Brown Rice Burrito Bowl (Printable Version)

Satisfying bowl with brown rice, spiced black beans, fresh vegetables, cheese, and sour cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Beans

04 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
10 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
11 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
14 - 1 avocado, sliced
15 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy & Toppings

16 - 1/2 cup queso fresco or shredded cheddar cheese
17 - 1/2 cup sour cream
18 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine black beans, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat through for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Dice peppers, halve tomatoes, dice onion, and slice avocado. If using fresh corn, steam or grill briefly as desired.
04 - Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top each with black beans, bell peppers, corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado slices.
05 - Sprinkle queso fresco or cheddar cheese, add a dollop of sour cream, and garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a build-your-own-adventure kind of meal where you can swap vegetables based on what's in your crisper drawer without ruining anything.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, including the rice, so weeknight stress melts away faster than the cheese.
  • You get to taste four different flavor profiles in one bowl without feeling like you're overcomplicating dinner.
02 -
  • Brown rice takes longer than white rice, and there's no rushing it—try to cheat on time and you'll end up with crunchy disappointment in the center of each grain.
  • The sour cream and lime are not optional; they're the acid and cool notes that stop this bowl from tasting heavy or one-dimensional despite all those layers.
03 -
  • Cook your rice the night before and store it in an airtight container; cold rice actually handles handling better and tastes just as good when warmed through gently.
  • Prep all your vegetables while the rice cooks so assembly becomes a five-minute final sprint rather than a chopping marathon when you're hungry.
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