Black Bean Burrito Bowls deliver big flavors with sautéed beans on cilantro-lime rice, topped off with herby corn topping and the BEST chili-lime sauce.

Black Bean Burrito Bowls ready to be enjoyed!

These Black Bean Burrito Bowls Are…

  1. Packed with flavor: Combines savory, tangy, and spicy!
  2. Good for you: Loads of fiber, vitamins, and plant-based protein.
  3. Make it your way: Switch things up to fit what you like or need.
  4. Quick fix: Easy to whip up, even on those hectic nights.
  5. Meal prep friendly: Whip up all the components and enjoy throughout the week.
  6. Versatile: Great as a bowl or all stuffed in a burrito for meal-prepping variety.

Sauce ingredients being combined in a bowl.

Black Bean Burrito Bowls Ingredients

  • Black beans: Drain and rinse before using.
  • Red bell pepper: Choose bright, firm peppers for flavor.
  • Butter or olive oil: Quality olive oil for flavor or use unsalted butter for richness.
  • Paprika: Choose smoked paprika for a deeper flavor.
  • Corn: We prefer frozen over canned.
  • Cilantro and green onions: Use fresh; chop right before using for best flavor.
  • Jalapeño peppers: Deseed for less spice; leave seeds in for more heat.

Sauce Ingredients

  • Mayonnaise: We love Hellman’s/Best Foods® here.
  • Cumin, chili powder, and paprika: The flavor powerhouse!
  • Lime: We like to zest limes with a microplane and juice with a citrus juicer.
  • Sriracha: Adjust for desired spice level.

Black Bean Burrito Bowl Topping Options:

  • Avocado: Choose ripe ones for creaminess; slight give indicates ripeness.
  • Cheese (Cotija): Salty and flavorful.
  • Pickled red onions: For added tang.
  • Other ideas: different cheeses, diced tomatoes or pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, tortilla chips/strips, drizzle of hot sauce.

Corn being charred, then all the herbs being being together.

How To Make Black Bean Burrito Bowls:

  • Cook the rice: Follow the recipe for cilantro-lime or plain rice.
  • Prepare sauce: Combine mayo, lime, spices, and sriracha; refrigerate.
  • Sauté beans: Heat butter or oil, cook red pepper, add beans with seasonings.
  • Brown the corn: Cook until roasted; cool, then mix with cilantro, onions, optional jalapeños and lime.
  • Assemble bowls: Layer rice, beans, corn, avocado; add toppings.
  • Serve: Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Quick Tip

It’s fine to add frozen corn to the pan straight from the freezer. It’ll thaw quickly. If you prefer, you can put the frozen corn in a colander and run cold water over it until the corn thaws.

Peppers, beans, and seasonings being sautéed for these Black Bean Burrito bowls.

Storage

Meal Prep Black Bean Burrito Bowls

  • Rice and beans: Cool separately, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to four days.
  • Corn topping and sauce: Keep in separate airtight containers in the fridge; sauce lasts up to a week, corn topping 3-4 days.
  • Avocado: Best sliced fresh. To store leftovers, drizzle lemon/lime juice and refrigerate in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
  • Assembly: For best freshness, assemble bowls just before serving.

Black Bean Burrito Bowls on a bed of rice ready for to be enjoyed.

More Vegetarian Favorites:

5 from 14 votes

Black Bean Burrito Bowls

Black Bean Burrito Bowls are packed with sautรฉed beans, cilantro-lime rice, herby corn, and a zesty chili-lime sauce. Flavorful, simple, and delicious!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Large pan nonstick

Ingredients 
 

Black Beans

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 1 large red bell pepper diced
  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Saltย andย pepper

Corn Topping (or just use Fire-Roasted Corn)

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2-1/2 cups frozen corn
  • 1/3 cup finely diced cilantro
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons diced jalapeรฑos optional
  • Squeeze of lime juice optional

Sauce

For Serving/Topping

  • 1 batch cilantro-lime rice or plain rice
  • 1 large ripe avocado diced
  • Toppings as desired see note 1

Instructions 

  • Rice: Follow your chosen recipe for cilantro-lime or plain rice.
  • Sauce: Zest and juice limes to get 1/4 teaspoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice. Whisk together lime zest and juice with all sauce ingredients until smooth. Season to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Refrigerate until using.
  • Corn: In a large nonstick pan, melt butter or heat oil over high heat. Add garlic and stir for 15 seconds. Add corn and cook until browned, 5โ€“8 minutes. Stir only occasionally (stirring too often will keep it from browning). Season to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper). Cool to room temperature, then stir in remaining corn ingredients.
  • Black Beans: In same pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter or heat oil. Sautรฉ red pepper, stirring only occasionally until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Stir in black beans and paprika, season to taste (I add a pinch salt and pepper), and heat through. Remove.
  • Assemble: Layer rice in bowls. Divide black beans then corn evenly among bowls. Divide avocado and any optional toppings (see note 1). Drizzle sauce generously over bowls. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Try some of these toppings: cheese (I love cotija), jalapeรฑos, lime, cilantro, and/or pickled red onions
Storage: To meal prep, cool rice and beans separately and store them in airtight containers in the fridge for up to four days. The corn topping and sauce should also be stored in separate containers, with the sauce lasting up to a week and the corn topping 3โ€“4 days. Avocados are best sliced fresh, but if you have leftovers, drizzle them with lemon or lime juice and refrigerate in an airtight container 1โ€“2 days. For best freshness, assemble bowls just before serving.
Leftovers can be repurposed in several ways: fill taco shells with reheated rice, beans, and toppings, add them to an omelet with salsa, spoon over baked sweet potatoes, or wrap in a tortilla with lettuce and cheese for an easy lunch on the go.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 953kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 1557mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1939IU | Vitamin C: 73mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

and

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 14 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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21 Comments

  1. Terry14A says:

    5 stars
    Awesome ! Thank you.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So welcome! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Maggie Unzueta says:

    This looks incredibly delicious. Yum!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thank you!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Stephanie Phelps says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing.

  4. Erin says:

    Making this tonight, can’t wait! I’m going to add some grilled shrimp for extra protein.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I hope you love it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Hillary says:

    5 stars
    I love anything with avocados – I need to try this recipe!

  6. laura bernard says:

    5 stars
    So cool and refreshing!

  7. Kimm says:

    This looks amazing and I will be making it!