Karthik: I’m a huge fan of Chipotle and have been since it first started in Colorado when I was in middle school. For those times we crave Chipotle, but want to make it our own, these burrito bowls are a regular in our household. We love the versatility and ability to customize it. In addition to eating it as a bowl, you can eat it as a burrito by filling and wrapping your favorite tortilla, or it works great in tacos! Fresh cilantro and lime brings a burst of fresh flavor to the rice, and the veggie mixture is packed with squash, beans and could even work with your protein of choice.

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With fresh ingredients, this definitely is a healthier option to some restaurant versions, and we’re sure this will become part of your regular recipe collection too!

Tips & Tricks

• The key to the rice is using fresh cilantro – you can use frozen cubes in a pinch but you’ll lose some of the freshness this dish has; the red onions also add a great flavor so don’t skip them! 
• The vegetable mixture is extremely versatile – we tend to use whatever we have on hand and always include a can of beans to bump up the protein. We’ve used zucchini, mushrooms and even Italian squash in the past.
• If you are looking to make a smaller portion, you can cook the spaghetti squash, scrape it with a fork, and freeze the unused portion. It freezes well for 2-3 months.
• We serve this with all the fixings – cheese, sour cream, salsa, and our favorite topping is our crunchy Mexican slaw.

Recipe Information

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• Cilantro Rice
  • 3-4 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped finely
  • Salt / Pepper
  • Juice of 1 fresh lime
  • 1/2 red onion diced (optional)

• Veggie Topping
  • 1 small onion diced 
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano seeded, diced 
  • 1 small spaghetti squash
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes 
  • 1/2 cup frozen roasted corn
  • 2 cloves frozen crushed garlic 
  • Spices: El Paso taco seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper
  • Lime slices, for serving

Directions

• Cilantro Rice:
  • Saute red onions in olive oil till soft, this is optional but we like the flavor! 
  • Add cooked rice over low heat, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Squeeze juice of lime at the end and serve with veggies! 
  • If you’re not using onions, you can make this entirely in a bowl as long as you’re using freshly cooked warm rice to get the cilantro to wilt and mix into the rice.

• Veggie Topping:
  • To prepare spaghetti squash, cut in half and poke holes in outer skin with fork. Microwave in a bowl with about an inch of hot water for about 6 minutes.
  • Use a fork to scrape squash into strands and set aside to cool.
  • Saute onions and jalapeños is some olive oil and add frozen garlic, cook on low about 5 minutes.
  • Add in tomatoes and spices to taste and cook covered for 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the carrots and spaghetti squash and continue to cook on low uncovered.
  • Toss in black beans, frozen corn and salt/pepper to taste cook until mixture has thickened to desired consistency.
  • When ready to serve, squeeze lime juice and mix.