These delicious vegan burrito bowls are the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner for a crowd. Top a gluten free base of cilantro lime brown rice and spicy black beans with homemade guacamole, salsa, vegan cheese and hot sauce!

Overhead view of vegan burrito bowls with spicy black beans and guacamole in grey bowls on rustic background

I'm usually a taco kind of gal. However, these flavorful vegan burrito bowls are much easier to make for a crowd.

They're a great way to please everyone. Whether you have a mix of picky eaters, people with allergies or food sensitivities. These burrito bowls are the DIY dinner that will satisfy the full range of food preferences.

And the top reason these vegetarian and gluten free burrito bowls are ideal for entertaining? They're super easy to make!

All it takes is a simple and healthy base of rice and beans. Then a few Mexican toppings of your choosing round out this easy and tasty meal for a crowd.

Just recently, my parents had about 15 of their friends over to play Euchre (it's a Michigan thing –– if you know, you know). Instead of ordering out, we prepped a burrito bowl station.

It didn't take very long to prep. Mostly just cooking the brown rice, which is totally hands-off. And all of the guests were thrilled with the options! We had at least five requests for recipes.

Overhead view of vegan burrito bowl fillings in various sized bowls on rustic background

How to build the best vegan burrito bowl

Start with a grain

These hearty dinner bowls start out with a simple base of cilantro lime brown rice. Sounds fancy, I know. But it's simply cooked brown rice flavored with lime and cilantro. Easy, right?

We choose brown for its higher fiber content and generally better nutrient content. Of course, if you're out of brown rice or simply prefer white, the cilantro lime seasoning will be just as good.

You could even experiment with other whole grain bases. Quinoa would work well and cook up quickly. If you're not gluten-free, farro would also be delicious.

That's what's great about these vegan burrito bowls--you can build them however you like!

Overhead view of cilantro lime brown rice in white bowl

Plant-Based Protein

To top off the lime cilantro rice, we have creamy homemade spicy black beans. We boosted their flavor with some spice and umami.

Tomato paste gives a nice boost of flavor.
Cumin is the classic Mexican spice these vegan burrito bowls need.
Smoked paprika gives just the right amount of smokey flavor with heat. It's a delicious secret ingredient to add smokiness to food without getting near the grill.
The rest of the heat in our spicy black beans comes from chili powder. Again, if you want really potent chili powder, go for the high-quality stuff. And don't buy too much at once. Spices lose their flavor over time, so it's best to buy smaller quantities that you'll lose before they die.

Not into black beans? You can easily substitute pinto beans. Or for a really protein-packed vegan dinner, try this sofritas tofu (inspired by Chipotle!).

Ultimately, though, these spicy black beans have a special place in my heart. We also use them in our Spicy Cauliflower Tacos and Loaded Vegan Nachos.

Overhead view of spicy vegan black beans in grey bowl

Toppings

Now that you've covered your whole grain and protein bases, it's time to mix and top your vegan burrito bowl. Again, bowl toppings are totally up to you.

My personal favorites are homemade guacamole, salsa, pickled jalapeños, shredded vegan cheese and a squeeze of lime juice.

When it comes to salsa, I'm more of a salsa verde girl. I like something well-blended that can melt into my burrito bowl. Of course, if you're more of a chunky salsa fan, stick with what you love.

For a sweet-spicy take on these bowls, you could try our homemade fire roasted tomato and peach salsa.

Pickled red onions are another favorite and they're super easy to make at home. You can check out our guide to making quick pickles at home here. If you want more crunch, serve these with a side of tortilla chips.

I don't know about you, but there's never enough chips and guac at our house.

Side view of vegan burrito bowls with window in background

Meal prep

These vegan burrito bowls don't stop at perfect party food. Bowl dinners like this recipe are perfect for busy weeknights. Plus, they pack well for leftovers the next day.

This recipe for burrito bowls makes an easy and healthy vegan meal prep recipe too. If you're prepping for a whole group, it's easy to offer a bunch of different toppings so everyone can eat what they like.

As most of you already know, my husband (and the rest of our family) is not vegan. So I always prepare a meat-based protein option for him. He's currently not eating red meat.

He hasn't for a few months now, by his own choice! And he doesn't eat fish. So I usually make a simple shredded chicken.

I usually make it in our pressure cooker. I don't use a recipe, but it's basically chicken, a bit of broth, Mexican spices, salt and a few chipotles in adobo sauce. Ground chicken (or beef) is also easy to cook up and works well in these bowls!

We hope you give these bowls a try next time you're craving Chipotle (or any other regular weeknight).

More vegan grain bowl recipes:

Side view of vegan burrito bowls with spicy black beans and guacamole

If you make these vegan burrito bowls, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.