyed this. First time making cauliflower rice and even my 2 year old ate some( he’s an absolute fusspot). My husband who is big on meat went back for seconds. Will be adding this to the rotation for our meat free days as trying to eat less meat and more fruit and veg. Thank you so much. Xx
Thanks so much for the lovely review! We are so glad everyone enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Anne says
How do you adapt this with frozen cauliflower rice?
I’d recommend preparing the frozen cauliflower according to the directions on package, and then hop to step 5!
julie says
This was a wonderful recipe that the whole family enjoyed!
Woot woot! Glad to hear it, Julie!
Peter Russell says
I love to cook rice and add raw zuccinni for last 10 minutes of cook time , then add shrimp for last five minutes ,(pluss seasonings, ie: garlic, crushed red pepper, italian herbs), what would be the best way to sub cauliflower to maintain same texture?
ToniAnn says
I was looking for a recipe to go with what I had on hand and this was the closest thing so I gave it a try. It was delicious!! I didn’t have any cauliflower so I used tri-color quinoa instead. I also had some grape tomatoes that needed using up so I added them to the quinoa as well. I served it with homemade guacamole and it was fabulous!! The blend of seasonings worked really well and my family ate it up!!
I am looking forward to making this with the cauliflower, it’s a GREAT idea!!
Thank you Dana
Ami says
So this is my new favorite thing! So delicious and healthy.
mary wynn says
How do you do this if using frozen cauliflower rice?
Becky says
Sooooooo delicious!!! Made this tonight!!! This is the 6th recipe I’ve made of yours in the last 8 days!!! Each one has been superb with amazing flavor profiles!!! Who knew vegan food could taste so good???? My whole family (only 2 of us are vegan, one is vegetarian, and two are meat eaters) loves every meal I’ve made!!! Thank you soooo much!!!! I was getting bored cooking lately as a relatively new vegan-though vegetarian for 4 years. I am so inspired to cook again!!!! Thank YOU!!!!
Jessi says
This was my first time trying anything with cauliflower rice, and this was a very rewarding first experience! The grating was a little annoying, but that’s more because I hate grating things than anything else. ;) This was really tasty and very easy to make, I will be recommending this to a lot of people!
Genevieve says
Brilliant!!! Simple and yet so good. I started from scratch witht the black beans and it was very flavourful. Thank you!!
Chalene says
This was just what I wanted!! So good and very guilt free. Thank you!
Maren says
I have never left a review for a recipe I’ve found online before, but this was amazing. So flavorful and so healthy. Fantastic! Will definitely be an often repeat in our house. Thank you so much!
Linda says
This was a delicious meal all on it’s own…we added baked chicken. Delish and satisfying after an all day hike. Easy to make. Had all the ingredients in the fridge. Thank you for putting it together in a yummy way!
Linda says
This was a delicious meal all on it’s own…we added baked chicken. Delish and satisfying after an all day hike. Easy to make. Had all the ingredients in the fridge. Thank you for putting it together in a yummy way!
Lesley says
Tasty! Thanks for sharing!
Clara says
Oh my this is good! Had it with homemade salsa and as I’m not vegan added feta, simply delicious! Please keep the great recipes coming :)
Maggie says
I’m eating this right now and I like… will have exercise powerful self-control to not eat the rest tonight. It’s awesome.
Some things I did: didn’t drain the beans at all, subbed parsley in for cilantro (I’m one of those people who it tastes soapy to), and grated the cauliflower right unto a kitchen towel, then twisted and rang it out. Worked great. :)
Thanks for your amazing recipes!!
Kristina says
This was such a delicious and versatile dish! I made it 2x this week and everyone who tried it…LOVED IT!
I also did some experimenting of my own…
…burrito bowls
…burritos…
…even vegan nachos…
I just added flax tortilla chips (Trader Joes), poured salsa over it and made Laura Miller’s recipe for “Vegan Taco Meat” and it came out phenomenal!
Thanks for sharing! =)
Amy says
YES! Thank you, Dana! A delicious burrito bowl without all the rice! It’s a new house favorite. And – what? – Trader Joe’s has bags of already riced cauliflower to make my life easier? Really good stuff. Yum.
Sylvia says
I made this for dinner tonight. It turned out great. It was the first cauliflower rice recipe I’ve made – and the first minimalist baker recipe as well. Your site is such a gift. Thank-you for sharing!
Marissa says
The cauliflower did take a while to grate, but I’d say it’s worth the effort. This dish is delicious! I think you’re slowly turning our family vegan.
Janice Landry says
I used my food processor… it comes out perfectly. The blade and grater at the same time.
Valencia @ Life of a Vegaholic says
I LOVE cauliflower, so when I saw “Cauliflower” my heart instantly became happy. Haha! I’m excited to try this bowl out.
Lauren says
This recipe is amazing! It’s easy to make, super flavorful, and surprisingly very filling. This will be a go to recipe for my husband and I on nights we don’t feel like spending a lot of time cooking!
Cathy says
I made this last night, but it took me 45 minutes just to grate all the cauliflower and let it dry! However, we were so pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture! Because we are not Vegan, I added shredded chicken and wrapped it all up in a tortilla for my husband. It was more like a fajita than a burrito. I put mine in a bowl and added a little sour cream. I was full and satisfied! I’m not a huge fan of salsa. I wonder if green salsa would be better.
Silvia says
My boyfriend refuses to get on the cauliflower rice bandwagon. Can I use regular rice or quinoa instead of cauliflower rice? How would I modify the recipe/directions to do so?
Kat Rosa Olwen says
This looks amazing!
Junie says
This was absolutely delicious! Especially the cauliflower rice – I’m now a believer!
Veronica L says
I just tried it and it was amazing! My mom (a meat eater)loved it too. I did not have any avocados ready to make guacamole but my mom added sour cream to her bowl and said it was a great topping! Thank you for the great recipe! I’m also doing your Coconut berry muffins later tonight and I can’t wait to try them :-)
Melanie says
This was the first time we’ve tried cauliflower rice. It was so good! And it came together so quickly! We thought it went excellently with guacamole and prickly pear margaritas.
We used red salsa for the rice, but next time I think we’ll try a green salsa, because I think that would make a great contrast with the beans.
Thanks for the delicious, quick dinner idea!
KJ | Omnomherbivore says
Oh lawd this looks GOOD!! I’ve been trying to use more of the Cauliflower subs in place of rice lately – so I’ll be pinning this awesome recipe for later :)
Anna says
Soooo delicious! This will likely become a weekly staple in out house. Kids and hubby devoured it! :)
Kelly says
This looks and sounds amazing, yum!
xx Kelly
Cassie says
Your love for Mexican food equates to my love for Indian and Thai food! I have them twice a week as well–even three times if I’m crazy, which ultimately I am, but anyways, I believe it’s a lot cheaper and healthier to make your own recipes at home. So I am totally with you on the bowl wagon–I can make curry bowls, sushi bowls, burrito bowls, macrobowls and pretty much anything I wish at home! SO yummy!
Carrie Bowman says
Dana I have been secretly following your brilliance for almost a year and every recipe that I have made has been fool proof. I really appreciate that these are so well thought through and have so much flavor. I have found that being Vegan & gluten free for three years normally my recipes have more flavor in them than most but not with yours. My family and friends have been enjoying a recent double batch of your No refined sugar GF turtle brownies!! Looking forward to trying the Cauliflower rice burrito bowl we don’t eat grains very often so its right up our alley. Keep inspiring!!!
Thanks Carrie
SO kind! Thanks Carrie! xoxo
Emily @ Robust Recipes says
Yum looks fantastic! Love that you are using cauliflower rice here to keep those veggies coming! :)
Aleksandra says
Best time of the year to eat cauliflower too!
Izzy Bruning says
This looks so good!
Nancy says
Do you drain the beans before you warm them up?
Only slightly!
Nancy says
I made these last night and they were AMAZING – thank you for the inspiration!!
Carsten says
So the beans are not cooked in water? Just heated with spices?
Sarah | Well and Full says
I love that you made a burrito bowl with cauliflower rice! Healthy and delicious :)
Bella says
Oh my gosh this looks so yummy!!!