Vegetarian Fajita Bowl

This Vegetarian Fajita Bowl recipe is healthy and flavorful! It's made with rice that's topped with veggies, black beans, corn, and avocado.

These Veggie Fajita Bowls are great for a light dinner or lunch. It's ready in a little more than 30 minutes and can be customized any way you like. Perfect for a midweek meal!

I've been on a rice bowl kick lately. I love these things, because they require minimal effort, they're extremely versatile, healthy, and totally satisfying.

This version is inspired those that you might find in a restaurant like Chipotle or Qdoba. It's got a base of rice and topped with ingredients that are typically served with fajitas or inside of a burrito.

This Vegetarian Fajita Bowl may be meatless, but it's hearty and full of veggies. I'm always on the lookout for vegetarian meals that don't leave me hungry and searching through the cupboards for a snack a few hours after eating it.

It's got all the flavors that you might find in your favorite vegetarian fajitas and conveniently served in a bowl, which just kind of makes things a little easier.

What Goes In Fajita Bowls?

There really is no 'wrong' way to make a fajita bowl. The beauty of a fajita or burrito bowl is that you can top and garnish them any way you like. I've never met two people who top their tacos or fill their burritos exactly the same.

This recipe is made without meat, but many versions are prepared with marinated and grilled or seared chicken or beef. Fajitas are typically made with seared onions and bell peppers and often served with rice and beans.

Fajitas may be topped with pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, lettuce, jalapenos, and queso fresco or cotija cheese.

If you've ever ordered fajitas in a Mexican restaurant, they probably arrived at your table sizzling in a piping hot cast iron skillet and an assortment of sides and toppings, along with some tortillas.

This version is made with seared onions and bell peppers, black beans, corn, and a green chili cilantro lime rice.

Ingredients For Vegetarian Fajita Bowl

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 cup Rice (white or brown)
• 2 cups plus ¼ cup Water (split)
• 2 4 oz. cans Diced Green Chilis (mild or medium) (or 1 7 oz. can)
• 1 15 oz. can Black Beans (or pinto beans)
• 1 ½ cups Frozen Corn
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split) (or high heat oil such as safflower or avocado oil)
• ½ tsp. Cumin
• ½ tsp. Chili Powder
• ½ tsp. Adobo Seasoning
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ Onion (white, yellow, or red)
• 2 Bell Peppers (any color)
• 1 Lime (zest and juice)
• ½ cup Cilantro
• ⅓ cup Sour Cream
• Shredded lettuce, avocado, and salsa for toppings (optional)

How To Make Fajita Bowls

Fajita bowls are great because once the ingredients are prepared, all of the components may be cooked at the same time. Everything is ready at once and all that is left is to assemble.

There are four main components to this recipe that are all prepared at the same time. The green chili cilantro lime rice, the black bean corn mixture, the onions and bell peppers, and the lime crema.

1. The first step is to mince 2 cloves of garlic.
2. Cut 1 onion in half. Cut ½ the onion into slices.
3. Cut 2 bell peppers (any color) into slices.
4. Mince ½ cup of fresh cilantro.
5. Drain and rinse 1 15 oz. can of black beans or Pinto beans.
6. Chop 1 cup lettuce or greens of choice (optional).
7. Cut an avocado in half cut into chunks or slices (optional).

What Kind Of Onions Are Best For Fajitas?

White onions are the standard choice when making fajitas, because of their robust flavor. I find that yellow or red onions work great as well.

I would advise against a sweeter onion, such as Vidalia, unless you prefer the sweetness that a Vidalia onion provides.

I only used half a white onion in this recipe, but you can feel free to use a whole onion if you prefer.

What Kind Of Rice Is Best For A Fajita Bowl?

I find that white or brown rice is best when making this Vegetarian Fajita Bowl. The rice used to make this recipe is flavored with diced green chilis, lime zest, and cilantro.

Both white and brown rice soak up those flavors and give this dish a little kick. It's made without meat, so I tried to sneak in some extra flavor here and there.

Keep in mind that brown rice generally takes longer to cook than white rice. I recommend quick-cook brown rice if you'd like to cut down on cooking time.

It's important to cook the rice just until al dente and not to overcook it, or the rice will become mushy.

1. To make the rice, add 1 cup of white or quick-cook brown rice, 2 cups water, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and 2 4 oz. or 1 7 oz. can of diced green chilis to a sauce pan. Stir all of these ingredients together.
2. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 14-15 minutes, making sure not to overcook the rice.
3. Once the rice is al dente, fluff it with a fork and add the zest of 1 lime and ½ cup of minced fresh cilantro. Carefully mix the cilantro and lime zest into the rice.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.

You can use mild, medium, or hot diced green chilis, depending on your desired spice level.

How To Season A Fajita Bowl

Often times, fajitas and burritos are served with beans in one form or another. Black beans are a popular choice, but pinto or refried beans are delicious as well.

To switch things up, I combined the beans with some frozen corn and sautéed both in a skillet, along with some Mexican spices.

1. To make the bean and corn mixture, place a skillet on the stove top and heat to medium.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, along with 2 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add 1 15 oz. can of drained and rinsed black or pinto beans, along with 1 ½ cups of frozen corn. Stir until combined.
4. Add ½ tsp. each of cumin, chili powder, and Adobo seasoning, along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
5. Sauté the mixture on the stove top for 5-6 minutes, or until the corn is heated through. Add ¼ cup of water or vegetable broth a little at a time for some extra moisture.
6. Remove from heat and set aside when finished.

Adobo seasoning is an all-purpose spice blend that is often used in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine. It's available in the Mexican cooking section of your local grocery store or may be purchased online.

You may substitute Lawry's Seasoned Salt or steak seasoning if you do not have adobo seasoning.

How To Cook Fajita Vegetables

The onions and bell peppers are a staple when making fajitas, vegetarian or not. The key to making fajita vegetables is to cook them on high heat with some oil, salt and pepper until they are tender, but not mushy and slightly caramelized.

I recommend using a cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle when making fajita veggies, because it distributes the heat evenly and does well when cooking on a high heat.

Any time you order fajitas from a Mexican restaurant, you can guarantee that they are prepared using a cast iron skillet.

1. To make the vegetables, place a cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle on the stove top and heat to medium-high.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil or a high-heat oil such as safflower or avocado oil. Allow the oil to get hot on the skillet.
3. Once heated, add the sliced onions and bell peppers along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
4. Sauté the vegetables for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Once the vegetables are softened, but not mushy and caramelized, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

Looking for more vegetarian meals? Don't miss these!

• Baked Eggplant Parmesan
• Garden Vegetable Lasagna
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
• Lemon Pea Risotto
• One Pot Veggie Pasta
• Kohlrabi Schnitzel
• Vegetarian Greek Stuffed Peppers

What To Serve With Veggie Fajita Bowls

Once the rice, veggies, and black bean mixture are finished, it's time to assemble the Vegetarian Fajita Bowl.

I recommend preparing a simple lime crema to serve over the top of these bowls. It's made with sour cream and the juice of the lime that was added earlier to the rice.

1. To make the lime crema, add ⅓ cup sour cream, the juice of 1 lime, and a pinch of kosher salt to a small bowl.
2. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.

To serve the fajita bowls, add some of the cooked rice to a bowl. Top the rice with a generous amount of the sautéed veggies and the black bean corn mixture.

Finish the Vegetarian Fajita Bowl with some of the lime crema, shredded lettuce, avocado, and salsa.

You can vary the toppings as you like. Radishes, pickled jalapenos, cotija or queso fresco cheese, guacamole, or shredded cabbage would also make great toppings.

Love Mexican flavors? Check out these recipes!

• Chipotle Coleslaw
• Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
• Roasted Veggie Tacos
• Sweet Potato Tacos

How Long Do These Bowls Last In The Fridge?

Any leftovers may be stored for 2-3 days in airtight containers in the fridge.

I recommend storing the lime crema separate from the rest of the ingredients, so that they do not become soggy.

If meal prepping this recipe, it's best to add the lime crema and any salsa or other sauces right before serving, so that the dish does not become soggy.

Can These Bowls Be Frozen?

For the best taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing these fajita bowls.

Love rice bowls? Check out these recipes!

• Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
• Mexican Shrimp Rice Bowls
• Grilled Thai Chicken Rice Bowl
• Smoked Salmon Rice Bowl
• Korean Turkey Rice Bowls
• Asian Chicken Rice Bowl
• Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowls

Looking For More Vegetarian Rice Bowl Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Vegan Buddha Bowl

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Skillet

Cauliflower Fried Rice Bowl