Skip the takeout and try this homemade burrito bowl instead! Layered with cilantro lime rice, beans and cheese, this quick and easy burrito bowl recipe is easily customized to your taste.

Homemade Burrito Bowl

I’m not sure if I mentioned it before, but my husband is in the Air Force and we’re stationed in Japan. I absolutely love it, but there are definitely a few things we miss from back home that we can’t get here.

Inevitably, conversation among friends always turns to food. Most everyone is crazy about Chipotle and their brand of Mexican food. We’re crazy about Mexican food in general and eat it at least once a week.

My favorite thing to order from Chipotle is their burrito bowl, which they popularized. It’s such an easy recipe to scale back for one person, or multiply for more.

This recipe is not a Chipotle copycat, but a template for you to create your own burrito rice bowls. It’s like a burrito, except it’s layered on a bed of rice with meat, beans, cheese and taco toppings.

Making them at home is just as easy and delicious. And did I mention how healthy they can be with wholesome ingredients? We’re definitely eating cleaner after the holiday binge!

There’s a lot of room for creativity here. You can do more or less than what I’ve suggested—there are no rules! I prefer to build my homemade burrito bowl based on the leftovers I have in the refrigerator.

We always have rice on hand, so I decided to jazz up the leftovers with lime juice and minced cilantro. Plain rice, brown rice or even quinoa works just as well.

This time I had leftover beef roast on hand which I shredded for protein. For Christmas I made roast pork and the leftovers went in the freezer for a quick topping at a later time. My husband’s favorite topping is grilled chicken taco meat, but you could totally go Meatless Monday with this too.

For the beans, pinto or black beans are popular choices. I like to spice mine up a little, but again, if you want to use plain beans the choice is up to you.

If you’re using salsa, cheese and other toppings, you probably won’t taste the difference. Love how quick and easy these are to throw together with such flavorful results!

Other favorite toppings for your homemade burrito bowl:

• Avocado
• Tomatoes
• Sour cream
• Corn
• Guacamole
• Pickled jalapeños
• Diced bell pepper
• Pico de gallo
• Guajillo chile salsa
• Lime wedges
• Shredded lettuce or red cabbage
• Machaca (Tex-Mex shredded beef)
• Carne Asada
• Fajita veggies—sautéed onions and bell peppers
• Cheddar cheese or queso fresco
• Roasted zucchini, butternut squash or sweet potatoes

Pin this to your lunch or dinner board!

Homemade Burrito Bowl

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Skip the takeout and try this homemade burrito bowl instead! Layered with cilantro lime rice, beans and cheese, this quick and easy burrito bowl recipe is easily customized to your taste.

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Ingredients

For the rice:

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the beans:

• 1 can pinto or black beans (do not drain)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings:

• 1 cup shredded cooked beef
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/2 small bell pepper, diced
• 1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
• Other taco toppings, as desired

Instructions

For the rice:

1. In a bowl, combine the cooked rice, lime juice and cilantro and salt. This can be served hot or room temperature.

For the beans:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the beans, cumin, garlic powder and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Lay out two serving bowl. Place layer 1 cup of rice along with 1/2 cup beans in each bowl. Divide the remaining toppings (meat, cheese, avocado, bell pepper and corn) among the two bowls.