Vegetarian Fajita Veggie Bowls

Perfectly seasoned fajita-inspired veggies are combined with cilantro-lime rice, black beans and a flavorful avocado crema in these vegetarian burrito bowls!

These burrito bowls feature fajita-style peppers and onions, flavorful cilantro-lime rice, and seasoned black beans. Unlike the Tex-Mex style fajitas that these bowls are inspired by, these plant-based bowls center around just fajita veggies and not the fajita meat.

If you're looking for more protein in addition to the seasoned black beans, these bowls go well with chorizo-inspired tofu crumbles or tempeh taco meat.

Each component of these bowls works well as a standalone recipe, but when you combine them all together the result is a flavorful and super satisfying vegetarian meal.

Recipe features

• Dietary features: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free
• Flavors: Inspired by the fajita veggies served with Tex-Mex style fajitas, these bowls feature sweet, smoky, and zesty flavors.
• Meal-prep friendly: This recipe is easy to double and most of the components freeze well. Each recipe also works well as a standalone recipe.
• Easy to customize: Make these burrito bowls your own by adding extra protein, your favorite salsa, sliced avocado, etc.

What you'll need

There are four main components to this recipe:

1. Fajita vegetables: Red, orange, and green bell pepper combine with red onion and seasonings to make soft, charred fajita veggies! I use a cast iron pan but any large skillet will work.
2. Cilantro-lime rice: Long-grain white rice is my go-to but you can use an equal amount of cooked brown rice if you prefer. Brown rice cooks at a 1 cup rice to 2.5 cups liquid ratio.
3. Seasoned black beans: Two cans (or about 3 cups) black beans combine with cumin, chili powder and cilantro for a flavorful plant-based protein. I like to use my Instant Pot black beans for this recipe, but canned black beans work just as well.
4. Avocado crema: This creamy, dairy-free sauce is similar to guacamole but it is smooth and pourable. It's made using just ripe avocados, lime juice, water, and cilantro.

How to make fajita veggies

Step one: Start by heating a 12" cast iron pan or skillet over medium-high heat. I prefer using cast iron because it adds extra flavor, but any skillet will work. Once hot, drizzle in neutral oil (canola, vegetable, olive oil, etc.).

Step two: Add the sliced bell peppers and onion. Sprinkle with salt. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring only 2-3 times. The skillet may seem too small at first but the veggies will shrink as they cook.

Step three: After 5 minutes, sprinkle in the cumin and chili powder. Stir again. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until softened to desired consistency. I like my veggies soft but with a bit of a bite. Cook for 15 minutes total for very soft veggies.

Other bowl components

If you make everything separately it will take a little under an hour to make this recipe. However, most of these steps can be done at the same time. If you're a multi-tasker it will only take about 30 minutes.

Cilantro Rice

I usually make rice in my Instant Pot (1 cup white rice + 1 cup water) but you can make it on the stove top instead.

Rinse the rice well, until the water is running clear. In a medium pot, combine 1 cup white rice with 2 cups water. Add ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer over medium-low until the rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, cilantro, lime zest and black pepper. Taste for salt.

Seasoned black beans

Add the black beans, spices and vegetable broth to a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, turning the heat down as needed to prevent the beans from burning.

Avocado cream

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time to smooth to a thick pourable consistency, if needed.

This step can be done by hand as needed, but the avocado cream will not be as smooth.

Variations

• More toppings: Add shredded romaine, shredded cheese of choice or queso fresco, tortilla chips, pickled onions, sweet corn and salsa for more variety.
• Protein: Add tempeh taco meat or tofu chorizo for additional protein and flavor. You can also use pinto beans or red beans in place of black beans.
• Make a burrito bar: Add all ingredients to individual serving containers along with extra toppings like refried black beans, fresh jalapenos, cherry tomatoes and a variety of salsas to make a burrito bar.
• Other vegetables: You can add sliced mushrooms, zucchini, and broccoli florets in place of one or all of the peppers.

Storage tips

More vegetarian meal ideas

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