Quinoa Burrito Bowls

This is a collaborative post with photographer Love Les. 

This is one of the first recipes that I made in college that made me fall in love with cooking. I still remember making these Quinoa Burrito Bowls on a sunny spring Seattle day. They remain one of my favorite dishes because they are so full of flavor while being filling and nutritious. Quinoa and black beans provide good protein and you can load it up with all sorts of veggies.

I happen to loooooove cilantro so I add extra cilantro to every part, but you can certainly adjust it based on your preferences. These burrito bowls are like a healthier version of Chipotle's burrito bowls (although one time, I did use rice instead of quinoa by accident and didn't realize it until I was serving it to a friend 🤦🏼‍♀️). 

If you cook for yourself or for two people, these burrito bowls make great leftovers. It's super easy to heat up the quinoa and beans and then add the toppings the next day. Plus, it's so delicious that you don't get tired of having it two days in a row.

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Adapted From: Tori Avey

Ingredients: 
1 cup quinoa
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp chili powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
salt

Optional Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Grated cheese
Pico de gallo or salsa
Diced tomatoes
Hot sauce or sriracha
Sliced avocado
Guacamole
Corn

Directions:
1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a mesh strainer or sieve, drain.
2. Pour quinoa into a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring the quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot. Let the quinoa simmer for about 20 minutes till it becomes tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Keep a close eye to make sure the quinoa doesn't burn.
3. While quinoa is cooking, is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of oil in another saucepan over medium heat. Pour minced onion into the saucepan and saute for a few minutes till it softens and begins to turn brown. Add the minced garlic to the pot and let it saute for 1-2 minutes longer till aromatic.
4. Add the black beans to the pot of onions along with 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let the beans simmer for 15 minutes till the liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir in 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
5. When the quinoa is fully cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Use the fork to mix in 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
6. Assemble your burrito bowls, evenly distributing the quinoa between four bowls. Then evenly distribute black beans and add your favorite toppings.