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Make your weekday lunches something to look forward to with my easy, prep-friendly, and highly customizable Burrito Bowl Recipe! Loaded with all your favorite burrito toppings but without the mess, this is one meal you'll eagerly anticipate prepping for the week.
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Burrito Bowls
Want to use up leftovers? Whip up a quick lunch? Or perhaps prepare lunches for the entire week that just take popping in the microwave to reheat? Then, let me introduce you to the world of Burrito Bowls! They're quick, easy, hearty, and completely delicious.
Burrito bowl recipes are perfect for every occasion, too. Set up a burrito bowl bar at a party by placing out toppings and bowls for people to assemble themselves, top them with eggs and hot sauce for a breakfast twist, and enjoy all the incredible flavor of tacos and burritos without any of the mess!
It all starts with the star of the show: your choice of protein! Choose from Carnitas, Barbacoa, Chicken or Beef Birria, Slow Cooker Taco Meat, Chicken Tinga, Carne Picada, or even simply Shrimp or vegetarian options like Mushrooms! It is so easy to make delicious homemade burrito bowls using your favorite taco and burrito fillings. Let's get started!
Burrito Bowl Ingredients
Choose your protein
In the photos, I'm featuring my delicious Carnitas recipe. If you want to make these burrito bowls using my Carnitas, you will need the following ingredients:
- Pork shoulder
- Yellow onion
- Jalapenos
- Orange
- Olive oil
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
More options to choose from:
- Barbacoa Recipe: Beef barbacoa is slow-cooked to mouthwatering, tender perfection. Give it a try!
- Chicken Birria: If you love chicken, you will want to try this chicken birria taco filling for making chicken burrito bowls!
- Beef Birria: Succulent slow-cooked beef birria makes the most amazing beef burrito bowls.
- Slow Cooker Taco Meat: If you enjoy classics, you can't go wrong with my slow cooker taco meat. It's easy and so tasty!
- Chicken Tinga: Savory and tangy chicken tinga is totally irresistible with this burrito bowl recipe.
- Carne Picada: Melt-in-your-mouth carne picada makes an amazing topper for beef burrito bowls.
- Air Fryer Shrimp: If you love seafood, you're definitely going to want to make shrimp bowls with this air fryer shrimp!
- Mushroom Taco Filling: For a vegetarian option, try my mushroom taco filling. It's a great choice and very filling!
- Garlic Marinated Flank Steak
Choose your toppings
- Rice: try my Portuguese Rice, Spanish Rice and Beans, or Instant Pot White Rice! Brown rice or cauliflower rice works, too!
- Corn
- Black beans
- Shredded cabbage or lettuce
- Diced tomato
- Red onion
- Cheese
- Cilantro
- Sauteed Peppers
- Guacamole, or avocado slices
- Salsa
- Crema or Avocado Crema
- Sour cream
- Lime juice
- Pico de Gallo
How to Make a Burrito Bowl
If you're making Carnitas, see the following instructions:
- Dice the onion, then put it and the whole jalapenos in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Mix the cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Cut the pork into 2-inch chunks, and season well with the seasoning mixture.
- Place the pork in the slow cooker, then squeeze the juice of a large orange over it, and add the olive oil.
- Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 hours or until the pork falls apart easily. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred. Pour the juices and remaining solids through a strainer, and reserve the juices.
- Optional: Spread the meat out on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 425°F, then bake the pork for 8-10 minutes, until beginning to crisp.
- Pour the juices over the pork and use immediately!
To prepare burrito bowls:
- Fill a bowl with shredded romaine lettuce or cabbage, then add warmed rice.
- Top the rice with carnitas, then all other desired toppings. Finish off with salsa and crema to taste. Here's what we added to ours: diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, lime wedges, sauteed peppers and onions, grilled corn, black beans, and cilantro! I also love serving burrito bowls with Cauliflower Rice.
Homemade Burrito Bowl Tips
- Burrito bowls are a perfect make-ahead lunch. Prepare a bunch of burrito bowls in plastic containers, excluding lettuce. Heat them up in the microwave and you have lunch in minutes, for the entire week!
- For an extra treat, try serving this recipe in a Tortilla Bowl! Just press a tortilla into an oven-safe bowl, spray it with cooking oil, and pop it in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes or air fryer at 375 for 6 minutes.
- Burrito bowls are a great way to use up leftovers from taco night!
- Looking for an extra boost of fiber? Swap out the rice for quinoa!
- Serve tortilla chips on the side for added crunch!
Easy Dinner Ideas
Leftover Taco Meat Recipes
Transform your taco leftovers with my list of leftover taco meat recipes!
Burrito Bowl Recipes FAQ
Burrito bowls generally consist of rice, a protein, and toppings you would normally pair with tacos or burritos, such as shaved corn salsa, beans such as black beans or pinto beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and so on. You can fully customize the base of burrito bowls, too, using anything from ground beef to pulled pork, long grain white rice or brown rice to cilantro lime rice, or any other favorites. They're best served with a sauce!
Taco bowls and burrito bowls are very similar; however, taco bowls tend to use a tortilla shell bowl, and may not be served with rice.
You can serve your burrito bowls warmed, or cold. They'll be delicious either way! Sometimes, if I don't feel like reheating mine, I'll just put it all in a bowl as-is. Personally, I find it so satisfying for a quick lunch!
Burrito Bowl Meal Prep
Burrito bowls are a dream come true for meal prep! As most of the ingredients hold up great in the fridge, it's easy to prep everything ahead of time, assemble a bunch of lunches, and take one out of the fridge each day for multiple days of on-the-spot lunch.
- At the start of the week, prep the carnitas or protein of choice, rice, diced vegetables (aside from lettuce and avocado), and other toppings.
- In separate serving-sized plastic containers, prepare burrito bowls for 3-4 days of lunches. Add everything that can be safely reheated.
- For extra ease, prep chopped lettuce or cabbage and any other vegetables that should stay chilled, then store them in baggies or a separate container to sprinkle on after each prepped bowl has been heated!
- To serve, just pour the burrito bowl into a microwave safe bowl or microwave directly in its storage container (making sure it's a microwave safe container). Give it a quick stir, add lettuce if you'd like, and enjoy a meal in minutes!
Carnitas Recipes
Try my Taco Salad Bowl next!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Burrito Bowl Recipe
Equipment
- Slow Cooker 6qt
- Sheet pan optional
Ingredients
Carnitas Ingredients (See Notes for More Options)
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Chili powder
- 3 teaspoons sprig fresh oregano - dried
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 3 lbs Pork shoulder - cut into cubes
- 1 Yellow onion
- 2 Jalapenos - whole
- ½ cup Orange juice - from a large orange
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Burrito Bowl Ingredients
- 1 cup White rice - or brown or seasoned
- 3 Tablespoons Corn
- 3 Tablespoons Black beans
- ½ cup Cabbage - or lettuce, shredded
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato - diced
- 1 Tablespoon Red onion - diced
- 2 Tablespoons Cheese - of choice
- 1 Tablespoon Cilantro
- 3 Tablespoons Bell peppers
- 3 slices Avocado
- 1 Tablespoon Salsa
- 1 Tablespoon Crema
- 1 Tablespoon Sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons Carnitas
Instructions
Carnitas Instructions:
- Dice the onion, then put it and the whole jalapenos in the bottom of the slow cooker.1 Yellow onion,2 Jalapenos
- Mix the cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Cut the pork into 2-inch chunks, and season well with the seasoning mixture.2 teaspoons Cumin,2 teaspoons Chili powder,3 teaspoons sprig fresh oregano,2 teaspoons Garlic powder,1 teaspoon Pepper,2 teaspoons Salt,3 lbs Pork shoulder
- Place the pork in the slow cooker, then squeeze the juice of a large orange over it, and add the olive oil.½ cup Orange juice,2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 hours or until the pork falls apart easily. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred. Pour the juices and remaining solids through a strainer, and reserve the juices.
- Optional: Spread the meat out on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 425, then bake the pork for 8-10 minutes, until beginning to crisp.
- Pour the juices over the pork and use immediately!
Burrito Bowl Instructions:
- Fill a bowl with shredded lettuce or cabbage, then add warmed rice.
- Top the rice with carnitas, then all other desired toppings! Finish off with salsa and crema.1 cup White rice,3 Tablespoons Corn,3 Tablespoons Black beans,½ cup Cabbage,2 Tablespoons Tomato,1 Tablespoon Red onion,2 Tablespoons Cheese,1 Tablespoon Cilantro,3 Tablespoons Bell peppers,3 slices Avocado,1 Tablespoon Salsa,1 Tablespoon Crema,1 Tablespoon Sour cream,3 Tablespoons Carnitas
Notes
-
- Nutrition does not include carnitas. For carnitas nutrition values, please visit the carnitas recipe post (linked in the ingredients).
- Other proteins may be used in place of carnitas. See the post for recipes, such as ground beef, barbacoa, birria, and more!
- Burrito bowls are a perfect make-ahead lunch. Prepare a bunch of burrito bowls in plastic containers, excluding lettuce. Heat them up in the microwave and you have lunch in minutes, for the entire week!
-
- For an extra treat, try serving this recipe in a Tortilla Bowl! Just press a tortilla into an oven-safe bowl, spray it with cooking oil, and pop it in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes or air fryer at 375 for 6 minutes.
-
- Burrito bowls are a great way to use up leftovers from taco night!
-
- Looking for an extra boost of fiber? Swap out the rice for quinoa!
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