Description

These customizable burrito bowls feature cilantro lime rice topped with your choice of protein, seasoned beans, sautéed fajita vegetables, fresh salsa, creamy guacamole, and all your favorite toppings. Perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or anyone who loves fresh, flavorful Tex-Mex comfort food.

Ingredients

For the Base (choose one):

3 cups cilantro lime rice (highly recommended!)
Or cooked white rice, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or broccoli rice

For the Protein (choose one or mix):

1 recipe tofu sofritas
Or cooked chicken, steak, shrimp, or carnitas

For the Beans:

2 cups cooked black beans or pinto beans (canned works great—just rinse and warm them up)

For the Veggies (choose your style):

1 recipe fajita veggies (peppers and onions cooked with garlic, cumin, and chili powder)
Or go fresh: cherry tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, and corn

For the Salsa:

Pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa verde, fresh tomato salsa, or corn salsa (store-bought is totally fine!)

For the Creaminess:

Homemade guacamole or sliced avocados

Optional Toppings (the fun part!):

Pickled red onions
Pickled jalapeños
Sour cream or vegan sour cream
Cotija, feta, or shredded cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro leaves
Cilantro lime dressing

For Serving:

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lime wedges (don’t skip these!)

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Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Components

Start by making your chosen grain, protein, beans, veggies, salsa, and guacamole. You can tackle everything at once on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or spread it out during the week. There’s no wrong way to do this.

Step 2: Build Your Rice Base

Divide the rice among four bowls, creating a nice sturdy foundation. Don’t pack it down—keep it fluffy and welcoming for all those toppings.

Step 3: Add Protein and Beans

Nestle your protein and beans right into the rice. Warm everything up first so your bowl isn’t a mix of hot and cold. Nobody wants a lukewarm burrito bowl.

Step 4: Layer on the Veggies

Add your fajita veggies or fresh vegetables in their own little section. I like to arrange everything so you can see all the pretty colors.

Step 5: Spoon on Salsa and Guacamole

Add generous scoops of salsa and guacamole. Don’t be shy here. These are the flavor boosters that make every bite sing.

Step 6: Sprinkle Your Favorite Toppings

This is where everyone gets to customize. Pass around the pickled onions, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and whatever else your heart desires. Let everyone build their dream bowl.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

Give each bowl a good pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Grab those lime wedges and give everything a big, generous squeeze of fresh lime juice right before digging in. That bright citrus pulls the whole bowl together.

Notes

Don’t overcook your fajita veggies. You want them tender with a little char, not mushy. High heat and quick cooking is the way to go.

For the absolute best cilantro lime rice, add the lime juice and cilantro while the rice is still warm. It soaks up all that brightness and flavor like a sponge.

If someone in your house hates cilantro (we all know one of those people), make half the rice plain and half with cilantro. Problem solved.

Prep Time: 15-30 minutes
Cook Time: 15-30 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Assembly, Stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican