Almost-No-Cook Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

we're just cooking rice!

Hey peeps, I’ve been thinking, sometimes you need a recipe that TASTES like you cooked but actually requires no cooking.

This burrito bowl is it! Brown rice, black beans, and a ton of veggies, plus avocado, Monterey jack, and chipotle mayo for some delicious flavor (you can whiz half a can of chipotles in adobo, a cup of mayo, and some salt together in your food processor, or just buy a jar of chipotle salad dressing!)

This meal is gluten-free and also very easy to turn into a dairy-free meal (just get dairy-free cheese). And did you know that rice + black beans gives you a complete protein source? Along with the avocado, this meal is well balanced and has lots of veggies, protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

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(Almost) No-Cook Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
Serves: 6
Total time: 10 minutes to prep, plus about 1 hr to cook the rice

For Dietary Restrictions

• Gluten free: this dish is gluten-free

• Dairy free: use dairy-free cheese

Kids Can Help

Wash the veggies, open and rinse the canned beans, measure the ingredients for the rice

Ingredients

For the burrito bowls:

• 1 head of romaine lettuce

• 2 15 oz cans of black beans

• 1/2 bunch of green onions

• 1 bunch of cilantro

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

• 1 10 oz bag of tortilla chips

• 1 8 oz bag of shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 2 avocados

• 6-7 cups of cooked brown rice (recipe below)

• chipotle mayo (recipe below) or store-bought chipotle ranch dressing

For the rice: (makes 6-7 cups — enough for 1 cup per serving)

• 2 cups of brown rice

• 3 cups of water

• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the chipotle mayo:

• 2-3 chipotles (from a 7 oz can of chipotles in adobo sauce) plus 1 Tbsp sauce

• 1 cup of mayonnaise

• 1/2 tsp salt

Tools

• Cutting board

• Chef knife

• Rice cooker or medium-sized pot with lid

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Food processor or immersion blender

• Colander

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Directions

Step 1

Make the rice: in a medium-sized pot with a lid or in a rice cooker, combine 2 cups of rice, 3 cups of water, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately cover and lower heat to the lowest setting. Simmer until fully cooked, about 45-50 minutes (towards the end, check for doneness every 5 minutes; once the water has all evaporated, cover and turn off heat; set aside until ready to serve.

Step 2

Make the chipotle mayo: using a food processor or immersion blender, combine 2-3 chipotles and 1 Tbsp of the adobo sauce with 1 cup of mayo and 1/2 tsp salt. (If using an immersion blender, blend in a tall, narrow cup to avoid splattering. You don’t want this stuff in your eyes!)

Step 3

Wash and prepare the produce; finely chop the cilantro and green onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, and chop the lettuce. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and cut slices into the avocado while still in the shell. (Scoop out when ready to serve.)

Step 4

Open the cans of black beans and pour into a colander; drain, rinse, and drain again.

Step 5

Assemble the burrito bowls:
1 bowl = 1 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup of black beans, 1/3 cup of shredded cheese, 1/3 of an avocado, and desired veggie toppings. Add a handful of crunched up tortilla chips if desired.
For little ones, I recommend serving black beans, brown rice, tomatoes (cut into 1/4ths), avocado, and cheese. (Noah loves green onions, too, but he’s a silly one!)