This dish puts a twist on a typical burrito bowl. Colorful and bright, this breakfast burrito bowl is beautiful but not too fussy, filled with wild rice, a fried egg, and lots of avocados, pepper, black beans, and cheddar cheese.
Given a kick of heat from some cumin, its wonderful lime flavors infuse the rice, veggies, and proteins. If it wasn’t so filling, you’d eat more than one.
This is a great dish to eat at brunch or lunch with friends. The wild rice adds an unexpected complexity with its textures and flavors. Serve it with some light brunch cocktails or amber ales. You can prep most of the bowl before your guests arrive and then add a fried egg right before you are ready to serve.
A key part of this recipe is in the presentation. When you assemble your ingredients in the bowl, think about alternating the colors or your ingredients as you work around the bowl in a circular pattern. This will give your bowl a visually impressive effect.
The other advice I would give is to pay attention to the instructions for how to cook the rice you choose to use. Wild rice blends vary and may have requirements that are different from the ones I prescribe here. You do not want to accidentally under or overcook your rice—both turn out as an unappetizing mess. So don’t be afraid to taste a few grains along the way to make sure it’s to your liking.
What You Need to Make Breakfast Burrito Bowls
The ingredients you will need to make these breakfast burrito bowls are wild rice, sharp cheddar cheese, black beans, cilantro, cumin, grape tomatoes, avocado, frozen corn (or fresh), lime, eggs, olive oil, red onion, salt, and pepper. You can substitute the cheddar for fresh white cheese or a fiery pepper jack cheese.
Ingredients:
- Avocado
- Lime
- Wild rice
- Fresh Cilantro
- Black beans
- Large eggs
- 2% or whole milk
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Frozen corn
- Fresh chives
- Grape tomatoes
- Ground cumin
- Table salt
- Ground pepper
- Red onion
Equipment:
To make this breakfast burrito bowl, you will need a small pot, a frying pan, a cutting board, and a knife.
How To Make Breakfast Burrito Bowls
Prepare the toppings: Slice the avocado into thick strips. Cut the tomatoes in half or fourths depending on their size. If using frozen corn, allow it 15-20 minutes to thaw. Using a vegetable peeler, peel thick strips of cheddar. Rinse and drain the beans.
Make the rice: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and allow to simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked. Make sure to follow package instructions. Once cooked and cooled slightly, add the cumin and a squeeze of lime juice.
Make the eggs: Put a frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. Crack an egg into the frying pan. Add salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the whites have just set but the yolk is still runny. I like to place the lid of a saucepan over the frying pan for this to thoroughly cook the whites quickly.
Assemble the dish: Place rice at the bottom of a bowl. Working clockwise around the bowl, add your ingredients, being sure to alternate the colors of your toppings for the best effect. Add the egg last, and garnish with cilantro and another spritz of lime juice.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this vegan?
Yes! If you want a vegan dish, options abound. You can omit the eggs and cheese entirely and use grilled veggies and extra beans instead. A vegan egg replacement can be used in place of the egg. I recommend scrambling it with a pinch of cumin and salt and pepper.
What other toppings can I try?
If you put it in a burrito, you can put it in a burrito bowl! Some other ideas include sour cream, roasted or sautéed red pepper, grilled chicken, or spicy sausage. The toppings are up to your preferences. Just be sure to think about the flavors and the colors in what you select and how you arrange them.
If I don’t use wild rice, what else can I use?
I like the variety in a wild rice blend, but it is not always easy to find and can be more expensive. If you don’t want to use it, consider using simple white-grain rice.
Breakfast Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1-2 avocados depending on size
- 1 lime
- 5-6 sprigs of fresh cilantro
- 1 cup canned black beans
- 3 large eggs
- 3 oz cheddar cheese sharp
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 10-12 grape tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ red onion
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a pot. When the water boils add 1 cup of wild rice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the water has cooked out and the rice is cooked.
- Once cooked, add 1 teaspoon of cumin and the juice from ½ lime. Stir to distribute.
- Remove the corn from the freezer (if using frozen) and allow it to thaw for 15-20 minutes.
- Halve, pit, and slice the avocado.
- Slice the grape tomatoes and red onion.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel thick strips of cheddar.
- Rinse and drain the beans.
- Heat a medium frying pan on medium with 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Crack an egg into the frying pan.
- Season with salt and pepper and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, covered, or until the white has just set. Remove with a spatula.
- Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Place ⅓ of the cooked rice in a bowl.
- Working in a circular motion, add the prepared toppings and egg to the rice.
- Spritz with a wedge of lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy!
- Green Chile Breakfast Burrito
- Chicken Breakfast Burrito
- Steak Breakfast Burrito
- Breakfast Potato Burrito
- Mexican Breakfast Hash
- Taco Omelette
- Chilaquiles Scrambled Eggs
Arielle is a food and drink photographer based in Washington, D.C. She was previously a social science researcher before she fell in love with photography.