Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Grilled Vegetables

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.

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

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.

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.

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.