There is nothing EASIER or more delicious than a burrito bowl. Seasoned meat, beans, and rice are the base of this easy burrito bowl, but the toppings are key!
Prepare these Burrito Bowls using leftover Instant Pot Carnitas, Shredded Mexican Chicken, or Taco Meat.
Easy Burrito Bowls
Burrito bowls are one of my go-to dinners! They are the PERFECT way to use up leftovers to make something new that is full of flavor.
And if you are like me, you need EASY meals your family will enjoy!
Plus the bonus to this recipe is that because we are using up leftovers, this meal is extremely affordable. There is NO reason to pay for overpriced burrito bowls, when you can make them at home with leftovers and a few pantry staples.
How to Make a Burrito Bowl
The concept behind burrito bowls is easy–rice, piled with meat, beans and then your choice of toppings.
Pick and choose your favorites and build a burrito bowl that is perfect for your tastes–and what you have on hand!
Base Options
Start each bowl with a layer of a grain of some sort.
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Pineapple Lime Rice
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower Rice
Burrito Bowl Protein Options
The varieties of proteins you can add are endless, but I find this is a great time to make use of leftovers.
- Leftover Pork Carnitas
- Toss leftover rotisserie chicken
- Leftover Taco Meat
- Leftover Chile Verde
- Instant Pot Beans
- Canned Beans
- Toasted Tofu
- Leftover Steak Fajita Meat
If you meat is not well seasoned, warm together with a bit of taco seasoning before serving on the burrito bowls. If your meat is already well flavored, omit the taco seasoning and just warm your meat with a bit of water or stock.
Optional Toppings
Pick and choose the toppings you like and that fit your dietary needs. This is where you can really get creative with flavor combinations.
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Queso Fresco
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Shredded cabbage
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded Lettuce
- Easy Corn Salsa
- Salsa
- Salsa Verde
- Pineapple Mango Salsa
- Avocado
- Lime juice
- Sour cream
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Olives
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Jalapenos
Grab your bowl and start layering and that is how you make a perfect bowl! Simple easy, and always a winner!
More Easy Dinner Recipes that use up Leftovers
Easy Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover cooked meat
- 2 cups beans pinto or black
- 4 teaspoons taco seasoning divided
- 3/4 cup water (or stock) divided
- 1 lime
- 4 cups rice or quinoa cooked
- 1/2 cup salsa
- toppings of your choice
Instructions
- In small saucepan, mix leftover meat with 2 teaspoons taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water and bring to low simmer. Heat until just warmed through, stirring occasionally. This take about 5-10 minutes. Once warmed, squeeze half of the fresh lime over the meat and toss. This helps to truly brighten up the flavor.
- In another saucepan, mix beans with 2 teaspoons taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water and warm over medium heat. Once beans are warmed, squeeze the remaining half of the fresh lime over the beans and stir well.
- Warm up leftover rice or quinoa, or prepare according to package directions. Mix in salsa.
- Build burrito bowl, by placing a scoop of cooked rice (or quinoa or cauliflower rice) in bowl. Top with warmed meat, beans, and desired toppings.
Notes
- Use chicken or vegetable stock in place of water.
- If using leftover taco or carnita meat, omit additional taco seasoning from meat and warm through.
- If using flavored rice (like cilantro lime rice), omit salsa from rice, and just reheat flavored grain.
Kristen Chidsey
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This looks great! Question – how would you adjust cooking time for this if using an instant pot instead of a slow cooker?
Hi Carissa! Here is my recipe for Instant Pot Pork Carnitas. I would start with that and then once you shred meat, add in salsa, beans, and cream cheese/greek yogurt and saute until warmed through.
I cannot wait to try this!! Thank you so much for sharing – always looking for yummy weeknight recipes that my kids will actually eat!!
This checks off all those requirements! It is an easy family favorite.
I can’t imagine not liking leftovers. I LOVE leftovers! But, I would also totally love this dish so I’d pretend to not like leftovers to get someone to make it for me. 🙂
HAHA!!! Well, this is the perfect way to enjoy leftovers 😉
This looks delicious! I have a niece who’s married to a man who refuses to eat leftovers, and I think it’s SO silly. I love to plan for leftovers so I can enjoy something more than once!
Thanks for the shout-out for my taco bowl!
I agree–so silly not to utilize leftovers! And Thank YOU for a delicious recipe for a taco bowl!