If you’ve ever craved a Chipotle bowl at 10pm on a Tuesday, this one’s for you. This homemade vegetarian version has everything you love – fluffy cilantro lime rice, hearty black beans, flavorful fajita veggies, two salsas, guacamole, and sour cream – and it comes together easier than you’d think. Once all the components are ready, assembly takes about 30 seconds. Let’s get into it!
How to make it
For a bowl recipe with multiple components, I would suggest following it in the below order of what takes the longest to prepare, so everything comes together at roughly the same time.
TOTAL Prep Time
15 minutes
TOTAL Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
4
1. Cilantro Lime Rice
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt
Steps
1
Start by washing 1 cup white basmati rice thoroughly in cold water.
2
Add it to the instant pot with 2 cups of water and set it on the rice timer.
3
Once it’s done and has naturally released its steam, carefully remove the lid and fluff in lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt to taste.
Tip: Be gentle while mixing – overworking the rice can make it mushy rather than fluffy.
2. Black/Kidney Beans
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 cup overnight soaked black/kidney beans (most kinds of beans works for this – black, pinto, or kidney beans)
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 bay leaf
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, cayenne powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, oregano, red chili flakes
Steps
1
Pressure cook the overnight soaked black beans for 5-6 whistles. Alternatively, you can also boil it on medium flame for 20 minutes.
2
In a pan, add oil and put in the bay leaf. Once the aroma rises, add in the onions and saute for a minute. Then, add the tomatoes along with some salt and let it cook till tomatoes become mushy.
3
Now, lower the flame and add the ketchup and remaining seasonings. Saute till the seasonings are mixed in thoroughly. Add the beans and pour a cup of water.
4
Boil for for 10 minutes. It is ready when it becomes a little thick and beans are soft and can be easily smashed with a spoon.
3. Fajita Veggies
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- Red, yellow, and green bell pepper – 1 each
- 1 red onion
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, oregano
Steps
1
Slice the bell peppers and red onion. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add it in.
2
Saute on high flame till all the veggies are cooked.
3
Add the seasonings and mix well.
4. Red Salsa
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
— minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper
Steps
1
Dice the tomatoes and onion and add it into a bowl.
2
Mix in the chopped cilantro, lime juice and seasonings.
5. Corn Salsa
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
— minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups corn (If using frozen corn, place it in a bowl of water and microwave for 2 minutes before draining — it thaws quickly and is ready to use right away)
- 1/4 red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper
Steps
1
Add the corn in a bowl along with the onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and all the seasonings. Mix well.
6. Guacamole
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
— minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1/4 red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper
Steps
1
Mash avocado in a bowl thoroughly.
2
Mix in the chopped red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings.
7. Sour Cream
Prep Time
1 minutes
Cook Time
— minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Seasonings: Garlic powder
Steps
1
Whisk the sour cream thoroughly – this give it that signature Chipotle texture.
2
Add the lime juice and garlic powder and mix well.
And that’s your homemade Chipotle bowl, done and dusted! Once you’ve made each component, all that’s left is piling everything into a bowl and digging in. The beauty of this recipe is that everything can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for meal prep — just store each component separately and assemble when you’re ready to eat.
If you give this a try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Feel free to make it your own by swapping in your favorite toppings or adjusting the spice level to your liking. Happy eating!
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Check out some of my other recipes here! And follow along on my journey on instagram – @the.chic.niche.