Let me introduce you to one of the best meals I’ve had all season! These fresh black bean burrito bowls are made from scratch with simple, wholesome ingredients. While the components initially take some time to prepare, they make great leftovers to enjoy all week long. These bowls pack well for lunch, too.
In fact, these burrito bowls represent how I eat at home. I like to make a few components that play nicely together, and mix and match them all week. That way, I don’t get bored, and I don’t have to start from zero with every meal.
“Tell me more, Kate,” you say. Ok, so maybe you first enjoy these burrito bowls exactly as shown here. You could change up your next bowl by adding some avocado and a fried egg.
Or, you could make a simple quesadilla, top it with pickled onion and cilantro pesto, and serve it with a side of black beans and rice. Another option? Turn these components into black bean tacos (or a burrito). Maybe you have some extra rice, so you warm it up and toss it into your green salad for lunch.
Black Bean Burrito Bowl Components
As you make your grocery list, you’ll notice that the ingredients for each component are simple, and many overlap (you’ll never several bunches of cilantro and two red onions, for example).
Black Beans
Cook your black beans from scratch for perfectly tender, well-seasoned beans. They’re the most delicious black beans I’ve ever had!
Yield: If you make a half batch, you’ll end up with 3 cups cooked beans. You might as well make the full batch, though, because the beans have many uses (see the post for a full rundown of suggestions). You could also freeze the leftovers for later.
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
My cilantro-lime rice tastes just like Chipotle’s, and it’s so easy to make. The recipe is designed for brown rice—if you’d like to use white rice instead, cook it according to package directions before stirring in the suggested seasonings.
Yield: 4 1/2 cups
Quick-Pickled Onions
These tangy and crisp pickled onions are ready in 30 minutes. If you’re generally overwhelmed by raw onions, don’t worry, these are tamed. However, if you’re interested in an alternative, try my chunky avocado salsa or leave them off altogether.
Yield: 2 cups (you’ll have extra—try adding pickled onions to your tacos and burritos, sandwiches and burgers, salads and more)
Cilantro Hemp Pesto
This refreshing herbed sauce barely qualifies as pesto, since it’s made with cilantro (not basil) and hemp hearts (not pine nuts). Nonetheless, it’s super tasty and offers a fresh burst of flavor to this burrito bowl. Even my cilantro-detesting husband loves this sauce (check the recipe notes for less cilantro-focused options, if you’re interested).
Yield: 2/3 cup (enough for this recipe, but you it’s so good you might as well double it for leftovers)
Extras
Top your bowls with toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for some savory crunch. Creamy sliced avocado would be nice. Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese offers some tangy, creamy contrast.
Looking for more options? You could always add a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes, or a few dashes of hot sauce. For additional protein, add a fried egg, or for a boost of extra nutrients, add these quick collard greens.
More Recipes to Love
Craving more fresh Mexican-inspired recipes? If you love this recipe, you’ll also enjoy:
- Crispy Bean Tostadas with Smashed Avocado and Jicama-Cilantro Slaw
- Epic Vegetarian Tacos
- Fresh Huevos Rancheros
- Loaded Veggie Nachos
- Spicy Black Bean Soup
- Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Please let me know how your burrito bowls turn out in the comments! I’m excited to hear how you like this one.
Fresh Black Bean Burrito Bowl
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Cooked
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
This homemade black bean burrito bowl recipe features cilantro-lime rice, tender black beans, pickled onions and fresh cilantro pesto! This healthy bowl makes great leftovers, too. It’s vegetarian (easily vegan) and gluten free. Recipe yields 4 hearty burrito bowls.
Ingredients
- ½ batch Black Beans* (or make the full batch for leftovers)
- 1 batch Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- 1 batch Quick-Pickled Onions
- 1 batch Cilantro Hemp Pesto (double if you love sauce)
- Optional additions: Fried eggs or scrambled eggs, toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, sliced avocado, handful of halved cherry tomatoes, hot sauce or quick collard greens
Instructions
- Prepare each component according to directions (the beans will take the longest, approximately 1 to 2+ hours on the stove, but all of the components will keep well if made in advance).
- When you’re ready to serve, divide the rice into bowls. Top with a generous portion of black beans, followed by some pickled onions and a dollop or two of pesto. Finish it off with any additions of your choosing.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For maximum freshness, store each component separately. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat your desired portions of rice and beans before topping with onions, pesto, and additions.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Simply don’t top with cheese. If you’d like something extra creamy, try a dollop of my vegan sour cream.
*Make it quick: If you don’t want to cook your beans from scratch (they are worth the effort!) you could try the black bean component from this recipe, which is made with canned beans.
Change it up: Try replacing the pesto with your favorite Mexican/Latin American sauce, such as this avocado sauce or guacamole, or red salsa or green salsa with some sliced avocado. (If you don’t like cilantro, I’d suggest any of those options over the pesto, and you can also omit the cilantro from the rice.)
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Wanda
I love your site and I love your recipes. My only wish is that I could somehow save a recipe. Do you have any plans the future to add this function?
Kate
Hi Wanda! Great question. I actually do have an option in the works, and I hope to launch it within the next few weeks. :)
Lindel Hart
When I want to save recipes, I go to the print option in my browser and choose Save as PDF. It usually works really well. Then I have the recipe at my fingertips when I need it.
Jennifer S
Try the Paprika app to save all your favorite recipes to one location!
Orval
I bookmark the page to save the recipe
Elizabeth Todd
Ohh Kate please make more posts like this! I absolutely loved your ideas for how to work these components differently throughout the week. It was very inspirational! Off to the store I go!
Pattie DeLoatche
Hi, I am one of those people who doesn’t like cilantro. Your recipe looks delicious and I wondered if you could recommend a cilantro substitute.
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Pattie! Interestingly, my husband, who doesn’t like cilantro, really enjoyed the cilantro pesto! Since you’re interested in an alternative—I probably wouldn’t suggest basil as a replacement here, since it tastes more Italian than Latin American. You might just omit the cilantro from the rice, then choose another less cilantro-focused sauce that you like instead—maybe this avocado sauce or guacamole (omit the cilantro) or your favorite salsa!
pamela
Are these bowl recipes available in your cookbook?
Kate
Hi Pamela! This recipe is not in the cookbook (the book offers about 85% exclusive recipes)—but I do have another delicious burrito bowl recipe in there!
Cindy
It was fabulous! I didn’t have time for the pickled onions, but made the rest from scratch. I added some corn for color and taste. A definite keeper and lots of leftovers to play with!
Judy
OMG my mouth is watering!!! I also love to eat this way. When we remodeled our kitchen we set up a temporary kitchen in the den. I made us rice/bean bowls for breakfast dinner and lunch. SO easy to add and explore new foods and tastes. Thank you for this wonderful article. Bought my black bean last week after your how-to for cooking them. Now I am ready for the “bowls”.
ps scrambled eggs go well in the bowl also!
Kate
Yes, bowls are the way to go! Thank you for commenting, Judy.
Joyce McDowell
Cookie & Kate – I love your recipes. I am gluten free and dairy free. I want to make the Black Bean Burrito Bowls. I do not like cilantro. Can I substitute basil?
Kate
Hi Joyce! Thank you, that makes me happy. I probably wouldn’t suggest basil as a replacement here, since it tastes more Italian than Latin American. You might just omit the cilantro from the rice, then choose another less cilantro-focused sauce that you like instead—maybe this avocado sauce or guacamole (omit the cilantro) or your favorite salsa!
Britta
OMG THIS IS AMAZING!!!
Kate
I’m excited you think so, Britta!
Mariya
It looks so yummy!
Rebecca B.
Can’t wait to try this! We’re big fans of the burrito bowl in your cookbook, so I’m excited to have another take on it!
Julia T Lewis
This was such a fabulous recipe. The tips on cooking the black beans helped me so much as I’ve been cooking black beans forever. This was the best looking and tasting batch I’ve ever cooked. So just that help improved the entire recipe for me. Loved the entire thing put together. Really, really good. Will be making this again. I served my husband and parents and was surprised and happy with how much everyone loved it. Thank you.
Jen
Made this last night for “Meatless Monday” and it was delicious! Made everything except the pickled onions (had leftover sautéed spring onions). We had the pesto, toasted pumpkin seeds and some grated queso fresco. I included the fried egg as well. Truly fabulous and a restaurant quality meal. Thank you! Your recipes are getting me through!
Maclean Nash
This is absolutely delicious!
I ALWAYS have homemade pickled onions on hand and all the other components came together super quick! My partner couldnt get enough of the hemp pesto so I was glad I made a double batch!
Thank you for another banger recipe!
Karen Perkins
Just made your Burrito Bowls with Cilantro-lime rice, black bean and corn salad, easy guacamole, and added your tortilla strips on top. It was absolutely delish!!! The rice was the best I’ve ever tasted. My husband is not a vegetarian, but he really enjoyed it.
I was given your cookbook as a gift and have passed it on to several others. Everyone loves your dishes. Thank you!!!!
Via
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I’m super impressed– this recipe had a lot of ideas I don’t normally see in a burrito bowl, but it really works out nicely! I’ve been making my own black bean burrito bowls for a while now, and this recipe was really inspirational for giving me ideas to add to my original.
Bhairavi Shah
OMGoodness… I made this exact same recipe after you published your cilantro salsa and it was a big hit in our family!
Nancy Shaw
Just made the Black Bean Buritto for lunch with all the trimmings. My husband loved it and so did I. Going into our permanent menu rotation for lunch and maybe into dinner. Thanks so much Kate.
Mireille
My family of 4 rated this recipe 11/10 !!! It is like a party in your mouth!
Molly
I made this almost to the letter for dinner tonight, except that I used sunflower seeds in place of hemp in the pesto, because I didn’t have any hemp on hand. We all loved it! My husband, who had just had Chipotle for lunch, declared it better. What an amazing combination!
Regan
I love this recipe! Every step was worth the effort!!
Brittany
I made this tonight for dinner and to serve as my lunch for the week. It did take me about 2 hours, but was very easy and the end result was absolutely delicious. I’m a sauce lover so I made a double batch of the pesto. I will definitely make this again!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Brittany! I love that you made a double batch of the sauce. Thanks for your review.
Astrogal
This was good, I’m adding it to our vegetarian night recipe rotation. I added some corn and bell peppers to jazz it up.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Astrogal!
Donna Norton
This dish was worth every single minute of the prep work and cooking time! Every component was absolutely delicious. It surpasses any similar recipe I’ve ever tried in a restaurant, Amazing flavor and a bit hit with all. I have yet to find a recipe of yours that isn’t wonderful!!
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Donna! Thank you for sharing.
Donna N.
This dish was worth every single minute of the prep work and cooking time! Every component was absolutely delicious. It surpasses any similar recipe I’ve ever tried in a restaurant, Amazing flavor and a bit hit with all. I have yet to find a recipe of yours that isn’t wonderful!!
Kate
That’s great! I’m so happy to hear it.
Regan Brown
Delicious!
Dana Landrum
I added half a sliced jalapeño and sliced radish to the pickled onions which spiced them up a bit. I also added corn because I had some on hand. I presented this buffet style which allowed everyone to choose their own combo. Everyone love it! Do not leave out the pickled onions. What it brings to the dish is something special.
vanessa
10 out of 10! I made this bowl using basmati rice, the entire jalapeno for the pesto (we like heat) and took the quick route with the black beans since I am limited on time. I added avocado, cherry tomatoes, cotija cheese and pumpkin seeds to round out the bowl. The flavors combined perfectly and made for another delectable meal.
Eve
I vote for more of these types of recipe compilations, please! This is how we like to eat at home too. I’ve made everything twice in 2 weeks (except subbing your spicy black bean soup recipe for this one because I had so many cans and that recipe is to die for) because it was so good, we immediately wanted a second batch of everything! Happy mouth times must not be over yet! Used the cilantro hemp pesto and pickled onions in so many unexpected ways and still had plenty to go with rice and beans for days, absolutely loved! Also appreciate that it’s budget friendly since my partner lost his job. You’re always on point, Kate.
Kate
Request noted, Eve! Thank you for sharing and I love you enjoyed this so much.
Lindel Hart
This was a fabulous recipe! Every component elevated the bowl to “restaurant quality”, as my husband said! The cilantro pesto is spectacular (I sometimes steal a spoonful from the jar in the fridge just because it tastes so good!), and the onions are amazing. The beans are some of the best I’ve ever made. I admit I added a little salsa and some shredded lettuce as a final touch. Can’t get enough of this. Superb!
GabbyB
Delicious! Easy enough though a bit time-consuming because of all the components. But some of it can be made ahead and just warmed up. Since all the components had their recipes on different pages, I copied and pasted all into one Word document for easier cooking. At first I thought that the pesto would be too salty but it wasn’t and was delicious and perfect for this dish. I added diced red pepper plus seeded and diced tomatoes. Pepitas and grated queso fresco finished it off. Will definitely make this again.
Kate
I’m glad you thought it was worth the effort1! I appreciate you taking the time to review, Gabby.
Virginia
Hey, Kate— Looks amazing! What are your thoughts on this recipe’s ability to be frozen? I’d love to make a lot, then save batches for lunches. :) Thanks and Happy 2021!
Kate
Hi! I’m not sure about this one as I haven’t tried it.
Jessica Fitton
I’m unable to find hemp seeds. Any sub suggestions?
Kate
Hi, Sorry to disappoint. I don’t have a substitute as this is a main ingredient the sauce was built around.
Darius Koenig
Jessica – look for hemp hearts. They are the same thing. You can find them on Amazon if they are not available at your local grocery.
Jan Ellis
I just made this, and Oh. My. Goodness. This is INCREDIBLE!!!! Cookie & Kate has the best recipes you will find anywhere! I have yet to find one that is just okay. This dish is bursting with flavor, and I love that Kate isn’t afraid of spicy!!
I have had something like this at a restaurant in Madison, WI. One of the things you could add to your burrito bowl was a butternut squash filling. It was so good! Is there any way you could come up with a butternut squash recipe to optionally add to this bowl?
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Jan! Thank you for sharing. You could always add roasted butternut squash! Have you tried my Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos?
Susan R
Many thanks for this wonderful bowl! That pesto! The onions! I’ve made quick-pickled red onions many times, but these are the best. (My 38-year-old Cuisinart—not joking—was out anyway for the pesto, so I popped in the 2mm slicing disc my sis-in-law gave me for Christmas years ago and got the loveliest thin slices.) With all your suggestions for changes and toppings, this is an endlessly variable bowl CARNIVAL!
Kate
YOu’re welcome! Thank you for sharing.
Michelle
This was great and so filling. I love the addition of the orange zest in the black beans, I’ve never done that before. The rice cooked up great in my rice cooker. I added some avocado slices, salsa, and crumbly queso fresco.
Asparagus
This recipe was delicious. I’m new to your site and have loved every recipe I’ve tried. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Adam
Hi Kate!
Love your recipes, but could you possibly re-post this one with all of the different components integrated into one single recipe? It’s really difficult to keep track of this many recipes on multiple tabs when you’re trying to make a lot of the components at the same time for a meal.
Thank you so much for this amazing website. We probably make your recipes at least three times every week! We always enjoy, and this has made going vegetarian way way easier.
Kate
Hi Adam, I’m sorry to hear you are disappointed by the layout of this recipe. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to accommodate at this time. Try to have a different tab open of each component and then work through them by the order listed. I find that helpful.
Darius Koenig
A lot of different pieces required to pull together these bowls but definitely worth it. Each component adds its own unique flavor profile, which is what interesting bowls are all about. The Cilantro Hemp Pesto was intriguing but for me the Quick Pickled Onions really gave the bowl the zing that it needed. Bravo and Thanks!
Kate
I’m delighted you think it’s worth it, Darius!
Natalie C.
This recipe was simple and sooo delicious!!! I’d never cooked with hemp seeds before, and now that I realize how nutritious and protein-packed they are, I might have to add them to salads more often. And I was pleasantly surprised to see how my 20-month-old loved the pickled onions! Thank you for this and all of your other healthy, tasty recipes!
Erica
This recipe is so good, it’s in my weekly rotation. I use canned black beans to save on time, and I don’t add any oil to the cilantro lime rice. The cilantro hemp pesto is AMAZING. The best sauce I’ve made ever. I’m vegetarian, my husband is not – he’s great, he’ll eat anything I put in front of him but this is hands-down his favorite meal. We top it with crumbled Cotija and pepitas (I don’t toast them). Such a great combination of flavors!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Erica! I appreciate your review.
HelenofTrout
Wonderful recipe!! The first time I made it I did it exactly as directed and loved it! Thank you Kate!
After that I did a bunch of modifications because I didn’t have the time to cook the black beans or do the pickled onions.
My modifications have been:
Cook rice and add ingredients as directed.
Black beans, used canned black beans and rinse well.
Pickled onions: I just cut up sweet onions.
I have also added chopped celery to add crunch.
As for the cilantro pesto, I don’t usually have hemp seeds so I have used Walnuts or Cashews as substitutes and have decided cashews are my favorite.
I also omit the oil from the entire recipe because I like fresh, light tastes.
I’ll squeeze a little fresh lime all over the top and wala! Very delicious! I’ll also sometimes add chipotle hot sauce.
Very versatile recipe! Thanks again!
Debbie F
Love it! We used canned beans to save time; the pickled onions are a nice surprise. Had to substitute cashews for hemp – will definitely put this on our rotation. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome! Canned beans work too. Thank you for sharing, Debbie.
Madeleine
This is such a great recipe for meal prepping! It’s very easy, has a balanced nutrient profile, budget friendly, and you can have most of the components going at once. I used my instant pot for the black beans, following the recipe as is: I put everything on high pressure for 30 minutes and let it sit after for 11 minutes. The beans turned out perfectly. I definitely had to add more salt to taste to some of the components, like the cilantro pesto. The pesto also tasted really good with some extra lime juice to brighten it up. I’m vegan, so I used the Violife vegan feta on top: It was really delicious. I’ll be making this again for sure!
Kate
Thank you for commenting, Madeline! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Adrian
Flavors play so well together! I highly recommend skipping the raw beans preparation and pre-making the pickled onions a day before. Just take a precooked can of beans, add some onion garlic cumin and some stock/water and cook that down in 10-15 minutes
Mikaela
This burrito bowl was amazing! I felt like the pesto was a little salty for me so next time I’ll do less salt but even with that it was still incredible!
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Mikaela!
Meredith
We loved this and it will be added to the regular rotation. The onions are a complete game-changer. One of the best and most accessible recipes ever.
Kristi
Delicious!!! Very flavorful and so easy to make. Highly recommended.
Kate
That’s great, Kristi! I appreciate your review.
Susan Gregory
100% winner
Robyn
This was excellent! The pickled onions and cilantro pesto were huge hits and made the dish. Using this recipe created a rice/bean bowl bar for a big family event. Loved by all.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Robyn!
Lisa P
This is my first rating and approximately the 50th Cookie and Kate dish that I have made. The combination of fresh black beans (added cumin), cilantro and rice, incredible pickled onion recipe, cilantro hemp blew me away. I love how you create these combinations that go so well together! We live off of your recipes both from your cookbook and online as we are always confident that we will love them in our family!! Thank you for your creations. Keep the recipes coming and please write another cookbook!!
Kate
Hooray! I love that you have made so many recipes. Thank you for sharing and your support, Lisa.
Michelle
I really enjoyed this recipe. I cut up a ripe tomato from my garden and added some crumbled queso fresco. Delicious! This was my first exposure to hemp hearts, thank you for the introduction!
walt
Absolutely wonderful bowl – so much flavor. The pickled onions are awesome! Thanks Kate.
Marta
Made this tonight with all the ingredients (did the dressed up canned beans from the notes), some roasted zucchini for the add-in. It could not have been better. Everything was completely fantastic on its own, and the components were completely fantastic together. Not the kind of meal that comes together quickly, but it’s easy enough to double or triple, etc., so that you could enjoy your hard work a few times. I did not double it, and everyone in the house is sad! My sons, 12 and 9, were crazy about the cilantro lime rice. I even did half brown rice/half cauli rice, which they usually try to get out of eating, and they raved about it. Thanks for another winner, Kate!
Caro Thomas
If I’ve only got canned black beans at the moment, can you suggest how I improve them for this please?
Kate
Hi Caro, I don’t have a recipe to spice up the black beans. Sorry! You could try my Easy Black Bean Tacos and try the way those are prepared.