Veggie Burrito Bowl
This veggie burrito bowl recipe is filled with rice, beans, and greens, and drizzled with a delicious cilantro sauce. This recipe was inspired by the El Jefe bowl from Roots.
There’s a fast-casual restaurant here in Richmond (and in a few other cities) called Roots, which makes loaded grain bowls. I love their El Jefe bowl and after ordering it a handful of times, I realized I could probably recreate it at home. I was so pleased with how this turned out, my husband even claimed it was better than the restaurant version! I think it’s the cilantro sauce that really takes it up a notch. This recipe is simple, healthy, and delicious!
I truly wasn’t sure what to call this recipe. A grain bowl? A rice bowl? Something southwestern? What about the pita chips? Ultimately I settled on calling it a veggie burrito bowl since it has a lot of my favorite burrito ingredients, but I think you’ll find this rice bowl to be quite unique!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice– I used brown rice because that’s what they use at the restaurant and I really like the slightly nutty flavor it adds to the bowl. But feel free to use any type of rice you prefer. You could even use quinoa.
- Black beans– I used canned black beans that I drained and rinsed. I think this recipe would also be good with pinto beans.
- Corn– I used canned corn, but this also works with frozen corn. Roasting it brings out sweetness and flavor, so don’t skip that step!
- Greens– Roots uses kale so I recommend that, but I’ve also had this with mustard greens and that’s good too!
- Avocado– The avocado adds healthy fat and a rich creaminess to the bowl, so don’t skip it!
- Pita chips– These add an unexpected salty crunchy that really adds to the texture. If you don’t have pita chips, you can use tortilla chips or even croutons.
- Red onion– A little diced red onion lends a little bite to this recipe. If you don’t like the flavor of raw onions, try soaking them in water for a few minutes. It helps tame the flavor.
- Cilantro sauce– This is the key to adding a rich flavor to the recipe! All you need is mayonnaise, lime juice, and cilantro. You can use vegan mayo if you want to keep this recipe vegan. If you want a spicy sauce, try my burrito sauce instead!
- Cheese– If you’d like, you can add a little crumbled feta on top. That’s what Roots uses and it adds a nice salty flavor. But you can skip it if you want to keep this vegan.
How to Make Cilantro Sauce
This cilantro sauce is easy to make and it adds a delicious flavor on top of this bowl.
You’ll need:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise or Vegenaise
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
To make it:
- Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, water, and cilantro into a small food processor or blender.
- Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste.
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Make
the cilantro sauce.
avocado, red onion, and pita chips.
Shortcuts & Meal Prep Tips
- I typically prepare a big batch of rice so I have it ready to go for recipes like this one. If you don’t have rice prepared, I recommend using Success Rice boil-in-bag rice which can easily be made in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- You can prepare the cilantro sauce in advance. It will last up to 4 days in the fridge.
- To roast the corn even faster, try it in an air fryer. It will get golden brown in just a few minutes.
Veggie Burrito Bowl (Roots Copycat)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 large bowls 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This veggie rice bowl recipe is filled with rice, beans, and greens, and drizzled with a delicious cilantro sauce. This recipe was inspired by the El Jefe bowl from Roots.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15oz can corn, drained
- 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pita chips
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Spread the corn on a baking sheet and roast for 5-6 minutes until it begins to brown.
- In a small food processor, add the mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend until combined.
- Add the rice and beans to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until heated.
- Divide the rice and bean mixture into two bowls. Top with kale, roasted corn, avocado, pita chips, and cilantro sauce.
Keywords: roots copycat bowl, roots copycat recipe, roots bowl, el jefe
Fabulous! I might have to add feta…