This vegan Southwest Rice Bowl is packed with smoky and zesty flavor with roasted vegetables, seasoned rice and pinto beans and then optionally eaten bowl style with all your favorite toppings. It’s easy to make for a weeknight dinner or meal prep for later!
Simple, comforting and with delicious taste this southwest rice bowl is perfect for easy weeknight meals! It’s bursting with fresh ingredients and customizable. Everyone will love it and it will be devoured in no time.
I am a huge fan of anything taco related including this rice bowl, vegan taco salad with pinto beans and sweet potato taco bowl! They are easy to make, always delicious and you can top it how you like with avocado, salsa or your favorite dairy free sour cream or cheese.
So tasty!
Ingredients in Southwest Rice Bowl
The ingredient list for this southwest rice bowl recipe may seem long, but don’t let that have you running in the other direction screaming. Most of the ingredients are spices and you will have those in your spice rack already – or dare I say, you should have them in your spice rack. I am a huge fan of having a large assortment of spices on hand in your kitchen, no bland vegetables for my household.
I love the combination of southwest roasted vegetables with this rice & bean mixture.
- Assorted Vegetables to Roast
- Southwest Spices (cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika)
- Lime Juice
- Cilantro
- Instant Brown Rice
- Pinto Beans
- Green Onion
How to Make Southwest Rice Bowl
- Add all vegetables to large bowl and toss with garlic, lime, soy sauce and spices. Marinate or roasted immediately at 425 F degrees for 45-50 minutes.
- Make your rice by placing rice, water and vegetable base in small saucepan. Bring to boil, turn to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Place rice in bowl and toss with your rinsed and drained pinot beans, cilantro, green onions and spices.
- Place fresh greens in salad bowl. Add roasted vegetables, rice/bean mixture and top with desired toppings!
Tips for Making a Southwestern Rice Bowl
- Jazz up your southwest rice bowl with guacamole and salsa or any of your favorite toppings.
- Add fresh or frozen corn or you favorite grilled protein.
- There are so many options to eat these roasted vegetables with southwest rice and beans! Serve in a nourish bowl or wrap in a burrito. You can make a taco salad or just a crunchy taco, too.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator! Do not freeze leftover roasted vegetables BUT you can freeze your rice and bean mixture.
FAQs
Can I use quinoa instead of brown rice?
Yes, feel free to use whatever rice blend, quinoa blend or even white rice if preferred.
Can I use black beans?
Absolutely! Black beans, red kidney or any other bean would accompany the southwest spices really well in this dinner.
What else can I used instead of liquid aminos?
Feel free to use soy sauce or if you are soy free try coconut aminos.
How can I meal prep this recipe?
My method is that I like to cut up my assortment of vegetables and toss them with the spices. If you are meal prepping these, I would omit the lime juice and soy sauce until right before you roast the vegetables. Store your vegetables in the refrigerator until ready to roast. Prepare your rice and beans mixture than store in the refrigerator.
When the time is ready to have this for an easy vegan weeknight dinner, just roast your southwest vegetables, heat up the desired amount of bean/rice mixture and dinner is ready in a flash.
More Tasty Dinner Recipes
Southwest Rice Bowl with Roasted Veggies
Ingredients
Southwest Roasted Vegetables
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red pepper , sliced
- 1/2 cup green pepper , sliced
- 1 red onion , sliced
- 1 summer squash , sliced
- 1 cup sweet potato , diced
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos , or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinto Beans and Rice
- 1 cup instant brown rice
- 1 cup water
- 12 teaspoon vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups canned pinto beans , rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons cilantro , chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions , sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teasp0on chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- squeeze of lime juice
Make it a Nourish Bowl!
- Fresh lettuce
- Pinto Beans and Rice (from recipe)
- Southwest Roasted Vegetables (from recipe)
Optional toppings: Guacamole, salsa, tortilla chips
Instructions
Southwest Roasted Vegetables
- Add all vegetables to large bowl and toss with garlic, lime, soy sauce and spices.
- Marinate for 30 minutes to a few hours, or immediately roast at 425 degrees on a parchment paper lined baking pan for 45-50- minutes. Try to lay our your vegetables in an even layer to roast them, or they will not get that roasted, caramelized flavor. Toss 1/2 way through roasting time.
Pinto Beans and Rice
- Make your rice by placing rice, water and vegetable base in small saucepan. Bring to boil, turn to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes
- Place rice in bowl and toss with your rinsed and drained pinot beans, cilantro, green onions and spices.
Nourish Bowl
- Place fresh greens in salad bowl. Add roasted vegetables, rice/bean mixture and top with desired toppings!
Notes
- You could use your favorite brand of brown rice or other preferred rice blend – use 1 cup. I often use this brown rice and quinoa blend from Minute Rice.
- Store vegetable and rice mixture leftovers in an airtight container up to 3-4 days. Do not freeze.
