If you like authentic Tex Mex tastes, then you are absolutely going to love this Tex Mex bowl. So many herbs and so many spices all blend perfectly together to create a dinner that you are going to love.
Tex Mex Rice & Veggie Bowl
Contents
Tex Mex Rice Bowl with Veggies
Mexican bowls are extremely popular and it is easy to see why. They are absolutely delicious. One reason why Mexican rice bowls have gotten so popular is due to the incredible amount of flavor that is combined in one little bowl.
Knowing how to blend the spices and ingredients perfectly is the hard part. But don’t worry, this recipe has been masterfully created for you already! All you need to do is the cooking.
Easy Mexican Rice Bowl Recipe
At first glance, you may think that this recipe is complicated. However, we have just broken it down into separate, very manageable parts. Each part takes a matter of minutes to cook. While the ingredient list may look long, once you analyze it carefully, you will see that it is quite simple!
To make this rice bowl recipe, you will actually be making:
- Cilantro rice
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- “Barrio” slaw
- Cilantro Pesto
- Sweet Corn Relish
Do not get too overwhelmed! Each step is quite easy to complete and can be done separately or even ahead of time. Fortunately, you won’t spend all day cooking in the kitchen.
Some of the recipe parts are so easy. All you need to do is toss all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them up (that’s all it takes to make the barrio slaw and sweet corn relish!).
Time Saving Tips
Here are a few tips to help make this recipe even more easy.
- Make the sweet corn relish and the barrio slaw ahead of time. Mix the ingredients for both respective recipes in advance and store them in an airtight container in your fridge. They will not only be prepared and ready to go, but will also give the flavors time to develop, giving you an even tastier rice bowl.
- Use a high speed blender like a Vitamix or one of these cheaper Vitamix alternatives to puree all the ingredients for the cilantro pesto together until they are very smooth. Then, store this mix in the fridge as well (you can even just leave it in the blender!). When you are ready to cook your rice bowls completely, heat up the pesto as directed, for just a few minutes, and use it right away!
- You can also make the cilantro rice ahead of time. Just make a big batch and use the rice throughout the week for your lunches and dinners. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of olive oil in order to help re-soften the rice but it will still taste amazing!
- When you chop the ingredients for each respective part of this recipe, read over the other sections of the recipe and see if that same ingredient is needed elsewhere. For example, fresh chopped cilantro is used three different times. While you have your sharp chef knife out, chop all the cilantro you need to save time!
Healthy Mexican Bowl
While it may be clear to you that these Tex Mex rice bowls are going to be tasty (how could they not be great with all those amazing herbs and fresh additions!), you may be wondering if they are healthy. The short answer: yes!
Here is a quick look at some of the healthy ingredients that are incorporated into this recipe:
- This recipe if full of vegetables including corn, cabbage, green onions and sweet potatoes.
- Black beans and walnuts (or pecans) add some healthy, plant-based proteins to the meal.
- There are limited sweeteners or added carbohydrates in the recipes used to make these bowls. They get a little natural sweetness thanks to the sweet potato and corn. You may notice a small amount of brown sugar is used in the sweet corn relish but feel free to skip it and make these bowls even healthier!
A healthy meal is super important. It is also imperative that your meal tastes amazing to keep you wanting more! This recipe will fill you up in a very nutritious way.
Make Your Own Bowl
Follow our recipe exactly and you will surely get a great result. However, you can opt to add a few things or make a few substitutions to create your own, unique meal. Here are some ideas that we have tried that work well.
- Use brown rice in place of white rice. Brown rice also has more fiber and nutrients than white rice, making it a healthier option.
- Add some pinto beans to the relish for some added protein and to just get a different flavor. You can add about 1/2 cup more pinto beans to the recipe without needing to change anything else!
- Enjoy this meal hot or cold. It tastes delicious both ways! So heat it up and serve. Otherwise, just store it in the fridge and eat it right out of the meal prep container.
- Skip the Sriracha sauce and the bell pepper to get a more mild version of this meal. On the other hand, if you love spice, put in some extra Sriracha and pepper!
After you make this just once, you will never need to buy a tex-mex meal ever again! Easy and delicious, freezer friendly and versatile- these bowls have it all!
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Tex Mex Barrio Veggie Bowl
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Make authentic Mexican rice bowls at home with this incredibly, flavor packed recipe.
Ingredients
CILANTRO RICE:
- 2 cups rice
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt/pepper
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
ROASTED SWEET POTATOES:
- 4 large sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt/pepper to taste
BARRIO SLAW:
- 1 bag of cabbage coleslaw (any brand)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon Sciracha sauce
- salt/pepper to taste
CILANTRO PESTO:
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt to taste
SWEET CORN RELISH:
- 2 cups sweet kernel corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 purple onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup black beans (optional)
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
CILANTRO RICE:
- In a pot, bring 3 1/2 cups of water to boil. Add 2 cups rice and turn stove to medium heat.
- Cover with lid and let it cook 15 or until all the water is gone.
- Mix rice and cover again for another 5 minutes to finish cooking.
- Add olive oil, lime, salt, pepper and fresh cilantro to rice and mix well.
ROASTED SWEET POTATOES:
- While rice is cooking, turn oven to 450 degrees.
- In a bowl, mix chopped sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes or until they brown.
BARRIO SLAW:
- In a bowl pour bag of cabbage slaw add all ingredients and mix.
CILANTRO PESTO:
- Add all ingredients into a food processor or a blender until smooth.
- Warm over low heat, stirring constantly until it begins to simmer.
SWEET CORN RELISH:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
BARRIO BOWL:
- To make the Barrio Bowl layer into 4 bowls in this order: rice, sweet potatoes, sweet corn relish, barrio slaw and cilantro pesto – Serve immediately! ENJOY! 🙂
Notes
Pro Tips
- Make this recipe exactly as written but then scoop about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a taco shell or burrito wrap, giving you an amazing tex-mex taco and burrito option.
- Squeeze some fresh lime juice over your completed dish along with a few grinds of salt and pepper to really complete the dish.
- This meal is a fantastic to-go lunch option so make a double or triple batch, divide a cup of rice and toppings into airtight containers and store in the fridge- you will have lunch ready to go for the week!
- Fresh sliced avocado, tomatoes or jalapeno also make for great additions.
- If you want some more protein and do not mind using meat, cook some ground chicken, beef or turkey with taco seasoning. Top the rice with the cooked, seasoned meat and enjoy!
Wow – “roasted sweet potatoes and corn and avocado and pesto” in one bowl makes me weak in the knees! This looks fantastic – I would take this over meaty tacos ANYDAY!!
It is seriously addictive stuff =)
I haven’t seen as unique a dish in a while. It looks scrumptious!
Thank you! Let us know how it turns out when you make it!