Healthy Black Bean Burrito Bowls {Meal Prep}

These healthy Black Bean Burrito Bowls are amazing for meal prep and staying organized in the midst of a crazy week. The flavor-packed avocado creme makes the perfect burrito bowl sauce! Make these bowls up ahead of time for a quick, easy and healthy meatless meal! {Vegan, gluten-free & dairy-free}

Overhead shot of a black bean burrito bowl.

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Black Bean Meal Prep

Keep on track with your lifestyle goals with these delicious and healthy black bean burrito bowls!

It’s a super easy vegetarian meal prep recipe that’s loaded with goodness. Made with simple ingredients like brown rice, Tex Mex flavored black beans, lots of fresh veggies, and a delicious avocado creme, these burrito bowls will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

Meal planning and prepping is key when it comes to maintaining a well balanced diet. When you plan ahead, you aren’t as tempted by those convenience foods since you’ll already have something delicious and ready to enjoy. Plus, these meal prep bowls are perfectly portion-controlled so it’s the ultimate way to reach your fitness goals when life gets crazy busy.

Prep it. Measure it out. Gobble it up. Easy as 1-2-3!

Be sure to check out my Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep and Mixed Bean Salad for more make ahead recipes!

Black bean burrito bowls placed in two containers for packed lunches.

Why We Love This Vegetarian Burrito Bowl Recipe

Healthy: With 17 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein per serving, this simple recipe makes for one filling, healthy and delicious meal.

Make ahead: Great for easy dinners, but you can also pack up the leftovers in meal prep containers, which makes the perfect lunch the next day! There’s something about packing up your meal all neat and tidy in a meal prep container that can make you feel so organized.

Family-friendly: This meal is always a hit with the whole family. It’s easily customizable so everyone can choose their favorite toppings to build the ultimate burrito bowl!

Plant Based: This healthy burrito bowl recipe is completely vegan, as well as being gluten-free, so it’s perfect for individuals with dietary restrictions or those looking to include more plant-based meals into their weekly menu rotation.

Ingredient Notes

Oil: For cooking. I like to use olive oil since that’s what I typically have on hand, but canola oil will work well too.
Black beans: A great source of plant-based protein. Use no salt-added black beans and drain and rinse them well. You can also use other types of beans in this dish like kidney, cannellini or pinto beans if preferred.
Corn: It’s best to use fresh or frozen corn in this recipe. You can use canned if you’re in a pinch.
Taco seasoning: You can use homemade or store-bought. I prefer homemade since you can control the sodium level and exactly which ingredients are going into the seasoning mix.
Lime juice: Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
Avocado creme: This avocado sauce lends a great creamy flavor and totally makes these burrito bowls. You can sub in guacamole, Greek yogurt or sour cream too.
Rice: I like to use brown rice in these bowls for a little extra fiber and nutrients. Go for the quick cooking brown rice (we like to use Uncle Ben’s 20 minute rice) to get the meal on the table even faster. You can also use white rice or wild if you prefer. It would also taste great with cilantro lime rice!
Vegetables: Tomatoes and lettuce make these bowls so refreshing. You can use diced Roma or cherry tomatoes. Feel free to sub in other vegetables that you have on hand, like green onions and bell peppers.
Fresh cilantro: For a fresh herby flavor. You can use parsley if you don’t like the taste or leave it out altogether.
Salsa: Optional, but highly recommended!

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to Make a Brown Rice Black Bean Bowl

Cook brown rice according to package directions. You should have four cups cooked rice total (this is about 1 cup dry brown rice).
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the beans, corn and taco seasoning and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and stir until combined.

While the rice and beans are cooking, prepare the avocado crème.

Avocado creme whipped up in a blender cup.

Finally, in bowls or containers, evenly distribute hot rice, black bean mixture, diced tomatoes, and cilantro by themselves or on a bed of romaine lettuce.

A black bean burrito bowl before the sauce is added.

Top with a dollop or drizzle of avocado creme and your favorite salsa (optional, but recommended).

A black bean burrito bowl drizzled with avocado creme.

Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!

Recipe Tips:

I recommend using this homemade healthy taco seasoning for these bowls. I like to make up a batch ahead of time to speed up the prep time.

When cooking the bean mixture, you may wish to add a little water to the pan if it starts to get too dry while cooking. It helps to lift the spices off the bottom of the pan.

Use quick cooking brown rice (we used Uncle Ben’s 20 minute brown rice) to make these bowls come together even faster!

I recommend making the full batch of the black bean mixture and avocado creme. Even if you don’t want six of these meal prep bowls, you can use the leftover bean mixture for stuffed black bean sweet potatoes (which are equally amazing!) or these sweet potato black bean quesadillas. Or you can even freeze the leftover bean mixture for round two of the meal prep bowls or to throw into chili.

Don’t skimp on the cilantro! I provided rough quantities, but feel free to pile these bowls high with those toppings for the ultimate flavor-packed meal.

Divide and pack this recipe bowls into meal prep containers in advance for quick and easy meals on the go. Believe me, doing all of this in advance might seem like a lot of work, but it’s a serious game changer if you’re looking to get more organized and to stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

Just open the fridge. Grab the container. And head out the door. It’s that simple. You barely even have to think.

Aren’t those the best types of meals?

Storage Guidelines

You can store the bean mixture and rice in the fridge for up to four days in airtight containers.

Generally the avocado creme is best consumed in the first 2-3 days as it starts to brown after that period of time. Be sure to place a piece of parchment paper over top of the creme to seal it and store it in an air-tight container to slow down the browning process.

Black bean burrito bowls in two meal prep containers.

Recipe FAQs

Are burrito bowls healthy?

In this case, yes! With these vegetarian burrito bowls, the beans provide an excellent source of fiber, protein and iron, while the brown rice offers those complex carbohydrates that are lower on the glycemic index (which means less of a spike in your blood sugar level).

The vegetables incorporate some additional fiber, in addition to vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C and potassium, while the avocado creme adds some healthy fats, making for the perfect balanced meal!

Also because you can make the taco seasoning and creme from scratch, you can also control the sodium level, unlike many of the burrito bowls that you order at a restaurant.

Do you eat burrito bowls cold?

You can eat this burrito bowl cold or warm — it’s totally up to you! If I’m serving it up for dinner, I’ll often have it warm, but if I’m eating it for lunch the next day, I’ll generally eat it cold served over a bed of lettuce or some shredded cabbage.

That’s the beauty of burrito bowls. They are incredibly versatile and you can eat them warm, cold or at room temperature!

Can I freeze the bean mixture?

Yes! I love to make a huge batch of the bean mixture to use at a later date. Freeze cooled beans in a freezer-safe container and they will keep well for up to three months. Then, you just need to thaw them in the fridge overnight before adding to your burrito bowls.

Other Optional Toppings

The great thing about these black bean burrito bowls is that you can switch up the toppings so that they never get boring! Try them with any of the following:

Avocado slices
Your favorite salsa (try tomato salsa, corn salsa or this roasted jalapeno salsa)
Sour cream or vegan sour cream
Sliced jalapenos
Diced red onion
Pico de gallo
Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, pepper jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend would all work well)
Crumbled tortilla chips
Hot sauce
Lime wedges

A black bean burrito bowl topped with avocado creme with a fork digging in.

Recipe Variations

These meal prep burrito bowls are designed to be easy but also really versatile, so feel free to switch them up!

For spicy black beans: Add a bit of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the taco seasoning mix.
Add more protein: Toss in some extra beans or tofu. You can even add some chicken or salmon if you don’t require these meal prep bowls to be vegetarian.
Add more veggies: Along with the beans and corn, you can also fry up some onions, peppers and garlic.
Add more heat: Add an extra dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the black bean mixture or serve up with some sliced jalapeno peppers.
Switch up the grains: Use quinoa instead of brown rice.
Make it lower carb: Serve over cauliflower rice or skip the rice altogether and just serve the beans and corn mixture over a bed of lettuce or in lettuce wraps topped with the avocado creme.

More Delicious Meatless Recipes:

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A black bean brown rice bowl topped with tomatoes, cilantro and avocado creme.

Course Main Course