Quinoa Burrito Bowl Recipe

Urvashee Patel | Dessarts

Quinoa burrito bowls are a unique twist on the Tex-Mex staple. We think you'll love the added protein and flavor.

Quinoa Burrito Bowl Photo

Most fast food places were never that appealing to me growing up mostly because there were few vegetarian options. If there was one place I did crave food from, it was Taco Bell. Almost anything there could be made minus the meat and still be somewhat of a meal.

Over the years, I started to prefer the somewhat fresher approach of Qdoba and now Chipotle. I called it palate development but the husband called it food snobbery. It doesn’t matter anymore because we’ve both changed our diet habits in search of healthier food. If we do choose to eat fast food, we usually opt for a Chipotle. We love their burrito bowl option because we can see and control exactly what and how much of each ingredient goes into it.

Recently I’ve been making burrito bowls at home, but I decided to change it up a bit. I replaced the starchy rice with some protein packed quinoa. I used red quinoa for this recipe. It has a slightly earthier taste and doesn’t get as mushy after cooking. Since this is more like a salad, the looser red quinoa works much better for texture.

Quinoa Burrito Bowl Picture

Quinoa does not have a very strong flavor on its own so I usually cook it in vegetable broth instead of water. You can actually make it have whatever flavors you want. In this case, I used water but added ground cumin into it before cooking and then tossed it with fresh cilantro.

If I could, I would have eaten this burrito bowl topped with some avocado slices in place of the cheese. Sadly, I think I may have developed an avocado allergy. If you love them as much as I do, I think it would make an excellent addition.  

So if you like burrito bowls, check out the recipe below. For more Mexican inspired flavor, you can also try this vegetarian corn soup recipe. For another healthy quinoa recipe, you might also want to try this Greek quinoa salad recipe.

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Quinoa Burrito Bowl Recipe

    4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Black Beans, canned or cooked
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup Quinoa, red
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon Canola Oil
  • 1 Zucchini Squash, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Frozen Corn, frozen
  • 1 cup Bell Peppers, yellow or red, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1 cup Baby Spinach, chopped
salsa:
  • 1 1/2 cups Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Scallion, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
garnish:
  • Colby Jack Cheese, optional
  • Avocado, optional

Directions

  1. Rinse the beans (if canned) and mix in 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, all spice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Salt to taste and set aside.
  2. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve to remove the bitterness. Combine the quinoa, 1 1/2 cup water, salt, and remaining cumin to a pot and bring to a boil.
  3. Set the pot to the lowest heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let it stand covered for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, mix in the cilantro and set aside.
  4. Heat the oil over medium to low heat in a large skillet. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn.
  5. Add the bell peppers, zucchini and corn and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Mix in the chili powder, salt to taste.
  6. Cook for another minute and set aside.
  7. Combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a large bowl and set aside.
  8. To assemble the burrito bowl, layer the quinoa, beans, vegetables, spinach and salsa in a large bowl or deep dish.
  9. Top with cheese and/or diced avocado if desired.

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Published:
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Cooking Method:
Sauteed
Category:
Vegetables
Tags:
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Related Recipes:
Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetable Recipes, Quinoa Salad Recipes, Quinoa Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Sauteed Recipes
Recipe Yields:
4 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Urvashee Patel
Recipe Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 28
Calories 287

% Daily Value*
5%
Total Fat 3g
2%
  Saturated Fat 0g
28%
Sodium 674mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate 49g
14%
  Dietary Fiber 11g
  Sugars 5g
23%
Protein 11g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Urvashee Patel

About Urvashee

Urvashee blogs about delectable desserts on her blog, Dessarts. Lucky for us, she's sharing her delectable vegetarian dishes too as a Vegetarian Fanatic.

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