One of my favorite ways to make dinner for a crowd is to serve a build-your-own meal. Everyone starts with the same base, then mixes and matches toppings until they’re satisfied. It can be customized to fit into just about anyone’s diet, and there’s usually something for even the pickiest eaters. We do this with sweet potatoes a lot, but burrito bowls are a close second. Burrito bowls are also a great way to load up on your favorite Mexican flavors and nutrient-dense foods at the same time. 
The bowls start with a layer of brown rice and black beans. Brown rice adds nutrients like selenium and manganese, and helps regulate blood sugar spikes. Black beans are touted as one of the world’s healthiest foods with their high levels of antioxidants and long list of digestive health benefits. They’re both naturally gluten-free, and add protein and fiber to the meal, keeping you satisfied and full longer. With extra veggies and healthy fats to top your burrito bowl, this humble bowl of rice and beans turns into a nourishing feast for your friends and family. 
You can add whatever toppings you love to have in a burrito or taco, but we usually stick to a combination that looks something like this, plus or minus a veggie or two.
The options are endless, really. Kevin doesn’t like guacamole or sour cream (the horror!), so he usually requests some broccoli to bump up his bowl. How broccoli is an equitable substitution for the best burrito toppings out there, I couldn’t tell you. For me, burrito bowls go something like this: rice + beans + onions and peppers + jalapeño + scallions + cilantro pesto + avocado + shredded cheddar + salsa + Greek yogurt + aaaaall the tortilla chips. If there are any leftover roasted vegetables or other potential burrito-able toppings in the house, you better believe they’re getting piled on there too. 
While there are a lot of moving parts in this dinner, it all comes together pretty quickly and easily. You can make or buy most of the toppings ahead of time, and rice and beans can both stay warm on the stove while you wait for everyone to arrive for dinner. Leftover burrito bowl ingredients also make great lunches for work, so don’t be afraid to stock up. If you have a BYOBB party, leave a comment below and tell me how it goes, or tag #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see your favorite toppings!
Burrito Bowls with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
Brown Rice
- 1 cup brown rice my favs are jasmine and basmati
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Drizzle of olive oil
Black Beans
- 2- 15 ounce cans black beans drained
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon each of salt garlic powder, and paprika
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
Cilantro Pesto
- 1 cup of cilantro packed (about a large handful)
- 1/2 a jalapeno
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 a ripe avocado
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds can sub walnuts or almonds
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt + pepper
Toppings
- Cilantro Pesto
- Sauteed onions and peppers
- Salsa
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar
- Sliced jalapeños
- Tortilla Chips
- Steamed broccoli
Instructions
Rice
- 1. Put all rice ingredients into a medium pot on high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice continue to absorb liquid off the heat for 10 minutes. Rice can stay warm covered on the stove for up to 30 minutes. After that, you'll need to reheat it to serve. While the rice cooks, you can warm the beans, make cilantro pesto, and assemble all your toppings.
Beans
- 1. Put all ingredients for beans except cilantro into a pot on medium heat. Once the beans start to bubble, turn the heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat, and stir in cilantro. Serve immediately, or let sit covered on the stove to stay warm while you prepare the toppings.
Cilantro Pesto
- 1. Put all ingredients except water into a blender or food processor. Blend until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- 2. Add in water and blend once more. If you'd like a thinner pesto, increase the water to 4 Tablespoons.
- 3. Store in a sealed container in the fridge until all ingredients for the burrito bowls are ready, or up to 5 days.
Assembly
- 1. Cut/prepare toppings of choice, and arrange in several bowls.
- 2. Build your burrito bowls with rice and beans on the bottom, and your toppings of choice on top.
Notes
Gimme all the pesto on everything, please!