This one pot burrito bowl brings the deliciously authentic flavor you’d expect to find in your favorite Mexican restaurant right to your own table!
This recipe has been in our family’s dinner rotation since 2015! To say that it’s a perennial favorite is an understatement. I love it because it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients. Hub’s loves it because of its Mexican flavors and its stick-to-your-ribs heartiness. The kids love the flavors and texture.
This is a fantastic way to spice up any Taco Tuesday, and is sure to keep your family full and happy!
If you love one-pot meals as much as I do, I hope you’ll try my chili mac, American goulash, fiesta chicken, and sausage and rice next!
What I Love About This Recipe:
- Quick and easy work night comfort food
- All made in one pan makes cleanup a snap
- Tons of flavor
What Is A One-Pot Burrito Bowl?
It’s a burrito, only it’s in a bowl! You’ve probably seen the one pot burrito bowl Pinterest craze, right? There are a zillion recipes out there. Trust me when I say you’ve stumbled across the only burrito bowl recipe you’ll ever need (wink, wink).
One pan/pot dishes have become incredibly popular because they save time in the kitchen and keep messes to a minimum. They never steer you wrong, including tried and true favorites and the like. In my opinion, this is possibly the best of the Mexican one pot meals. It’s incredibly filling, and you don’t miss the shell at all! My family loves to mix and match toppings as well. Avocado, sour cream, and lots of extra cheese are must-haves!
One Pot Burrito Bowl Ingredients
- Oil: Any neutral flavored oil will work.
- Meat: Use ground beef or turkey.
- S + P: Table salt and ground pepper.
- Onion: Yellow or white onion.
- Garlic: Fresh only!
- Dried Spice: We combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika to create the perfect seasoning without using a taco seasoning packet.
- Rice: The recipe is written for white rice.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced without the juices.
- Sugar: Just a bit to balance the acidity of the canned tomatoes.
- Beans: Use pinto, black, or kidney beans. Rinse them well and drain.
- Chiles: Buy them already chopped. They’re canned with very little liquid, so feel free to add it.
- Corn: Use frozen or rinsed canned.
- Broth
- Cheese
Optional Toppings
- Shredded Lettuce Or Cabbage
- Cheddar Or Monterey Jack
- Sour Cream
- Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Avocado
Storing + Make-Ahead +Freezing
- How Long Will This Last: When stored in the fridge, in airtight containers, this will last 3-4 days.
- Can You Make One Pot Burrito Bowls Ahead Of Time? Yes, you sure can! Follow the recipe directions for assembly, but leave the cheese off. Refrigerate and then when you’re good and ready, reheat it in the oven or microwave, adding cheese and toppings when the dish has been fully heated through.
- Can You Freeze One Pot Burrito Bowl? Yes, you can freeze this recipe. If you’re freezing for a later date, assemble it in a freezer-safe dish, cover it tightly. When it’s time to devour, take it out of the freezer, let it thaw in the refrigerator, and pop it in the oven!
Tips
- Meat: You can use ground beef here, but I prefer ground turkey. It’s fairly lean and keeps this burrito bowl recipe healthy. Also, the flavors from the spices in this dish are so prevalent, you really don’t need the flavor given from the ground beef. If you do decide to take the ground beef burrito bowl recipe route, be sure to skip adding the oil when browning the beef and drain the pan well. Turkey meat will require oil, and the pan will not need draining. No matter which meat you choose, don’t overcook it. Remember, it’s added back to the pan to simmer with the rice mixture.
- Toasting Spices: this recipe is delightfully flavorful, but I highly recommend that you toast the spices along with the onion and garlic once they have softened. It adds a ton of depth to the flavor, you won’t want to miss it.
- Toppings: You can certainly enjoy this bowl without toppings, as each and every ingredient has its own punch of flavor. I choose to indulge in toppings, and you should add as few or as many as you like.
- Reheating leftovers: Here’s some great information on reheating leftovers
How Do You Make One Pot Burrito Bowl?
-
Cook the ground turkey. Set aside.
-
Saute the aromatics
-
Add the spices
-
Add the rice, canned tomatoes, sugar, black beans, diced chiles, corn, chicken stock, and browned turkey and bring to a boil. Cook on low until the rice is done and cooked through about 20~25 minutes.
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Turn the cooktop off, top it with the shredded cheese then place the lid back on.
-
Top as desired and serve!
***See the full instructions below.
More One Pot Meals
- American Chop Suey
- One Pot Pasta
- Hamburger Hash
- One Skillet Shrimp and Pasta Scampi
- Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One Pot Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 24 ounces ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, Minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4-ounce) can mild diced green chiles, drained
- 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn, thawed and drained
- 2 1/2 cups caldo de pollo or chicken stock
- 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
Optional Toppings:
- shredded lettuce or shredded cabbage
- cheddar cheese,
- Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- medium tomatoes, diced
- red onions sliced
- fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- avocado, sliced
Instructions
- In a large, high-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey (24 ounces), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook just until the turkey is no longer pink. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and cook the onion (1/2 cup) and garlic (4 cloves), over medium-low heat, until they're soft about 6 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, chili powder (1 tablespoon), cumin (1 teaspoon), oregano (1 teaspoon), paprika (1/2 teaspoon), and cook for 1 minute, stirring often so the spices don't burn. (If the pan is too dry, add a little oil so spices don't burn.)
- Add the rice (1 cup), canned tomatoes (1 can), sugar (1/4 teaspoon), black beans (1 can), diced chiles (1 can), corn (1/2 cup), chicken stock (2 1/2 cups) and browned turkey and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on low until the rice is done and cooked through for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Turn the cooktop off, top with the shredded cheese (1 cup cheddar + 1 cup Monterey jack cheese), place the lid back on and let sit until the cheese is melted about 5 minutes.
- Top as desired and serve!
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Meat: You can use ground beef here, but I prefer ground turkey. It’s fairly lean and keeps this burrito bowl recipe healthy. Also, the flavors from the spices in this dish are so prevalent, you really don’t need the flavor given from the ground beef. If you do decide to take the ground beef burrito bowl recipe route, be sure to skip adding the oil when browning the beef and drain the pan well. Turkey meat will require oil, and the pan will not need draining. No matter which meat you choose, don’t overcook it. Remember, it’s added back to the pan to simmer with the rice mixture.
- Toasting Spices: this recipe is delightfully flavorful, but I highly recommend that you toast the spices along with the onion and garlic once they have softened. It adds a ton of depth to the flavor, you won’t want to miss it.
- Toppings: You can certainly enjoy this bowl without toppings, as each and every ingredient has its own punch of flavor. I choose to indulge in toppings, and you should add as few or as many as you like.
- Reheating leftovers: Here’s some great information on reheating leftovers
Nutrition
Source: Adapted from No. 2 Pencils
Linda says
If I don’t put rice in it, do I leave out the broth?
Kathleen says
Hi Linda. Yes. You may want to add a little for moisture. I haven’t made it without rice.
Joy Bruneau says
where do you use the lettuce or cabbage? As a topping?
Kathleen says
Hi, Joy. Yes, those are optional toppings. Enjoy! 🙂
Bryana says
In the recipe ingredient list it calls for.chicken stock but in the preparations it says beef broth?
Kathleen says
Hi Bryana. Sorry, that was a typo. It’s chicken stock. I hope you enjoy this recipe it’s a crazy family favorite!
Cara @LttleBlndeBaker says
I love this! We do something similar but always do everything separate. I will have to give the one bowl a try. It looks much easier. I also want to try your spice combo. We usually cheat and get a taco seasoning packet. Thanks so much I can’t wait to try this!
Kathleen says
Hi Cara. I hope you enjoy 🙂