Equipment
Ingredients
Rice Base
- 200 g long grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 350 ml water
- 3 g kosher salt
Spiced Black Beans
- 15 ml olive oil
- yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 500 g canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 120 ml vegetable broth
Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
- 3 roma tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
- red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
Bowl Toppings
- 100 g romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 435 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 74 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 15 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 572 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 971 mg
- Calcium
- 108 mg
- Iron
- 6.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 89 mg
- Phosphorus
- 260 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 144 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 32 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.56 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.27 mg
- Niacin
- 3.9 mg
- Folate
- 267 mcg
- Water
- 323 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine rinsed white rice, water, and kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and gently simmer for 15 minutes until the water is fully absorbed.
While the rice cooks, combine diced roma tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté until translucent and softened.
Stir minced garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds until highly fragrant.
Add the rinsed black beans and vegetable broth to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze coating the beans. Ensure the mixture reaches at least 74°C/165°F.
Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top each with a generous scoop of the spiced black beans, fresh tomato salsa, shredded romaine lettuce, and avocado slices. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting your ground spices in oil is known as blooming. This technique unlocks fat-soluble flavor compounds that would otherwise remain dormant if simply stirred into the broth.
- For the best texture in your pico de gallo, use firm but ripe Roma tomatoes. Their lower moisture content prevents the salsa from turning into soup.
- If you prefer a creamier, saucier bean component, skip rinsing the canned beans. The starchy canning liquid (aquafaba) naturally thickens the sauce without needing extensive reduction.
- Prevent your sliced avocado from browning by lightly brushing the exposed flesh with a small amount of lime juice just before assembly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store components in separate airtight containers. Do not slice avocado until ready to serve.
Reheating: Microwave rice and beans until warmed through, then top with cold salsa, lettuce, and avocado.
Troubleshooting
Salsa is excessively watery, pooling liquid at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: Tomatoes were not cored and seeded before dicing, releasing their internal juices into the mix
Fix: Strain the salsa gently through a fine mesh sieve before adding to the bowls
Prevention: Always scoop out the watery seed pulp of the tomatoes before chopping
Black beans lack depth of flavor or taste raw
Cause: Spices were not bloomed in the hot oil before adding the beans and liquid
Fix: Stir in a pinch of extra smoked paprika and simmer for an additional 2 minutes
Prevention: Ensure spices are toasted in the oil with the onions and garlic for 30 seconds
Cultural Context
Burrito bowls evolved in the Mexican-American fast-casual dining scene as a lower-carbohydrate alternative to the traditional Mission-style burrito. By deconstructing the beloved fillings into a bowl format, the dish became highly accessible, infinitely customizable, and a staple of modern meal prep culture.
