This vegan Mexican bowl recipe takes just 25 minutes to prepare (if you’ve already cooked your rice), so you’ll have a meal ready in no time! They’re packed with multi-colored veggies as well, so you can be sure you’re getting a good mix of nutrients.
I am always on the hunt for easy dinner or lunch recipes. Very few of us have endless time to spend in the kitchen, and we often want recipes that nourish us but have a high yield.
I am a big fan of recipes that can easily be doubled, providing extra meals for the week ahead. Whether you’re looking for packed lunches to take to work or simply a dinner you can grab from the fridge and eat as soon as you get home, these Healthy Mexican Bowls with Salsa are ideal.
I really like making double the quantity of this recipe (4 portions). I assemble the bowls in Tupperware and store them in the fridge for weekday lunches, so I’m never caught out and always have a meal on hand! The dish stores really well for a few days as it’s so fresh and the ingredients are mainly raw.
I want to point out that the Smoky Dressing recipe I’ve included below is totally optional. I think it goes really well with the bowls, but if you’re in a hurry and need to shave 5-10 minutes off the recipe time you could easily just use extra salsa as a dressing instead. It works really well with the ingredients and adds enough liquid that the meal won’t feel dry.
These Healthy Mexican Bowls with Salsa are delicious as they are, but feel free to substitute your favorite ingredients. Some ideas for optional extras include grated vegan cheese, sweet corn, cilantro, and vegan sour cream. Similarly, if you have your own favorite dressing recipe go ahead and use it. I would just caution however that this dish works best with a creamier dressing recipe, so avoid vinaigrettes, etc. As always, get creative and have fun!
Ingredients
- Smoky Dressing
- Juice of one small lemon
- 6 tbsp avocado, olive or grape seed oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 3 tbsp coconut yoghurt (or your favorite unsweetened plant-based yoghurt)
- Bowls
- 1½ cups cooked brown rice (I used long grain)
- 1 heaped cup chopped leafy greens (I used a combination of spinach and romaine lettuce, but anything works)
- ½ cup yellow pepper, diced into small pieces
- ½ heaped cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if from a can
- 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ⅔ cup smoked tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
- ½ an avocado, sliced thinly
- ½ cup your favorite salsa
- To serve
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- If using the Smokey Dressing, first make it by adding all dressing ingredients to a mason/jam jar. With the lid on tightly, shake the jar vigorously for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Prepare all bowl ingredients as instructed above.
- Assemble the bowls by adding each ingredient in a row next to each other.
- If not using the dressing, spoon the salsa all over the bowls so that it coats the ingredients. If using dressing, drizzle all over the bowls. (If you're preparing these bowls as packed lunches, store the dressing in a separate container until ready to eat, to avoid soggy food!)
- Serve with wedges of lime and enjoy!
Can’t get enough Mexican food? Try making this vegan Mexican-style quinoa with sweet corn and beans. It’s quick and easy to prepare. Plus, it’s packed with protein-filled foods like quinoa, black beans, and kidney beans. Serve with avocado (or guacamole) and salsa for a delicious, yet healthy, bowl!
This recipe was republished with permission from Vancouver With Love.
