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Beef burrito rice bowl with cilantro lime rice, seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, avocado, cheese, and sour cream in a white bowl

Beef Burrito Rice Bowl

A fully-loaded Mexican-inspired beef burrito rice bowl featuring seasoned ground beef, cilantro lime rice, black beans, and fresh toppings. This restaurant-quality dish brings authentic Mexican flavors to your table with perfectly balanced seasonings and textures that create a complete meal in one bowl.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 780

Ingredients
  

For the Cilantro Lime Rice
  • 200 g long-grain white rice
  • 300 ml water
  • 3 g salt
  • 30 ml fresh lime juice
  • 20 g fresh cilantro chopped
For the Seasoned Beef
  • 500 g ground beef 85% lean
  • 15 ml olive oil
  • 120 g yellow onion finely diced
  • 12 g garlic minced (about 3 cloves)
  • 8 g ground cumin
  • 6 g chili powder
  • 4 g smoked paprika
  • 3 g dried oregano
  • 3 g salt
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 1 g cayenne pepper
  • 30 g tomato paste
  • 60 ml water
For the Toppings
  • 400 g canned black beans with liquid
  • 150 g corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 200 g Roma tomatoes diced
  • 200 g ripe avocado diced
  • 80 g sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 2 item limes cut into wedges for serving

Method
 

Prepare the Cilantro Lime Rice
  1. Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice with 300ml water and 3g salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Cook the Aromatics
  1. While rice cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Brown the Ground Beef
  1. Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and no pink remains. Drain excess fat if necessary.
Season and Simmer the Beef
  1. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the beef. Stir in tomato paste and water. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens and flavors meld together.
Warm the Black Beans
  1. Warm the black beans in a small saucepan over medium heat with their liquid for 3-4 minutes. Drain before serving.
Assemble the Burrito Bowls
  1. To assemble each bowl, divide cilantro-lime rice among four bowls as the base. Top each with seasoned beef, black beans, corn kernels, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

- For meal prep, keep components separate in airtight containers. Rice and beans last 4 days refrigerated, while beef stays fresh for 3 days. Prepare fresh toppings like avocado and tomatoes just before serving to maintain optimal texture and color.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting cayenne pepper from 0.5g for mild to 2g for extra spicy. For a smokier flavor profile, add 2g of chipotle powder to the beef mixture.
- To achieve the best texture, avoid overcooking the rice—it should be fluffy and separate, not mushy. Let the beef mixture simmer long enough for the spices to bloom and create a rich, coating consistency that clings to the meat.