I like a Chipotle burrito bowl as much as the next person, but if you try this delicious burrito bowl recipe with cauliflower rice, you'll never look back!
Happy Cinco de Mayo week! A.K.A. – the week that we indulge on margaritas, chips, salsa, guacamole, and tacos galore. Which pretty much looks like every week in Austin any day of the year, but I digress…
Over the years of posting here, I’ve come to learn that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated here in the U.S more than it is in Mexico. So with that in mind, I’m bringing you this delicious burrito bowl recipe that has nothing to do with authentic Mexican cuisine. I just can’t think of anything that represents America-mex as much as a burrito bowl, can you?
My Burrito Bowl
Everyone loves a Chipotle burrito bowl. If you try to tell me that you don’t, well… I don’t believe you. The combo of rice, beans, guacamole, fajita veggies, and salsa is an unbeatable one. This burrito bowl recipe is just as good, but it’s totally different. It’s a mean green version of a burrito bowl that uses cauliflower rice instead of regular rice, mango instead of tomato, and a ridiculously delicious creamy green chili sauce instead of sour cream or any kind of cheese element.
Burrito Bowl Components
- Cauliflower rice: Make it by pulsing cauliflower until it resembles the shape and texture of rice. If you have picky eaters in your household, try starting with a mix of 1/2 cauliflower rice to 1/2 regular rice. No one will know the difference!
- Black Beans: An essential burrito bowl component.
- Fajita Veggies: Instead of onions and bell peppers, I use a mix of leeks and poblano peppers.
- Diced Mango: I love this sweet pop of flavor, but feel free to use diced tomato for a more traditional burrito bowl.
- Diced Avocado: Or a scoop of guacamole, if you wish.
- Creamy Green Chile Sauce: This yummy sauce is a mixture of vegan cashew cream and green chiles. I promise that you’re going to drizzle it over every meal you eat for the rest of the week!
Burrito Bowl Variations
Here are a few ideas to change things up, as you like!
- Instead of leeks and poblanos, make a more traditional sauté of bell peppers and onions.
- In place of diced mango, used diced tomato or make mango salsa!
- Instead of the creamy green chili sauce, simply dollop scoops of guacamole onto your burrito bowl. Creamy chipotle sauce would also be delicious.
Enjoy!
Burrito Bowl Recipe with Cauliflower Rice
- 1 cup raw cashews*
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons canned mild green chiles
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 corn tortillas, sliced into strips
- 1 recipe Seasoned Cauliflower Rice
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts, rinsed well & sliced
- 2 poblano peppers, stem, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 ripe mangoes, cubed
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- lime wedges, for serving
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Make the cashew cream. In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lime juice, green chilis, cilantro, garlic, and salt. Blend until creamy.
- Make the burrito bowls. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tortilla strips on the baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the leeks and poblanos with generous pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until soft for 7 to 10 minutes, and then add the minced garlic and oregano. Stir, cook for 1 minute, then add a squeeze of lime and remove from heat.
- Assemble the burrito bowls with the cauliflower rice, poblano mixture, black beans, mango, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle with the cashew cream and top with the crispy tortilla strips. Serve with lime wedges and additional cashew cream.
This looks so healthy and delicious! I am making it my goal to start making incredible lunches like this from now on!
Cinco de Mayo is when the Mexicans defeated Napoleon’s forces. All the same, as a devotee of Mexican cuisine in a town with none, I am having Cinco de Mayo this year for two dozen French friends (it falls on a French holiday)–bygones are bygones as long as the food is good.
Yum yum!! Just the thing to entice my son into giving burritos bowls a try! One of his favorite places to eat is at Chipolte…I think I’ll start him on the rice instead of cauliflower rice thought 😉 Thank you for sharing. Love your blog!
thanks Danielle! This would be so delicious with regular rice, I hope he likes the bowls!
I just made a burrito bowl for lunch today and I was thinking, with all this rice it’s still kind-of carb heavy. This is the perfect solution. Thanks!
great minds think alike 🙂
Of course you’d come up with the ultimate burrito bowl! Absolutely love this version. Also So true what you say about Austin. I’m from the area and also went to UT, and I miss the Mexican food and how common tacos, salsa, tortillas, etc are in the culture of shops, restaurants and markets there. Gotta make it all myself here in Switzerland. 😉 So I always appreciate your recipe inspiration!
thanks Katie!!
I tried this recipe last night! I have to admit I was HIGHLY skeptical of the cauliflower rice, but I gave it a shot and it was fantastic! Filling and tasty and didn’t feel at all like I was depriving myself. My husband has already requested it again. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Hi Arielle – I’m so glad to hear that it was a hit!
This looks sooo good! I heard so much about cauliflower rice but i’ve never tried it. I really need to do it as soon as possible! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
X Jenny
http://www.fitandsparklinglife.com
My three year old LOVES rice but it’s so hard to get her to eat veggies. Cauliflower rice to the rescue! Thank you!!
Made it for supper tonight. It was yummy! Didn’t change a thing except oranges instead of mangoes. Since mangoes at store were hard 🙁 Otherwise so good..
Yum!! I love the idea of using cauliflower rice!
I made this for dinner tonight and it will definitely be in regular rotation in the future. I recently switched my diet to be primarily plant based and your site and new cookbook have made every meal so delicious.
I haven’t been able to find raw cashews at my local grocery store – is there a big difference if I use roasted unsalted cashews in recipes like this? I haven’t made a cashew cream before tonight.
Hi Kelly, I’m so happy to hear that!
The difference is that the sauce with raw cashews won’t taste like cashews at all – they just have a neutral creamy flavor when blended. Roasted cashews will make the sauce have more of a cashew-like taste.
Just made this for dinner. Can be served warm or cold. It tastes good either way. I’m trying to convince my family to eat a more plant-based diet and recipes like this are definitely doing the job. Thank you so much for creating and posting this delicious recipe!
Hi Jeanine! Not too big on green chiles – is there a sub you’d recommend, or can they just be left out?
Hi Kelli, you can just leave them out. Maybe add more lime, to taste, if it’s not tangy enough.
Thanks for the speedy reply! Will do.
Just wanted to report back and say that adding more lime in place of the chiles worked out great. The cashew cream is SO good and I’ve been using the rest of it on my lunches all week.
Made this tonight, SO freaking good! Every recipe of yours that I’ve tried has been delicious, but I have to say this is my favorite so far. Very, very good, thank you!
Hi Cassie, so sorry for my slow reply – I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying the recipes!
This looks awesome…here’s how we do chicken at home… http://aleandtere.com/easy-chicken-recipe/
I made this last night for my in-laws who are not vegetarian. Everyone was happy.
I made this Sunday night for my in-laws who are not even vegetarian. Everyone was happy!
Yay – I’m so glad everyone like it!
I love Cauliflower rice and am always looking for creative ways to eat it for dinner. Can’t go wrong with some avocado and black beans for a healthy, weeknight meal combo!
Great recipe! My husband is a picky meat eater and wouldn’t stop talking how good this dish was. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Yay, I’m so glad!! Thanks for coming back to comment!
Thank you for this recipe – it was a total winner! Whole family loved it. We used the leftover cashew cream on a green salad the next day – YUM! Your blog/recipes have been fabulous, as I now need to cook gluten & dairy free for my daughter. Just ordered your book! Can’t wait to read through it.
I made a few minor adjustments to recipe: only used 1 poblano b/c one family member doesn’t like things too spicy; added a cup of cooked quinoa to the cauliflower rice (we have not had cauliflower rice yet, so wasn’t sure what they would think). Didn’t use oregano b/c I didn’t have any. I also topped with some grilled chicken. AMAZING!
Hi Lucy – I’m so glad these were a hit!! I hope you enjoy the book too 🙂
Could I possibly replace the soaked cashews with soaked sunflower or pumpkin seeds?
Hi Talia – yes, you can use raw sunflower seeds! I usually have to add more water when using sunflower seeds – I’d start with the amount listed here and if your blender gets stuck, add more water until they can blend smoothly.
What other of your recipes do you recommend that will go with the cashew cream? I’m planning to make your vegan cauliflower stuffed poblano peppers tomorrow, and realize I made way more of the cashew cream than I needed. Thanks in advance for additional ideas!!
Hello lovelies! I just came across your beautiful blog this am – I’m already hooked! I love your approach to health without worry about vegan, vegetarian etc, just wholesome goodness that seems to be mostly plant based and not judgmental, only inspirational. We need more of this! Totally going to share this easy Lunch Bowl post with my wellness community.
Thank you for your awesomeness,
Jess. Xo
Hello! Just curious – any way to sub cashew for any non-nut? This looks amazing but my fiance is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts. Thanks!
Hi Amber, I would skip the cashew sauce and make the avocado-yogurt from this recipe instead: https://www.loveandlemons.com/sweet-potato-avocado-tacos/
Or if you don’t do dairy, I would skip the diced avocado in here and make a quick guacamole as your “sauce” instead:
1 small avocado
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
(you could add green chiles or jalapeño if you wanted more spice)
Hope that helps!
Made this for dinner tonight and love the balance of flavorable and textures! Definitely another delicious meal! Thanks for making cooking and meal planning such a joy!
Delicious! AND amazingly I found every single ingredient at my local Trader Joes–it’s literally the world’s smallest TJs (it says so on the front door), so for an awesome recipe like this I often have to make a second stop somewhere else for the slightly more hard to find ingredients.
Okay that was a lie, there weren’t any poblano peppers. However I subbed in jalapenos and they tasted great and weren’t too spicy. I just sauteed them for a little longer than the recipe suggests to make sure I got rid of some of the extra spiciness (I’m a baby about spice).
I also quick soaked the cashews (brought to a boil and then let them sit in the hot water for about 20 min) and they blended pretty nicely in my 6 year old not very fancy ninja blender (I’ve lost the food processor attachment at this point).
Thanks for another great recipe!
This is my kind of gorgeous, but super simple, recipe idea! I never thought about using dressings as marinades before, but that’s a genius thing to do! Love this! 😉
Tasty and easy, especially loved the addition of mango. But, we both went absolutely GA-GA for the green sauce. Every Friday we make a double recipe (makes a quart) to get us thru the week. My hubby is just a month into the vegan way, and this sauce has been a great help in making things totally yummy for him.
I gave it four stars just because it was a big-time gas-maker ;~)
I’m glad you loved the sauce! You could try half cauliflower rice, half regular rice next time.