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This vegan chipotle bowl with jackfruit recipe is made with a powerful combination of jackfruit, rice, beans, pickled red onions, and a mouth-watering chili sauce. It’s hearty, delicious, and works great as a make-ahead meal.
Looking for a vegan burrito bowl recipe to try? Are you interested in experimenting with jackfruit? Boy, do I have the dish for you. This vegan chipotle bowl with jackfruit is sweet, smoky, tangy, savory, and mind-blowingly delicious. It works great for any occasion, and I would go as far as to say your friends might not even realize it’s made with jackfruit.
If you haven’t tried jackfruit before, you’re in for something special. The tropical fruit is native to Asia, but you can find it canned or frozen at almost any grocery store these days. It’s mild in flavor and is best known for the meaty texture that allows it to pass for pulled pork when cooked the right way.
Today, we’re cooking it the best way. By simmering jackfruit in a homemade chili sauce, we allow it to soak up all of those smoky and delicious chipotle flavors like a sponge. When paired with a tomato rice base, hearty beans, pickled onions, and a heaping spoonful of sour cream, you’ve got magic in a bowl.
Not only is this vegan chipotle bowl with jackfruit insanely delicious, but it’s also the gift that keeps on giving. You can use leftover chipotle jackfruit to top off tacos, nachos, and salads throughout the week. The chili sauce also makes an incredible addition to any dish that could use an extra burst of flavor. Don’t take my word for it; see for yourself!
Bowl VERZUZ Battle: How It Works:
Welcome to the first annual BOWL VERZUZ! In this head-to-head competition, I'll be competing against my wife, Meiko Temple (Meiko and the Dish), to see who created the finest bowl. Each week, we are given the same featured ingredient and must create a bowl around it. This week's highlighted ingredient is jackfruit.
Every Friday in January we will share our submissions and we need you to vote by leaving a message in the comments below.
My submission for this week's battle is a stacked bowl of vegan chipotle deliciousness.
Meiko's vegan bowl can be found here. If you like mine, leave a message below. If her bowl is your favorite, leave a comment on her page.
Vegan Chipotle Bowl Ingredients:
To make this chipotle burrito bowl recipe, you need the key ingredients listed below.
Jackfruit: The star of this vegan bowl! Jackfruit is prized for its mild flavor and meat-like texture, making it a common plant-based swap for pulled pork. In this dish, we’re going to dress it up with herbs, spices, and peppers to turn it into the chipotle jackfruit of your dreams.
Ancho Chiles: Medium in heat, ancho chiles are known for their deliciously smoky flavor. Perfect for any chipotle bowl!
Guajillo Chiles: This mild pepper features a sweet and smoky flavor. It also adds a ton of great color to the dish.
Vine-Ripe Tomatoes: These are the key to making the chili sauce that you’ll be using to cook both the jackfruit and rice. I’ve found that vine-ripe tomatoes offer the best flavor, but any fresh medium-sized tomatoes will work fine.
Mexican Oregano: Best type of oregano you can buy! You should find this in the international section at any grocery store.
Savory Seasoning: This is the #1 low-sodium Cajun seasoning on the market and my personal favorite. It adds a ton of amazing flavor to our chili sauce.
Converted Rice: Also known as par-boiled rice, this kind of rice cuts the cooking time in half. If you want to save more time, feel free to use cooked rice.
Black Beans: I love adding sautéed black beans to my burrito bowls for delicious flavor and tons of extra protein. If you’re not a fan, you can swap them out for pinto beans.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: Regular Worcestershire sauce is typically made with fish sauce or anchovies, so make sure to check the label and get a vegan Worcestershire if you want to keep this dish vegan.
How to Make the Best Vegan Chipotle Bowl with Jackfruit:
This burrito bowl vegans and meat lovers alike are guaranteed to love. It’s just that good! Don’t let the number of steps overwhelm you—this dish can be made in under an hour, and all you have to do is follow the steps below.
Chipotle Jackfruit: Heat a dry medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Toast ancho, guajillo chilies, and jalapeno for 15 seconds on each side until slightly and evenly charred. Then, add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
In the same skillet, evenly char tomatoes and onion for about 5 minutes. Next, add the chili vegetable stock, tomatoes, onions, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, and cinnamon to a blender. Blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until smooth.
Dry jackfruit with paper towels. In the same skillet used to char vegetables, add 2 tablespoons of oil and jackfruit, then cook for 1 minute on each side until browned. Add 2 cups of chili sauce and bring to a boil. Then, simmer for 15 minutes until jackfruit is tender.
Tomato Rice: Turn the heat to medium. In a medium pot, add 1 cup of chili sauce and vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and butter. Bring to a boil, stir in rice, boil again, and cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir with a fork to fluff the rice.
Quick Pickled Onions: While the rice cooks, heat a saucepot over medium heat. Bring water to a boil, add red onions and remove from the heat after 1 minute. Add the white and red vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool in the mixture. Store in a glass jar or an airtight container.
Black Beans: Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add black beans, Mexican oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To Assemble: To each bowl, add ¼ cup brown rice, ¼ cup black beans, ½ cup jackfruit, 2 tablespoons of chili sauce, pickled onions, 2 sprigs of cilantro, and 1 heaping tablespoon of sour cream.
Recipe Tips and Tricks:
Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this burrito bowl recipe:
- You can speed up the rice cooking process by starting with pre-cooked rice or Minute rice. Want to ditch the rice altogether? Swap it out for quinoa or cauliflower rice.
- Not ready to try jackfruit just yet? You can make this burrito bowl with any plant-based meat substitute or just use chicken and steak both work great.
- Try swapping them out for pinto beans if you don’t like black beans instead.
- Don’t forget about the garnish! In addition to the toppings listed in this recipe, garnish your bowl with fresh cilantro and a dollop of dairy-free sour cream just before serving. For a little extra heat, jalapeno slices work great too.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
If you wind up with leftovers, you’re in luck—this dish is excellent for storing ahead of time. I recommend storing the chipotle jackfruit, tomato rice, and pickled red onions in separate containers for the best results.
When stored in airtight containers, the chipotle jackfruit and tomato rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You can store the chili sauce in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. If you store the pickled red onions in the vinegar you made them in; they will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Leftover chipotle jackfruit is great for serving on salads, tacos, nachos, and even pizza. Don’t be afraid to get creative! Sometimes the best meals come out of leftovers.
Want to speed things up? You can use pre-cooked rice or Minute rice to cut down cooking time. To cut down on time even further, prepare your chili sauce and chipotle jackfruit ahead of time. That way, all you have to do is prepare the rice and then load up your chipotle burrito bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this burrito bowl recipe:
While it looks like pulled pork (and tastes like it when cooked right), jackfruit is a fruit, as the name would suggest. More specifically, it’s a tropical fruit native to the southern region of Asia. Because jackfruit is so mild in flavor and has a similar texture to pulled meat, it’s often used as a vegan swap for meat.
If you want to keep the burrito bowl vegan but don’t want to use jackfruit, you can use your favorite plant-based meat substitute or just serve it as a veggie burrito bowl. If you’re not worried about keeping it vegan, use any kind of meat you like, and chicken thighs and flank steak both make great choices.
Can I make this recipe low-carb?
Absolutely. Just swap out the brown rice for cauliflower rice to reduce the carbs. Alternatively, you could turn this burrito bowl into a Chipotle-inspired salad by swapping out the rice for a bed of shredded romaine or green leaf lettuce.
Latest Recipe Video:
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More Delicious Lunch Recipes:
Looking for more tasty lunch recipes to satisfy your cravings? Try these out:
- Fried Chicken Sandwich with Kale Slaw
- Charred Mexican Street Corn Flatbread Pizza
- Grilled Ital Rasta Bowl
- Steak Sandwich with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Steak Fajita Bowl
If you’re looking for a hearty, satisfying vegan meal that can be made ahead of time or eaten right away, this jackfruit chipotle bowl is the perfect dish. The combination of rice and beans with tangy pickled onions makes it so hard to resist! For any vegans, out there who are trying to get more protein in their diet without meat substitutes like tofu, jackfruit is your answer. It tastes great on its own but also works well when mixed into dishes like these bowls. This one would pair nicely with some tortilla chips if you want an extra crunch too. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we did! Please come back and leave me a 5-star review after making it yourself.
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Recipe:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chipotle Bowl with Jackfruit
Ingredients
Chipotle Jackfruit:
- 2 ancho chiles seeds and stems removed
- 2 guajillo chilies seeds and stems removed
- 1 jalapeno stem removed
- ¼ teaspoon avocado oil
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium onion halved and root removed
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock warmed
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 2 14.5 oz. can jackfruit in water drained
- 12 sprigs cilantro garnish
- 8 oz. non-dairy sour cream garnish
Tomato Rice:
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup converted brown rice Uncle Ben’s
Pickled Red Onions:
- 1 cup water
- 1 large red onion sliced thin
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- ¾ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Black Beans:
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Chipotle Jackfruit: Turn on the heat to medium-high in a dry medium skillet, toast ancho, guajillo chilies and jalapeno for 15 seconds on each side until slightly charred evenly. Then add to vegetable stock and bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes.
- Rub tomatoes evenly with oil. In the same skillet evenly char tomatoes and onion, about 5 minutes. After place chili vegetable stock, tomatoes, onions, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, salt, Mexican oregano, cumin and cinnamon in a food blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until smooth.
- Dry jackfruit with paper towels. In the same skillet used to char vegetables, add 2 tablespoons oil, add jackfruit, cook for 1 minute on each side until browned. Add 2 cups of chili sauce, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, until jackfruit is tender. Stir in 1 cup of sauce.
- Tomato Rice: Turn the heat to medium, in a medium pot add 1 cup of chili sauce and vegetable stock, salt, pepper and butter, bring to a boil, then stir in rice, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir with a fork to fluff rice.
- Pickled Onions: While rice cooks, turn the heat to medium, in a medium sauce pot bring water to a boil, add red onions and remove from the heat, after 1 minute. Add the white and red vinegars, sugar and kosher salt. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, in mixture. Store in a glass jar or an airtight container.
- Black Beans: Turn the heat to medium, in a medium pot add black beans, Mexican oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To assemble: in each bowl, add ¼ cup brown rice, ¼ cup black beans, ½ cup jackfruit, 2 tablespoons of chili sauce, pickled onions, 2 sprigs of cilantro and 1 heaping tablespoon of sour cream.
Notes
● Not ready to try jackfruit just yet? You can make this burrito bowl with any plant-based meat substitute or just use chicken and steak both work great.
● Try swapping them out for pinto beans if you don’t like black beans instead.
● Don’t forget about the garnish! In addition to the toppings listed in this recipe, garnish your bowl with fresh cilantro and a dollop of dairy-free sour cream just before serving. For a little extra heat, jalapeno slices work great too. Storage and Make-Ahead Tips: I recommend storing the chipotle jackfruit, tomato rice, and pickled red onions in separate containers for the best results. When stored in airtight containers, the chipotle jackfruit and tomato rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You can store the chili sauce in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. If you store the pickled red onions in the vinegar you made them in; they will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Leftover chipotle jackfruit is great for serving on salads, tacos, nachos, and even pizza. Don’t be afraid to get creative! Sometimes the best meals come out of leftovers. Want to speed things up? You can use pre-cooked rice or Minute rice to cut down cooking time. To cut down on time even further, prepare your chili sauce and chipotle jackfruit ahead of time. That way, all you have to do is prepare the rice and then load up your chipotle burrito bowl.
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