What better way to pile on the veggies than with this delicious Vegetarian Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl recipe? Add all your favorite toppings and get ready to faceplant!
Cauliflower rice is crazy versatile! It takes on the flavor of everything around it, and can easily be made into a variety of different cuisines.
From Mexican Cauliflower Rice to Cauliflower Fried Rice to the most epic Cauliflower Rice Breakfast Bowls — the options are endless.
It also makes a pretty baller filling for tacos and burritos. So good!
Today I’m stir frying some up on a skillet to make the most epic little burrito bowl. They’re great for dinners and lunches and can even be prepped in advance!
If you’re new to the joys of cauliflower rice, it’s basically shredded bits-o-cauliflower that resemble grains of rice in texture.
They’re a fantastic low-calorie and low-carb alternative to rice for those with special diets or allergies, or for anyone that simply wants to eat more veggies.
Most grocery store offer a variety of pre-riced bags of cauliflower rice in the produce section if you’re looking for a shortcut but it’s also relatively easy to make at home!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
To make cauliflower rice, remove the stem and leaves from a head of cauliflower. Then…
FOOD PROCESSOR TECHNIQUE
Roughly chop into small florets. Use the food processor’s grater disc to transform the florets into “rice” or make it without the attachment by working in three batches. Working in small batches will help you get even texture. Simply pulse until the mixture appears minced/shredded and you’re good to go.
BOX GRATER TECHNIQUE
Break into large pieces for easy handling and grate using the coarse side of your grater. As you run out of space for your fingers to grip the florets, simply mince any remaining pieces with a knife.
Today’s tasty recipe is inspired by the always fabulous Gaby of What’s Gaby Cooking. She uses frozen cauliflower rice which is also a speedy option for fast and flavorful burrito bowls!
Vegetarian Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl Recipe
These baller burrito bowls are a great make-ahead meal prep option for the week. They can be re-heated on a skillet stove-top or in the microwave and piled high with all your favorite burrito bowl toppings.
Tasty Toppings for Burrito Bowls
- grated cheese
- fresh cilantro
- black bean salsa
- pico de gallo
- jarred or homemade salsa
- guacamole
- sour cream
- tomatillo salsa verde
- avocado salsa verde (yessss!)
- sliced black olives
- pickled jalapeño peppers
- pickled red onion
- shredded cabbage or slaw
- cilantro lime quinoa
- crushed tortilla chips
I absolutely *LOVE* this recipe for meal prepping lunches for the week. I’m legit scarfing a bowl for breakfast right now while typing this recipe up!
Love it so!
Ready to get your burrito bowl on? Here’s the recipe:
Vegetarian Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP avocado oil or olive oil (divided)
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 3 cups uncooked cauliflower rice
- 1-2 cups black beans (canned or cooked from scratch)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¼-½ tsp cumin
- ¼-½ tsp chili powder
- 1-2 TBSP salsa (your fav jarred salsa)
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1-2 cups Pico de Gallo (see below for recipe)
- 1 cup grated cheese (Cheddar, Mex Blend, or Pepper Jack)
- ¼-½ cup sour cream
- ½ lime cut into wedges (for an optional burst of citrus)
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- guacamole or sliced avocado
- sliced jalapeno peppers (fresh or pickled)
- salsa
- salsa verde
- pickled red onion
- sliced black olives
- crushed tortilla chips
HOMEMADE PICO DE GALLO
- 1 cup finely diced tomato
- ¾-1 cup finely diced white onion
- 1 jalapeño pepper (seeds and stem removed)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro plus extra to taste
- fresh squeezed lime juice to taste (approx 1/4 a lime)
- ¼-½ tsp salt to taste
Instructions
- Making your cauliflower rice from scratch? See post for methods and instructions and cauli rice it up! To save time I used fresh bagged cauliflower rice from the produce section.
- To make the fresh Pico de Gallo, finely chop onion, tomato, and jalapeno. Combine with fresh lime juice and cilantro then season with salt. I always make extra to enjoy the next day with crispy tortilla chips – so good!
- In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and frozen corn. Sauté until onion is tender and corn is cooked through, approx. 4-6 min. Add garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Season with cumin and chili powder and mix well.
- Add remaining teaspoon of oil along with cauliflower rice and cook until desired texture is reached. Approx. 3 minutes for al dente rice or 5 minutes for more tender rice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Drain and rinse back beans. Add to the skillet along with 1-2 TBSP of salsa and mix well. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper desired.
- Remove from the skillet and portion the “rice” into 4 bowls for a lunch sized portion or two bigger bowls for a larger dinner-sized serving.
- Top bowls with fresh cilantro, Pico de Gallo salsa, grate cheese, sour cream, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing a little optional citrus goodness on each bowl. Feel free to add any additional toppings you'd like from the list above and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this cauliflower rice burrito bowl recipe, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
This was SO good! I skipped the cheese and subbed diced zucchini for the corn. Topped with cabbage and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Perfect dinner!
Yay! Thank you Julie! I’ll have to try it with zucchini next time – delish!
This was absolutely delicious and it took less than 30 min to make.
Thanks Gina! So happy to hear it!