Vegan Fajita Bowls
Vegan fajita bowls are delicious, hearty and so filling. These veggie fajita bowls are great for lunch or dinner and perfect for, meal prep too! Full of veggies, black beans and cilantro lime brown rice perfect if you love fajitas but don’t want to eat them with tortillas.
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Why you love this recipe
- Easy to make – this vegan fajita bowl comes together in about 30 minutes. The brown rice cooks in the instant pot while the veggies cook on the stove. The beans cook in 5-7 minutes in the same skillet as the veggies or in a separate skillet while the veggies cook.
- Simple ingredients – the ingredients for this vegan fajita bowl are simple and easy to find in the grocery store. Many of these ingredients are pantry and fridge staples. This recipe is vegan, gluten free and dairy free.
- Great for meal prep – the ingredients for this vegan fajita bowl can be made in advance and are great for meal prep. These veggie fajita bowls are great for lunch, they are super filling and the ingredients reheat really well in the microwave or on the stove.
Ingredients
- Red onion – red onion create the base of the vegetable fajitas. They get slightly sweet when cooked and pair well with the smoky, spicy flavors from the spices added to the veggies at the end of cooking. You could also use white or yellow onions in place of red.
- Bell peppers – red, yellow or orange bell peppers are best since they are sweeter than the green bell pepper. You can leave the peppers in long strips or cut them down into bite size pieces. Whatever you prefer.
- Zucchini and yellow squash – zucchini and yellow squash add color and volume to the dish. They are easy to find at most grocery stores and pair well with the Mexican seasonings added.
- Olive oil – olive oil or avocado oil is used to cook the veggies in the skillet.
- Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika – these spices help to create that fajita seasoning that makes the veggies so delicious. The chili powder adds a deep level of flavor
- Toppings: Avocado, radish, tomato, pickled onions, jalapenos (optional) – use whatever your favorite toppings are for tacos or fajitas. I love avocado, as it’s creamy and rich and pairs well with these ingredients.
Mexican Black Beans
- Black beans – you can use canned black beans or black beans you cook yourself from dried. Be sure to rinse and drain the black beans well. I prefer organic black beans, I find they don’t upset my stomach as much as regular black beans.
- Tomato paste – tomato paste helps to give the beans a saucy, rich sauce that tastes rich but is so easy to make.
- Water – water helps to create the sauce along with the tomato paste and spices. You could also use vegetable broth.
- Spices: ground cumin, salt – The cumin adds a smoky flavor to the beans.
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- Brown jasmine rice + water – brown jasmine rice or brown basmati rice is perfect in this recipe because it reheats well and is great as leftovers. You can also use white jasmine rice or white basmati rice.
- Cilantro – cilantro adds freshness to the rice and helps to really elevate the flavor. You can use the leaves and the thin stems at the top of the cilantro. Discard the thicker stems at the end though, they can be woody.
- Olive oil – olive oil combined with the lime juice creates a lime dressing that coats the rice. The olive oil really helps the rest of the ingredients stick to the rice. You could also use avocado oil.
- Lime juice – lime juice provides a pop of flavor and that pairs so well with the rest of the flavors of the vegan fajita bowls.
- Spices: Garlic powder, salt – The garlic powder and salt both elevate the flavor of the dish.
How to make vegan fajita bowls
Rinse the brown jasmine rice in a mesh strainer. Add the brown jasmine rice and water to the instant pot and cook on high pressure 7 minutes. Allow the instant pot to naturally release 10 minutes, then manually release.
Slice the veggies. Thinly slice the onion, slice the zucchini and yellow squash and thinly slice the bell peppers.
Preheat a skillet over medium to medium high heat. Once preheated, add the olive oil and the red onion and cook 3-5 minutes.
After 3-5 minutes, add the sliced zucchini and yellow squash. Cook 5-7 minutes.
Add the sliced bell peppers and cook 3-4 more minutes. Add the the spices and stir well. Cook 1-2 minutes.
Remove the veggies from the skillet. Add the black beans, tomato paste, water, spices to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir well to get the tomato paste well distributed in with the black beans.
When the instant pot is done and pressure has been released, add the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and garlic powder. Stir well.
Assemble the vegan fajita bowls. Add the cilantro lime rice, Mexican black beans, vegan fajitas and any other toppings you want.
Time saving tips
- If you are short on time, use frozen rice that you defrost in the microwave or quick cooking rice. Add cilantro, lime, salt and garlic powder to the rice after cooking.
- Make the rice, black beans and veggies in advance and reheat the ingredients before assembling the vegan fajita bowls.
- Cook a larger batch of veggies using the sheet pan instead of on the skillet. Put all the veggies on the sheet pan at once and cook the veggies in a 425F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring 1-2 times during cooking.
Other additions
- Shredded lettuce or romaine lettuce
- Thinly sliced red cabbage or green cabbage
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes or Air Fryer Potato Cubes
- Corn
- Pickled Onions
- Creamy sauce: Nacho Cheese Sauce, Vegan Chipotle Mayo, Cilantro Tahini Dressing, Spicy Tahini Sauce, Avocado Ranch Dressing
- Protein: Shredded Mexican Chicken, 10 Minute Taco Skillet Chicken, Air Fryer Taco Shrimp
Other veggies you can use
- Mushrooms
- Cauliflower Rice
- Broccoli or Cauliflower
Common questions
Want to make this lower in carbs?
Use cilantro lime cauliflower rice in place of the brown rice.
What other beans can you use?
Instead of black beans, you can use any canned beans you have on hand or lentils. Some other great options include:
- Pinto beans
- Red kidney beans
- White beans (cannellini beans, great northern white beans, navy beans
- Green or brown lentils
Can you make this in advance?
Yes, you can make all parts of this vegan buddha bowl in advance. Wait to cut the avocado until right before serving. Store the veggies, black beans and rice separately or you can pre-assemble them and add the avocado right before serving.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover vegetarian buddha bowls in the fridge for up to 4 days in airtight containers.
- Freezer: You can freeze all parts of the veggie buddha bowls, however the veggies can get soggy when defrosting. You can use those defrosted veggies in frittatas or soups. Store the rice, beans and veggies separate in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months.
Substitutions
- Vegetables – you can substitute any of the vegetables listed with more of the other veggies or with some of the vegetables listed above. You could also use roasted red peppers in place of the peppers.
- Olive oil – you can use avocado oil in place of the olive oil to help cook the vegetables and coat the rice.
- Spices – is you don’t have one of the spices listed, you can simply omit them.
- Black beans – you can use lentils, white beans, pinto beans o kidney beans in place of the black beans.
- Tomato paste – If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use 2-3 tablespoons of salsa in place of the tomato paste (you may need less water).
- Brown jasmine rice – brown jasmine rice or brown basmati rice reheats well. It’s great for leftovers since it doesn’t get rock hard in the fridge. White jasmine rice or white basmati rice would also be great here. You could also use quinoa in place of the brown jasmine rice.
- Cilantro – if you don’t have cilantro on hand, you could use fresh mint or fresh parsley instead of the cilantro.
- Lime juice – lime juice gives the dish a fresh flavor. You can also use lemon juice, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Vegan Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans
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Vegan Fajita Bowls
Vegan fajita bowls are easy to make and great for lunch or dinner. This healthy veggie fajita bowl recipe is great for meal prep as leftovers are so delicious.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium bell peppers
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 large avocado - optional
Mexican Black Beans
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- 1 cup brown jasmine rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the brown jasmine rice in a mesh strainer. Add the rice to the instant pot with water and set to high pressure for 7 minutes. When done cooking, let pressure naturally release 10 minutes, then manually release pressure.
- Chop the veggies – thinly slice the red onion, zucchini, yellow squash and bell peppers.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When preheated, add the olive oil and add the sliced red onion. Cook 3-5 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the skillet with the red onions. Cook 5-7 minutes.
- Once the squash is cooked, add the bell peppers and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika) and stir well. Cook 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the veggies from the skillet and make the black beans. Add black beans, tomato paste, water, salt and cumin to the skillet. Stir well and cook 5-7 minutes until the beans are hot and saucy.
- When the instant pot is done cooking and the pressure has been released, add the lime juice, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and cilantro. Stir well.
- Assemble the vegan fajita bowls with cilantro lime rice, black beans and fajita vegetables. Add your favorite toppings.
Notes
Time saving tips
- If you are short on time, use frozen rice that you defrost in the microwave. Add cilantro, lime, salt and garlic powder to the rice after cooking.
- Make the rice, black beans and veggies in advance and reheat the ingredients before assembling the vegan fajita bowls.
- Cook a larger batch of veggies using the sheet pan instead of on the skillet. Cook the veggies in a 425F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring 1-2 times during cooking.
- Shredded lettuce or romaine lettuce
- Thinly sliced red cabbage or green cabBage
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes or Air Fryer Potato Cubes
- Corn
- Pickled Onions
- Creamy sauce: Nacho Cheese Sauce, Vegan Chipotle Mayo, Cilantro Tahini Dressing, Spicy Tahini Sauce, Avocado Ranch Dressing
- Protein: Shredded Mexican Chicken, 10 Minute Taco Skillet Chicken, Air Fryer Taco Shrimp
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
436
Fat
14
g
Carbohydrates
69
g
Fiber
13
g
Sugar
7
g
Protein
12
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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