Quinoa burrito bowls — yes please!
It’s Meatless Monday (or an early Taco Tuesday), and I’m all in on a meatless burrito bowl.
Usually I reach for something meaty — pulled pork or chicken are my go-tos — but when I make everything at home I try to make extra so we can stretch it through the week. Making burrito bowls from scratch sounds fantastic until you realize you need rice, beans, multiple salsas, pico, guacamole, fajita peppers, meat and everything else. It becomes a lot of chopping, pots and pans, and time. So I batch-cook: if I’m going to make everything, I make extra to use for lunches and another dinner later in the week.
When I want a vegetarian option for reheated lunches or a simple weekday dinner, this is what I make: quinoa as the base and chipotle-caramel roasted sweet potatoes on top. The sweet potatoes are adapted from a caramel roasted sweet potato concept, with a smoky chipotle twist. They caramelize beautifully and add a rich, slightly spicy-sweet element to the bowl. We roast these almost every week — they’re that good.
For the grain I used lime-cilantro quinoa instead of rice. Lately we’ve both been on a quinoa kick — it’s bright, fluffy and full of flavor when tossed with lime, zest and cilantro. I make a simple lime quinoa and finish it with a bit of coconut oil or butter for richness.
Other bowl components I love: a corn salsa reminiscent of Chipotle’s, both pinto and black beans (I almost always get both), quick guacamole, pickled red onions for brightness, sliced cherry tomatoes, shredded lettuce or radish for crunch, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. I also drizzle chipotle crema when I have it on hand and sprinkle queso fresco to finish. You don’t have to prepare every single component — use what’s convenient or premade — but stacking a few fresh homemade elements makes the bowl special.
These bowls are satisfying and filling, and they photograph nicely too. If you’re anything like me, generous tortilla chip scoops for the scoop-and-eat method are mandatory.
Caramel Chipotle Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls
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Ingredients
quick pickled onions
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
chipotle caramel sweet potatoes
- 2 sweet potatoes chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
cilantro lime quinoa
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1 cup low-sodium stock or water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
- 1 lime juiced and zested
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
quick guacamole
- 2 avocados
- 1/2 jalapeño seeded and diced
- 1/4 sweet onion diced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
for the burrito bowls:
- corn salsa
- pinto beans
- black beans
- sliced cherry tomatoes
- crumbled queso fresco
- thinly sliced radish
Instructions
quick pickled onions
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Place the sliced onions in a jar. Whisk warm water, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved, pour over the onions and let sit at room temperature for an hour. Store refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to a week.
chipotle caramel sweet potatoes
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Place sweet potato chunks in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with chipotle seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder and brown sugar so pieces are evenly coated.
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Roast for 20 minutes, gently flip and roast another 20 minutes until tender, caramelized and slightly charred in spots.
cilantro lime quinoa
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Add rinsed quinoa and stock (or water) to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Stir in coconut oil or butter, lime juice, zest, salt, pepper and cilantro.
quick guacamole
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Mash avocado in a bowl, then stir in diced jalapeño, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
burrito bowls
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Assemble bowls with quinoa on the bottom, then top with chipotle caramel sweet potatoes, black and pinto beans, corn salsa, tomatoes, guacamole, pickled onions, radish, cilantro and queso fresco. Finish with lime and chipotle crema if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Oh — and don’t forget the queso. It’s the perfect extra for dipping or topping.