Description
A vibrant Southwest Buddha Bowl featuring protein-rich black beans, nutty brown rice, and a rainbow of fresh vegetables topped with a creamy lime-chipotle dressing. Perfect for meal prep, these balanced bowls deliver bold Southwestern flavors in every bite while keeping your nutrition goals on track.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bowl:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (or quinoa, if you prefer)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed from frozen)
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
For the Lime-Chipotle Dressing:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
- 1–2 teaspoons chipotle in adobo sauce, minced (adjust to your spice comfort level)
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, cook your brown rice or quinoa according to package instructions. Fluff it up with a fork and let it cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lime juice, minced chipotle, honey (or agave), and cumin. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside and let those flavors mingle.
- For a touch of warmth, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the black beans and corn, sautéing just until warmed through—about 2–3 minutes. This step’s optional but gives a lovely toasty note.
- Divide the cooked rice (or quinoa) among two large bowls.
- Arrange the spinach, black beans, corn, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, and red onion in neat sections on top of the grain base.
- Drizzle the lime-chipotle dressing over each bowl.
- Finish with a scatter of fresh cilantro and a lime wedge on the side for squeezing.
- Dig right in with a big spoon, combining a bit of each ingredient in every bite.
Notes
- For meal prep: Store components separately and assemble just before eating. The dressing can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Make it vegan by using plant-based yogurt and substituting agave for honey.
- Add additional protein by including grilled chicken, tofu, or a boiled egg.
- The warming of beans and corn is optional but adds a nice temperature contrast to the fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (for warming beans and corn)
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Assembly
- Cuisine: Southwest
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 15g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: Southwest Buddha Bowl, healthy meal prep, vegetarian bowl recipe, black bean bowl, chipotle lime dressing, balanced meal, Tex-Mex bowl, avocado rice bowl