How to Make a 100 Percent Clean Version of Chipotle’s Veggie Burrito Bowl

If you hate eating a little healthier and cleaner, stop reading this now. Yeah, ok. that’s probably no one – so, read on, people! Add this plus a love for Chipotle’s Veggie Burrito Bowls, and you’ve definitely landed yourself in the right place.

Chipotle is an industry leader when it comes to sourcing better ingredients. They even offer some organic produce, beans, and other ingredients. But they’re not yet 100 percent organic, so you can’t always be sure you’re consuming the cleanest food possible there just yet. What’s more, while eating out is great for when you’re in a time bind or traveling, you can often make things healthier by going it on your own at home.

And so, here’s a quick run-down of how you can re-make Chipotle’s delectable Veggie Burrito Bowl at home. We’ll share mixes for each component of the standard veg bowl at Chipotle — and you can then better control the type of ingredients (i.e. organic, if you wish) you use but still result in the delicious Chipotle flavors!

Served in a bowl and made with a homemade, completely clean version of Chipotle’s classic cilantro-lime rice, pinto or black beans, fajita veggie mix, salsa, and guacamole, this dish is a real winner. Now, make it on your own, and you’ll be able to make it 100 percent clean if you so desire. To make the clean version, again, you’ll want to opt for non-GMO/organic options with the rice, produce, and beans as much as possible.

For one veggie burrito bowl, here’s the typical mix:

• 1 serving of cilantro-lime rice (extra long grain rice with cilantro and fresh lemon and lime juice) – easy mix: cook extra long grain rice and mix in the juice from a small lime, plus two teaspoons of fresh chopped cilantro, a dash of sea salt, and a spritz of lemon juice).
• 1 cup of cooked pinto or black beans (or both) – Chipotle simmers their beans with onions, garlic, oregano, and chipotle-chili adobo. Basically, this just means you should cook your beans to close-to-optimum softness, then add fresh water with 2 tablespoons each of chopped onions, garlic, oregano, and chipotle-chili adobo for the last half hour of bean cooking).
• A mix of fajita veggies (grilled  bell peppers and sweet red onions sautéed with oregano is standard at Chipotle; chop up some red and green bell peppers, half a sweet red onion, and a tablespoon of fresh oregano, then stir fry in light oil or water until soft).
• A serving of guacamole (Chipotle’s mix: avocado + chopped sweet red onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and fresh lemon and lime juice – this one is easy – mash an avocado with ¼ cup chopped sweet red onion, ½ of a chopped jalapeño, 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro, and a squirt of juice from both a lemon and a lime).
• A dollop of salsa (make your own, or go store-bought if you can find a similar mix) – Chipotle offers two mixes, the roaster chilli-corn salsa, with sweet white corn, roasted poblano peppers, sweet red onions, cilantro, and fresh lemon and lime juice, or the tomatillo-red chilli salsa, which is pureed chilli de arbol, garlic, oregano, and cumin.
• If you wish, add vegan sour cream and/or vegan cheese.

Mix this incredible list of ingredients together, and you’ve got yourself one rockin’ remake of the Chipotle classic! Have you mastered any remakes of plant-based Chipotle meals? If so, let us know!

Image source: Christine / Creative Commons