For “gluten-free day” this year, my husband and I got a burrito bowl from Bar Burrito for £1. It normally costs £7. I would never pay £7 for that burrito bowl. Or an extra 95p for a tablespoon of bland guacamole. I can make my own. And it’s much tastier, more filling, I know exactly what’s going into it, and it would never cost me £7 to make!
This vegan burrito bowl with tinga sauce is my answer to those sad Bar Burrito options.
How to make a vegan burrito bowl
There’s no secret science to creating a burrito bowl. At minimum, you need a carb and a protein, and then there are all the glorious add-ons. I love salsa, guacamole, refried beans, and hot sauce.
Gluten-free diets can be heavy on the rice, so I’m shaking things up by substituting the grain for my crispy potatoes. My husband and I can’t get enough of them.
Teamed with chunky guacamole, zesty salsa, spiced black beans and veggies, and uber spicy tinga sauce, this is the ULTIMATE BURRITO BOWL.
What you need
I’ve posted some recipes for classic Mexican sides that you can use in this recipe. Or you can just buy them if you’re in a pinch.
The main protein source in this vegan burrito bowl is black beans and corn.
I used deliciously crispy potatoes instead of rice and dolloped a healthy portion of my chunky guacamole and quick tomato salsa. To top it all off is my uber-spicy tinga sauce!
You won’t need all the tinga sauce that the recipe makes, so you can portion it off to freeze and thaw whenever you fancy it.
How long does this burrito bowl last?
You can easily meal prep a few portions of this vegan burrito bowl in advance. I would recommend keeping the components separate as you won’t be able to pop all of it the microwave.
The black bean, corn, and veggie mixture is easily microwaved or reheated in a frying pan. The potatoes are best reheated in an air fryer or oven. You can use the microwave but they may be a little soggy.
No need to heat the guacamole or salsa, obviously!
The components will last 3-5 days in the fridge. The guacamole may turn brown-ish in colour but it is still safe to eat within this time frame. It has simply oxidised, like an apple does when you bite into it and leave it. Lots of life juice keeps it fresher looking.
Why make this vegan burrito bowl?
You should make this vegan burrito bowl because:
- You are fed up paying inflated prices for bog standard takeaway food.
- It has 80% of your recommended daily fibre intake
- You love spicy food
- You eat too much rice and fancy a change
I urge you to make this bowl and join the burrito bowl snob club, holding your head high as you walk past Mexican fast-food joints and their pitiful “naked burrito bowl” offerings…
Before you start, have these links at the ready – guacamole, salsa, potatoes, tinga sauce.

Vegan Tinga Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
Chunky Guacamole (See my recipe linked above) - 1 Tinga Sauce (See my recipe linked above)
- 1 Tomato Salsa (See my recipe linked above)
- 1 Crispy Potatoes (See my recipe linked above)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 400g tin black beans, drained
- 1 340g tin sweetcorn, drained (or use fresh or frozen if preferred)
- Optional: Cholula hot sauce and lime wedges
Instructions
- This recipe has many elements, so I suggest preparing your guacamole and salsa in advance. Get your crispy potatoes in the oven or air fryer and let the tinga sauce simmer on the hob.
- Whilst your sauce is simmering and the potatoes are cooking, heat up oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry off the onions and peppers for another 10 minutes, leaving them with a little crunch.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Then, add your spices and cook for another minute.
- Toss in the black beans and sweetcorn. Loosen the mixture with a little water and cook until heated through.
- Grab a bowl and assemble, dolloping tinga sauce on top and garnish with a lime wedge.
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