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    Home » Recipe Index » Vegetarian Dishes

    Vegetarian Burrito Bowl for one

    July 16, 2023 By Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD 30 Minute Meals, Easy Recipes, Entrees, One Pot/One Pan Meals, Pantry Dinners, Prep Ahead Meals, Recipe Index, Vegetarian Dishes

    Jump to Recipe
    vegetarian burrito bowl recipe with queso in a bowl with other ingredients on a table
    vegetarian burrito bowl with salsa and jalapenos on top with text overlay

    This easy vegetarian burrito bowl for one is the perfect super quick dinner recipe. You can throw it together in 5-10 minutes, using ingredients you already have in your pantry, with good salsa, it's packed with flavor and doesn't taste thrown together.

    vegetarian burrito bowl recipe in a bowl

    [This vegetarian burrito bowl recipe was originally posted in December 2018. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]

    Table of contents

    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage/Reheating Tips
    • Substitutions/Tips
    • FAQ
    • Other good vegetarian recipes
    • Repurpose your bowl
    • What to do with leftover ingredients

    This vegetarian burrito bowl recipe is the perfect throw together meal for nights you didn't plan dinner and don't want to grab anything out. Just keep delicious salsa around and you'll have a delicious 10 minute dinner.

    I love this easy burrito bowl because I can swap whatever ingredients I already have in the kitchen. Just follow the template below for a satisfying, tasty bowl. Make it like a Chipotle burrito bowl or like a whatever's in your fridge bowl.

    Burrito Bowl Template

    1. Grain: I like adding rice, but you can enjoy a pan fried tortilla to your veggie burrito bowl. Add plain rice or make cilantro lime rice. Both are great.
    2. Protein: Black beans or pinto beans make for a super easy, fiber filled addition to your vegetarian burrito bowl. You can add grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or pulled pork to your bowl too.
    3. Seasoning
    4. Vegetables: Use what you have on hand: lettuce/greens, thinly sliced and sauteed zucchini, red bell pepper, or mushrooms. Fresh or Spicy Pickled Onions, spicy carrots, corn, sliced tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc.
    5. Salsa: Use your favorite. I like to make a recipe and freeze it in an ice cube tray to easily grab for later
    6. Cheese: Add some shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, cotija cheese, or monterey jack cheese. Or if you have, or want to make Queso, go for it! Or add whatever you like best.
    7. Sauce (optional): If you have a favorite sauce, or even ranch, feel free to add it to this salad. Use what you have, to use it up! I'd add sour cream and lime juice to this category, a quick squeeze of lime over your vegetarian burrito bowl is delicious.

    Again, this vegetarian burrito bowl is a great clear the fridge meal. Use what you have on hand and experiment with different additions.

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the vegetarian burrito bowl recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.

    vegetarian burrito bowl ingredients on baking sheet, with labels
    • Black beans: I like just adding some black beans, or even pinto beans. They're staples in my Pantry. Add additional protein, if desired.
    • Oregano: A sprinkle of oregano adds lots of flavor to your plain beans.
    • Cumin: Adds a savory, nutty, earthy flavor to your beans.
    • Cooked rice: Use your favorite kind of rice, or even a tortilla to enjoy with your vegetarian burrito bowl. You can make cilantro lime rice as well.
    • Vegetables: Add whatever you have. See vegetable list above for suggestions.
    • Cheese: Premade queso (from the store or homemade), cheddar cheese, monterey jack or pepper jack, or cotija. Etc.
    • Salsa: Top with your favorite salsa.
    • Lime: A quick squeeze of lime juice over the rice or whole bowl adds lots of bright, citrusy flavor.

    Instructions

    Scroll down to the vegetarian burrito bowl recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.

    bowl of black beans with ingredients surrounding it

    1.Mix black beans with cumin, oregano, and salt in a small bowl.

    white rice, sliced zucchini, black beans in bowl

    2. Add cooked rice, bean mixture, and veggies to bowl.

    colorful vegetables, black beans over rice in a bowl

    3. Top with cheese, salsa, and other toppings. 

    Use whatever vegetables/sauces/proteins that you have on hand. There are so many variations of a good vegetarian burrito bowl.

    Storage/Reheating Tips

    Store vegetarian burrito bowl ingredients separately, in air tight containers. Assemble prior to eating, or ahead of time to take to work. Add salsa and sauces just before enjoying. Store for about a week in the fridge.

    Substitutions/Tips

    • Use whatever beans and veggies you have on hand (pinto beans, zucchini, cooked sweet potatoes, avocado, tomatoes, etc).
    • You can also use minute rice or frozen rice.
    • Make your vegetarian burrito bowl a vegan burrito bowl by swapping cheese for vegan cheese (or not adding cheese) and skipping the other protein options.
    • Other great add-ins: tortilla strips, sliced tomatoes, seasoned corn, grilled chicken, peppers or chiles, hot sauce, etc.

    FAQ

    What does a veggie bowl have?

    Most vegetarian bowls have a grain, protein, vegetables, and other toppings. Choose a flavor group and stick to that with toppings/sauces. This vegetarian burrito bowl has simple flavored beans, rice and lots of vegetables/toppings.

    How to make vegan burrito bowl?

    Add plant based protein (beans are easy!), rice, vegetables, and vegan cheese (or skip it), make sure to top your bowl with your favorite salsa, cilantro, and lime for added flavor.

    vegetarian burrito bowl recipe with queso in a bowl with other ingredients on a table

    Other good vegetarian recipes

    • Refried Bean Tacos
    • Protein (tofu) Mac & Cheese
    • Sticky Tofu for One
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans and Rice
    • Italian Beans for One

    Repurpose your bowl

    • Add pulled pork or another kind of meat that you have on hand.
    • Serve as tacos
    • Make leftover vegetarian burrito bowl ingredients into a taco salad
    • Fill burrito sized tortilla with all the ingredients.

    What to do with leftover ingredients

    When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.

    • Black Beans: black bean tacos, huevos rancheros, black bean taco pasta
    • Lime: pomegranate lime spritzer, coconut green lentil curry.
    • Rice: stuffed squash with ground beef & rice, beef & broccoli, chicken & broccoli casserole, easy beef bulgogi, or this warm harvest bowl.
    • Veggies: oh the options are endless. veggie quesadilla, microwave egg bowl, or these freezer breakfast sandwiches.

    Did you make this vegetarian burrito bowl? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!

    square image of burrito bowl with veggies on top

    Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

    This easy vegetarian burrito bowl is the perfect super quick dinner recipe. You can throw it together in 5-10 minutes, using ingredients you already have in your pantry, with good salsa, it's packed with flavor and doesn't taste thrown together.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 person
    Author: Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN

    Equipment

    • Small Saucepan
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • cutting board
    • knife

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup black beans drained
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup cooked rice
    • ½-1 cup vegetables see notes for vegetable options
    • ¼ cup cheese or queso (see notes for queso recipe)
    • ¼ cup fresh salsa
    • ¼ lime

    Instructions

    • Mix ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ cup black beans in a small bowl.
    • Add 1 cup cooked rice, ½ cup bean mixture, ½ cup sliced veggies, ¼ cup shredded cheese or queso, and ¼ cup salsa to bowl. Serve with lime wedge and tortilla chips if desired. 

    Notes

    • Queso Sauce Recipe
    • Use whatever beans and veggies you have on hand (pinto beans, zucchini, cooked sweet potatoes, avocado, tomatoes, etc).
    • You can also use minute rice or frozen rice.
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    Want to get more single serving recipes like this vegetarian burrito bowl delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Single Serving Cookbook.

    Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started. 

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    About Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD

    Welcome! I’m Rebecca, a food loving dietitian who has been cooking for one for over 10 years. On Nourish Nutrition, you’ll find real, quick, and nourishing recipes for one that'll get you to want to cook for yourself, because you deserve it.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paul says

      January 13, 2025 at 12:54 pm

      I'm not big on rice. Lately in dishes that would call for rice I've been using cauliflower rice. Would cauliflower rice work in this dish?

      Reply
      • Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says

        January 27, 2025 at 10:38 am

        yes of course, you may want to add some sort of carb or something else to add more energy to it if it's not filling enough

        Reply
    2. Katherine says

      April 21, 2020 at 7:58 am

      5 stars
      What a stunning veggie burrito bowl recipe. And that queso takes it to the next level. Love it.

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 21, 2020 at 1:08 pm

        thanks! the queso is a game changer

        Reply
    3. Beth says

      April 21, 2020 at 7:57 am

      5 stars
      This is such easy dinner or lunch! I've made it several times and just changed the ingredients around again and it is so good!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 21, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        ya! it's so versatile, that's my favorite part!

        Reply
    4. Pam says

      April 21, 2020 at 7:44 am

      5 stars
      I love recipes that are easy to customize according to my family's taste or what I have in my kitchen. Oh, and queso! Anything is better with queso 🙂

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 21, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        same here! they're the best

        Reply
    5. Veena Azmanov says

      April 21, 2020 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      Sounds like a Bowl of health and quick Dinner option. Love the combination to this Yummy Vegetarian Burrito Bowl.

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 21, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        ya it's great because it's so easy

        Reply
    6. Anna says

      April 21, 2020 at 6:55 am

      5 stars
      I love quick and nourishing bowls like that! Everything looks so fresh and so healthy, just the way I like it!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 21, 2020 at 6:57 am

        thanks!

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    Hi I'm Rebecca

    I'm a registered dietitian and solo cook. I'm here to help you make cooking for one easier and more fun!

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