Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Grilled Vegetables

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As much as I love the tortilla that wraps a full burrito, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, so sometimes I just skip it all together. This vegetarian burrito bowl is packed with grilled vegetables, cilantro lime rice, black beans and grape tomato pico de gallo. It’s topped with a dollop of avocado crema.

Easy grilled vegetarian burrito with peppers, zucchini and squash.

Why You Need This Recipe

Each component is a star. There is so much flavor and variety going on in these bowls:

  • The vegetables are marinated in blend of spices that you probably already have in your pantry. They add a touch of heat, but nothing is too overpowering especially with everything else in the bowl.
  • Adding fresh lime juice, garlic and lots of cilantro to brown rice transforms those grains and balances out the spices. Also, this cilantro lime rice is gluten-free.
  • The pico de gallo is special because it’s made with halved grape tomatoes rather than diced tomatoes. Less cutting and those chunky bites don’t get lost in the grilled vegetables.
  • The avocado crèma is made with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. If you want to make these vegan burrito bowls, use a plant-based yogurt.

Despite the length of the ingredient list, this recipe is easy. Also, remember you end up with a full meal that doesn’t require any salads or sides once it’s complete. Tortilla chips on the side are optional.

Get all your veggies and more nutrition. This recipe is loaded with vegetables and also includes protein from the black beans and whole grains from the brown rice. It relies on dried spices and fresh herbs for flavor and personality.

The Ingredients

Ingredients including zucchini, squash, peppers, corn, spices, limes, cilantro, rice and more.

This is what you need. The list may look long, but there are some repeated items such as lime juice and cilantro.

Cilantro Lime Rice:

  • Brown rice
  • Lime juice
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Salt & pepper

Pico de Gallo:

  • Grape tomatoes
  • Red onions
  • Jalapenos
  • Lime juice
  • Cilantro
  • Salt & pepper

Avocado Crema:

  • Avocado
  • Greek yogurt
  • Lime juice
  • Salt & pepper

Grilled Vegetables:

  • Zucchini & yellow squash
  • Bell peppers: Red, orange or yellow
  • Corn
  • Spices: Cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, salt & pepper

How To Make A Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

1. Make the rice. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the grains are tender, about 30-35 minutes. Then stir in the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

2. Make the pico de gallo. In a small bowl, stir the tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper

Cilantro lime rice in a small pot; pico de gallo in a small bowl.

3. Make the avocado crema. Puree the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, water, cilantro, salt and pepper in a food processor.

4. Combine the olive oil and spices including cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

5. Marinate the vegetables in the olive oil spice mixture. You can coat them and then grill the veggies immediately.

6. Grill the zucchini, squash, peppers and corn until they are charred at the edges and have grill marks.

Marinated vegetables on a sheet pan; vegetables on the grates of the grill.

7. Cut the grilled vegetables. Dice the zucchini and squash. Slice the peppers into thin strips and cut the corn off the cobs.

8. Assemble the burrito bowls. You can spoon a little bit of everything into the bowls keeping the components in their own “categories.” This will give you that rainbow look. Add a spoon of avocado crema on top and chopped cilantro. Include a lime wedge in each bowl.

Cut grilled vegetables on a sheet pan; assembled burrito bowl.

Make Ahead Tips

I know you are probably thinking this recipe has a lot of components. Just to say, they are all worth it, and none of them are that much work. But here are a few make ahead suggestions:

Cilantro lime rice: Cook the brown rice up to a day in advance, but wait to add the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper until right before you’re about to assemble the bowls. The rice should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and you can warm it in the microwave.

Pico de gallo: Go ahead and make the pico de gallo up to 2 days ahead of time. This actually gives the flavors time to develop. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Then let it sit out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, so it’s not as cold as when you first take it out of the refrigerator.

Avocado crema: You can also make the crema 2 days in advance. Keep it in a jar or another container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.

No Grill? You Can Roast The Vegetables!

If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, you can cook these vegetables on a grill pan on the stove. (Here is a tutorial on how to grill veggies on a stove top grill pan.)

And if grilling is not an option at all, you can roast the vegetables in the oven. Here’s how:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Dice the zucchini and squash and cut the peppers into thin strips. Slice the kernels off the ears of corn.
  3. Toss the veggies in the oil and spices.
  4. Spread the vegetables across 2 sheet pans. They should be in a single layer and not overlapping.
  5. Roast the vegetables for 25-30 minutes until they are browned at the edges.
Assembled grilled veggie burrito bowl with squash, zucchini, peppers, black beans and pico de gallo.

Serving

These bowls are pretty big and filling on their own. If you are looking for a protein in addition to the beans, you can add grilled chicken or shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken. It is also optional if you want to sprinkle on a shredded Mexican cheese blend.

If you want to go more salad with your burrito bowl, add lots of chopped romaine lettuce. This will likely stretch the recipe into more meals assuming the greens will replace some of the other ingredients when you serve it. Use juices from the bottom of the bowl of the pico de gallo as dressing.

For something on the side, you can serve the bowls with tortilla chips and salsa and/or guacamole.

Leftovers

This is a great recipe for a family dinner or for meal prep. Divide it into containers and have it for a week of work lunches. You can eat it cold or warm it in the microwave. If you do decide to warm it, wait to add the avocado crema until after it is reheated.

More Tex-Mex Recipes

Veggie Fajita Bowls
Sheet Pan Nachos
Slow Cooker Tortilla Lentil Soup
Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas
Baked Mushroom Kale Quesadillas
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Pico de Gallo

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Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

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Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 4
This vegetarian burrito bowl is packed with grilled zucchini, squash, peppers and corn plus black beans, pico de gallo, cilantro lime rice and avocado crema.

Ingredients 

For rice

  • 1 cup long grain brown rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For pico de gallo

  • 1-1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For avocado crema

  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For vegetables

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 3-inch wide strips
  • 2 ears corn

For serving

  • 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges

Instructions 

  • For rice: In a small saucepan, bring the rice and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir in the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • For pico de gallo: Combine the tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
  • For avocado crema: Combine the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, water, cilantro, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.
  • For grilled vegetables: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill on medium high heat.
  • Stir together the olive oil, cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.
  • Coat the zucchini, squash, peppers and corn in the olive oil-spice mixture.
  • Grill the vegetables until they have grill marks all over, about 5-7 minutes for the corn, turning occasionally, about 3-4 minutes per side for the zucchini and squash and about 2-3 minutes per side for the peppers.
  • Let the veggies cool for a few minutes. Dice the zucchini and squash. Cut the peppers into thin slices and slice the corn kernels off the cobs.
  • To assemble the burrito bowls, spoon the grilled vegetables, rice, pico de gallo and black beans into individual bowls. Top with avocado crema, chopped cilantro and a lime wedge.

Notes

  • You can cook the brown rice up to a day in advance. The rice should be stored in the fridge and rewarmed as desired in the microwave. Wait to add the lime juice, garlic and cilantro until right before you’re about to assemble the bowls. 
  • The pico de gallo and avocado crema can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept separate containers in the refrigerator.
  • Optional shortcuts: Even though I always recommend homemade, you can use salsa or store-bought pico de gallo and guacamole instead of making your own pico de gallo and avocado crema.
  • You can also serve these bowls with tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1383mg | Potassium: 1265mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 3320IU | Vitamin C: 143mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
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Hi, I'm Paige.

Welcome to Last Ingredient where you will find simple seasonal recipes with plenty of fruits and vegetables, all for the home cook.

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