My Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe is based on the burrito bol at Chipotle restaurants, but the chipotle here refers to the chili pepper that I have used rather than the restaurant chain. That is because this is more of a Taco Bell 7 Layer Burrito meets Mexican Taco Salad meets Chipotle Burrito Bol. In short, most of my favorite Mexican ingredients layered together in a spicy, zesty, vegetarian burrito bowl that will make your taste buds explode.

Cheese and sour cream can also be added to the burrito bowl here, but I had none on hand. So I came up with this sauce. This homemade chipotle sauce I am using here is so creamy, you will hardly need the sour cream. Really!

The base of this luscious burrito bowl of mine is cilantro lime rice. I added a knob of butter (use margarine for vegan option), plenty of fresh lemon-lime juice and a handful of finely chopped cilantro. This rice is so good, it deserves a side dish status on its own.

A Mexican bowl has to have beans. I went for black beans, my favorite. Seasoned and spiced simply with signature Mexican flavors, this is where you start building your spice base.

Tofu is a must to add that meatiness for us vegetarians. Marinated in some smoky spices, this tofu can stand on its own against anything Qdoba ever dished up.

Grilled onions and peppers are an absolute must in a vegetarian burrito bowl. Remember fajitas! Who doesn’t love fajitas? Charring the peppers on a griddle is easy enough, and this simple process adds a whole new dimension of flavor.

A quick corn salsa or plain seasoned corn adds some sweetness that is perfect to balance all the chili and spices.

Pico Da gallo, another must when it comes to a Mexican dish is also easily made.

And the dressing! This creamy chipotle dressing is just so awe-some. Yes, it actually deserves to be called awesome. Almonds, chipotle peppers, cumin and loads of lime juice, all emulsified with some olive oil – are you dreaming already? You can add in a cup of yogurt or sour cream to make it creamier. Fat free Greek yogurt would be a great option here, adding some protein without doing too much damage.

Have you lost count? Well, we got our 7 layers for the Chipotle Burrito Bowl. But there is more! Jalapenos and scallions are a must. And then, if you want cheese, sour cream, guacamole, that is a total 5 more layers, making this a 12 layer veggie burrito bowl. Olives, you say. Why not make it a 13 layer Mexican bowl??

This 7 layer Mexican bowl or chipotle spiced vegetarian burrito bowl is something I can eat 3 times a day. As I have said before, these are the basic building blocks of a Mexican meal. So stuff any or all of this in a tortilla and you have a jumbo burrito.

Or add leftovers and cheese to bread to make a Mexican Panini ( I did).

Chipotle Burrito Bowl Recipe

Mexican food options here in Pune are sadly lacking when it comes to authenticity or flavor. If you are an R2Ier, expat, or someone traveling away from home who misses their daily dose of Tex-Mex, give this a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Mexican Burrito Bowls are very flexible because everyone gets to fill their own bowl any way they want it.  Try this Chipotle Burrito bowl out and let me know how it works. Although chipotles in Adobo are really hard to get in Pune, dry chipotle chilies are available on Amazon India.