Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

Butternut squash burrito bowls are healthy, easy vegetarian dinner! Filled with black beans, pico de gallo, kale & avocado, they're hearty & delicious.

Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

Sometimes I feel like I have a never-ending stream of ideas. One idea leads to the next and a few tangents later they multiply into lists full of recipe possibilities. Other times, I’m completely blank.

This is the part where I usually talk about how I was romantically re-inspired after a stroll through the farmers market. But not this time. This weekend, we strolled and we market-ed. Still blank. Then, this idea popped into my head at Chipotle, of all places.

Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls ingredients

It was a rare day that we were even at Chipotle, (we usually favor our local Freebirds). Either way, I’m a sucker for a burrito bowl and I loved the idea of adding butternut squash for a seasonal spin.

I’m also a sucker for alliteration – so the 3 B’s in Butternut Burrito Bowl had a nice ring to it. Although I actually have 4 B’s in here, if you count the brown rice. (btw, if anyone from Chipotle is reading this: Brown Rice. Just sayin’).

Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

This ingredient list looks long, but feel free to take it in pieces. No corn? Skip it. Tomatoes out of season? Use a good store-bought salsa instead.

I made a creamy avocado sauce with yogurt and cilantro. If you’re vegan, you can use cashews and water in place of the yogurt. And if you’re blender-less (or just short on time), mash up the avocado with lime and salt for a basic no-fuss guacamole. If you’re paleo – leave out the rice and beans and turn this into a big kale salad.

Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls


5.0 from 1 reviews

Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Tomato-corn pico de gallo*
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup fresh corn kernels
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ½ sliced serrano
  • Small handful chopped cilantro
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
For the bowls:
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled & cubed
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • A few leaves of kale (lightly massaged with olive oil)
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas
Avocado crema:**
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • ¼ cup yogurt (vegan sub: ¼ cup cashews + ¼ cup water)
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • Water, as needed, to thin
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Make the pico de gallo: In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, corn, onion, garlic, lime juice, serrano, and cilantro with pinches of salt and pepper. Let chill for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
  3. Drizzle the butternut squash with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, check and flip and continue roasting until golden brown (about 10 more minutes). Remove from oven and toss with the chili powder.
  4. Make the avocado crema: In a blender, mix together the avocado, yogurt (or cashews), lime, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, cilantro, salt & pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to use.
  5. Assemble bowls with brown rice, black beans, kale, butternut squash, and the pico. Top with the toasted pepitas and serve with the avocado crema.
Notes
*If corn is out of season, skip it. If tomatoes are out of season, sub in a good store-bought salsa instead of making the pico recipe.

**If you don't have a blender, just mash the avocado with salt & lime for a quick and easy guacamole.

 

36 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Tiffany W.
    09.23.2018

    We made these for dinner tonight; they are delicious! We are adding them to our fall dinner rotation. Thanks for the recipe.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.24.2018

      I’m so glad you loved them!

  2. I am definitely thinking I need to get some more butternut squash into my life. This looks so good!

  3. binky from Binkysculinarycarnival.com
    10.10.2014

    This is really gorgeous! I’m a sucker for butternut and all spices Mexican! You do such a wonderful job with your pictures, too! I’m going to have to try this. I like your vegan idea with the cashews. I’m not vegan, but too lactose intolerant for yogurt. Thanks.

  4. Anna
    10.10.2014

    Hmmmmmm,the fantastic dishes are so good, I think !
    It’s very important to eat healthily because the body needs fit food! This dishes are perfect for that.
    I think this website is very good for people who want to abate and they can see that healthy food can be very delicious 🙂

  5. Totally sharing this recipe, and your blog, on my Friday links post tomorrow! Love that you always provide alternatives for Paleo, vegan, etc.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.