Vegetarian burrito bowls
Cilantro lime rice, cumin-spiced black beans, charred corn and all the toppings, better than the burrito place and easy to pack for lunches.
- 35 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $2.99 a serving
- 800 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- 2 limes, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 2 avocados, sliced
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
From your pantry
- 2½ cups water
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Each serving has about 800 calories, 32 g protein, 118 g carbs and 24 g fat, and costs about $2.99 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No long-grain white rice? Jasmine rice or basmati rice works.
- No black beans? Pinto beans or kidney beans work.
- No frozen corn? Canned corn works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
- No shredded lettuce? Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce works.
- No salsa? Pico de gallo works.
- No Mexican blend cheese? Shredded cheddar or cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese works.
- No avocados? Guacamole works.
- No plain Greek yogurt? Plain yogurt or sour cream works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the rice in a strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Put it in a medium with the water and ½ teaspoon salt and over high heat.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Dolly’s tip: Rinsing washes off the loose starch that makes rice gummy.Stir once, cover, turn the heat to low and cook 18 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered 5 minutes.
Low heatTimer: 18 min
Dolly’s tip: Don’t lift the lid. The trapped steam is what finishes the rice.Meanwhile, put the beans in a small with the oil, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and the rest of the salt.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Warm the beans over medium heat, stirring now and then, about 5 minutes, until hot. Mash a few with your spoon to make them creamy.
Medium heatTimer: 5 min
Heat a large dry over medium-high heat. Add the corn and leave it 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once, until some kernels are .
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Char. Charring means cooking over very high heat until some spots turn black. Those dark spots add a smoky, slightly bitter flavor that balances sweet or rich food.
How you’ll know: You see black spots and blisters in places, while most of the surface keeps its own color.
Medium-high heatTimer: 3 min 30 sec
Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the lime , lime juice and most of the cilantro.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Build the bowls: rice, beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, cheese, avocado and a spoonful of yogurt. Top with the rest of the cilantro and a lime wedge.
Dolly’s tip: Packing them for later? Keep the lettuce, avocado and yogurt separate and add them just before eating.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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