Skip the takeaway and try this homemade chipotle burrito bowl instead! Layered with rice, ground beef, beans, corn, fresh veggies, and cheese, this quick and easy burrito bowl recipe is easily customized.

Packed with Mexican-inspired flavors, this dish is an excellent solution for dinner or lunch. You will love how fast and easy they are to throw together with such tasty results!
๐ Why it Works
Almost everyone is crazy about Chipotle and its brand of Mexican food. We are crazy about Mexican food in general and eat it at least once a week.
But with this burrito bowl recipe, I get the same taste for less money. It is such an easy, low carb recipe to reduce for one person or multiply for more.
It's like a burrito, except deconstructed and without the tortilla but sometimes served in a tortilla bowl. It's layered on a bed of rice with meat, beans, cheese, and taco toppings.
There is plenty of room for creativity here. I prefer to build my burrito bowl based on the leftovers I have in the fridge.
๐ Ingredients and Notes
For the meat mixture:
- Beef - I used lean ground beef, but you can make it with ground turkey, chicken, or pork. Other options are shredded beef, pulled pork, grilled chicken, and even shrimp.
- Onion - yellow, white, or sweet onion
- Spices - garlic powder, cumin, chili, dried oregano, and ground coriander, plus salt and pepper.
- Tomato sauce - you can also use crushed tomatoes, strained tomatoes, or tomato paste (2 tablespoon + 1 cup water).
For the rice:
- Rice - Plain rice, brown rice, or even quinoa work just as well. I always use either Basmati or Jasmine rice for all my recipes.
- Salsa - Mild, medium, or hot and chunky or not so chunky - it's up to your taste. You can also leave it out and serve plain rice. Mixing rice with salsa is a kind of shortcut to dirty rice.
For the toppings:
- Iceberg lettuce - Romaine works well too.
- Black beans - Pinto beans are a good substitute.
- Corn - Chunks of char-grilled corn are my favorite, but use canned or frozen fire-roasted or regular when short on time.
- Tomatoes - Any tomatoes will do the job: meaty, Roma, cherry - whichever you have on hand.
- Bell pepper - Any color or a combination of green, red, yellow, and orange. Omit them entirely if you wish.
- Avocado - You can replace it with guacamole
- Lime - Optional
- Cheddar - Sharp or mild
- Cilantro - If it tastes like soap to you, replace it with parsley.
- Chipotle burrito sauce - easy to make and highly recommended
๐ช Instructions
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
This recipe is not a Chipotle copycat, but a template to create your burrito rice bowls.
Step 1
Cook the meat - Sauté the onions, add the ground beef, and cook until meat is browned. Stir in the spices and tomato sauce and simmer.
Step 2
Make the rice - Cook the rice according to package instructions. Mix in salsa.
Step 3
Assemble the bowls - Divide rice and meat mixture among your dishes, add toppings, and drizzle everything with lime juice and chipotle burrito sauce. Enjoy!
- You can substitute all spices for the meat with a package of taco seasoning.
- Use grilled chicken instead of ground beef.
- Omit meat for a vegetarian version but be generous with your of toppings. You can also add roasted sweet potatoes.
- Top with guacamole instead of avocado.
- Use sour cream instead of Chipotle burrito sauce (but the sauce is seriously yummy!)
โ Frequently Asked Questions
These ingredients are all great toppings for an amazing burrito bowl:
Sour cream
Salsa
Guacamole
Pickled Jalapeños
Pico de Gallo
Lemon slices
Chopped red cabbage
Red onions
Fajita vegetables: sautéed onions and peppers
Roasted zucchini, squash, or sweet potato
Cotija or feta cheese
Monterey jack cheese
Refrigerate all ingredients in an airtight container but keep the fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and peppers separate from the rice, meat, beans, and corn. You don't want to reheat those. Yuck!
Liked this recipe? Leave a โญโญโญโญโญ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl
EQUIPMENT
- Cast iron or a non-stick skillet
Ingredients
For the meat
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ยฝ cup chopped onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander, optional
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
For the rice
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 cup salsa
For the toppings
- 3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 1 cup bell pepper, diced (optional)
- 1-2 avocado, sliced or diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 lime
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Chipotle burrito sauce
Instructions
For the meat
- In a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, then add the ground beef.
- Cook, stirring often and breaking the meat into small pieces until the meat is cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if needed; season with garlic powder, cumin, chili, oregano, coriander, salt, and pepper. Add the tomato sauce and simmer the mixture for additional 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the rice
- Cook rice according to the package directions. Next, stir in salsa.
Assemble
- Divide rice mixture into serving bowls. Arrange toppings over the rice. Drizzle with lime juice and chipotle sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute all spices for the meat with a package of taco seasoning.
- Use grilled chicken instead of ground beef.
- Omit meat for a vegetarian version but be generous with your toppings. You can add roasted sweet potatoes to make it more substantial.
- Top with guacamole instead of fresh avocado slices.
- Use sour cream instead of Chipotle burrito sauce (but the sauce is seriously yummy!)
- To store leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container but keep the fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and peppers separate from the rice, meat, beans, and corn. You don't want to reheat those. Yuck!
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2017. It was updated in July of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.
Dagmar Bleasdale says
Dear Jas, thank you for sharing this delicious looking burrito recipe at my latest link party. I hope to welcome you back soon. Warm regards,
Dagmar Bleasdale
Jas says
Thank you so much for a lovely note, Dagmar. I'll definitely come back as I love your party. Hugs
Beverly says
Wow, this bowl looks great. I can't wait to make this. Thanks for sharing your wonderful posts at Over The Moon Party.
See you next week.
Hugs,
Bev
Jas says
Thank you, Bev! XO
Karly says
This looks even BETTER than the real thing-- I'm in love! This is gonna be a hit in my house, for sure.
Jas says
Aw, thank you! It's a hit with my family. The sauce is the bomb! ๐
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Looks delicious and healthy - Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up~
Jas says
Thanks!
Amy says
We love burrito bowls and this looks like a great one. Your pictures are marvelous. Since this is the second recipe in a row that I picked that ending up being yours, I believe that it may be time to follow you! Thank you for sharing on Sugar and Spice link party. Pinning and Sharing. I look forward to seeing more of your recipes.
Jas says
Ha, ha I don't mind that at all, Amy! Thank you so much and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen says
This is a perfect Burrito Bowl for hot summer days! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
I agree, Miz Helen! Thank you.
Carrieh says
Yum!! I have been trying to do copycat recipes to save money... Thanks for sharing this one.
Jas says
Thank you, Carrieh! I'm so glad my recipe could help ๐
Rupreet says
Sounds delicious - I love burrito bowls - will have to try it with the mince instead of chicken ๐ #fullplatethursdays
Jas says
If you switch it up, you won't feel like you're eating the same dish over again ๐
Linda says
This looks good. I've never been to Chipotle's. I may have to go or make this at home! Thanks for sharing at Whatโd You Do This Weekend? Hope to see you again next week!
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Jas says
Hi, Linda! Do both and see what you think ๐
Katherines Corner says
oh this looks so delish my darling friend. your photos are always so beautiful,pinned xo
Jas says
Thank you so much, dear Katie! Hope all is well in your corner, my sweet friend! ๐
Ruth | Tanama Tales says
This looks so delicious! I can see why your family loves the dish so much. Maybe I should start bringing this dish to potlucks. I may become a star!
Jas says
You just may! ๐ Thanks for stopping in, Ruth!
image-in-ing: weekly photo linky says
That looks super tasty!
Jas says
Thank you much!
Mrs Shoes says
Mmmm, this sounds like a nice change of pace. I'd better check on my medicine cabinet supply of Beano (or else Mr Shoes has to sleep out in the barn).
Jas says
Haha, poor guy ๐
Carlee says
I love a good burrito bowl and of course yours is gorgeous! What a perfect family dinner!
Jas says
Thanks, Carlee! My family loves it ๐
Amy says
I'll definitely be trying this out soon! I just have to figure out how to make their sofritas, since I'm a veggie. Thanks for the recipe!
Jas says
I made this once with chickpeas when my daughter was on a no-meat diet and it was great ๐
Michelle says
Why of why do I always do this to myself. I love popping into your blog to get foodie inspiration and I always end up wishing I could make something this delicious Jas. I am going to get over my fear of blowing up the kitchen and I will try making this. I'm not sure if I can find burrito sauce here in South Africa, can I use something else instead?
Jas says
Burrito sauce is made with sour cream or mayo, garlic, lime juice and any smoky hot sauce you can get there ๐ You only brown meat for this recipe, so you should be perfectly capable of doing that, no? ๐