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This vegan burrito bowl is a fast, flavor-packed dinner with smoky taco-spiced tempeh, bright cilantro rice, and crisp veggies. It’s fully vegan, naturally gluten-free, and hits that hearty Tex-Mex comfort zone in under 30 minutes.

A bowl filled with rice, black beans, corn, diced avocado, chopped red onion, red bell pepper, seasoned ground protein, and leafy greens on a yellow table.
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Your Weeknight Dinner Hero

This is one of those meals I make when I want big burrito energy without turning on the oven or washing a million pans.

The tempeh cooks up savory and satisfying without any marinating, the rice is fresh and citrusy, and everything plays nicely together in one bowl. It tastes indulgent but feels balanced, and it’s endlessly flexible depending on what’s in your fridge. (And when you serve them with these 8-minute bean and cheese tacos? Perfection.)

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Wow! The recipe was so easy and my fathers love it.” —Blitzo

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A bowl of salad with lettuce, black beans, seasoned crumbled protein, corn, chopped onions, rice, and creamy dressing, with a spoon resting inside.
Grating the tempeh gives you a finer texture that resembles ground meat even more (and means it’ll soak up all the spices and flavors better!).

Key Ingredients

  • Tempeh: Grated for a crumbled texture that mimics taco meat and cooks fast without bitterness.
  • Cumin and Chili Powder: Provide warmth and classic Tex-Mex flavor without overwhelming heat.
  • Tomato Paste: Adds umami and helps spices cling to the tempeh.
  • Jasmine Rice: Light, aromatic base that soaks up lime and cilantro beautifully.
  • Burrito Veggies: Black beans, corn, lettuce, onion, avocado and bell pepper!
Various labeled ingredients in glass bowls are arranged on an orange surface, including tempeh, beans, rice, bell pepper, seasonings, avocado, lettuce, corn, lime, and more.

I’ve included my favorite burrito bowl sauce in the notes of this recipe, but they’re also great with this quick black bean dip!

A bowl containing rice, black beans, chopped red bell peppers, avocado, lettuce, seasoned crumbled protein, corn, and diced red onions, with a spoon on the side.
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Easy Vegan Burrito Bowls (With Tempeh)

4.60 from 10 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
This vegan burrito bowl is a fast, flavor-packed dinner with smoky taco-spiced tempeh, bright cilantro rice, and crisp veggies. It’s fully vegan, naturally gluten-free, and hits that hearty Tex-Mex comfort zone in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients 

Cilantro Rice

  • 2 cup jasmine rice
  • 2 bay leaf
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 lime, juice + zest
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Tempeh Taco Meat

  • 1 8-oz package tempeh, 226 g
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp each salt, smoked paprika, chili powder
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste, 45 g
  • 2 Tbsp water, 30 mL

Veggies

  • 3 cups chopped lettuce, 200 g
  • 1 15-oz can black beans, drained, 425 g
  • 1 15-oz can corn, drained, 425 g
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
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Instructions 

  • Rice: Cook 2 cup jasmine rice according to package instructions, adding 2 bay leaf and ¼ tsp salt to the pot while it cooks (stove, rice cooker, or Instant Pot are all great options).
    When finished, stir in zest of juice of 1 lime and 1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro.
    A saucepan containing cooked white rice topped with chopped fresh herbs, placed on an orange tiled surface with a lime, zester, and juicer nearby.
  • Grate Tempeh: Roughly grate 1 8-oz package tempeh using the largest hole setting of a box grater.
    A white bowl containing crumbled tempeh and a partly intact block of tempeh sits on an orange tiled surface next to a box grater.
  • Cook Tempeh: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium/high in a large saute pan. Add tempeh and cook until lightly browned about 5 minutes.
    Add 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 tsp each salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, 1 clove garlic (minced), and 3 Tbsp tomato paste. Cook another 5 minutes, then add 2 Tbsp water and cook until water evaporates.
    A frying pan with cooked lentils, chopped garlic, tomato paste, spices, and a wooden spoon on a bright orange tiled surface.
  • Serve: Evenly distribute rice and lettuce into serving bowls, topping with beans, veggies, tempeh taco meat, and sauce. Happy eating!
    A bowl filled with black beans, seasoned ground meat, corn, red bell pepper, avocado, red onion, and cilantro rice, with a fork on the side.

Notes

For my favorite burrito bowl sauce: Stir together ¼ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp adobo sauce, and ¼ tsp lime juice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.8g | Protein: 17.5g | Fat: 26.1g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 1007mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7.1g | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4.5mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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4.60 from 10 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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11 Comments

  1. Laura says:

    Question, the ingredients for the tempeh taco meat is different in this recipe than what is listed on the page that is just for tempeh taco meat. Is that an accident or is there a reason why the spices should change in this bowl? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I’ve adapted my recipe over time! The Tempeh Taco Meat post has the most updated version of the recipe, but both are great! 😀

  2. Blitzo says:

    5 stars
    Wow! The recipe was so easy and my fathers love it.

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I’m so happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀

  3. Ellie Barch says:

    5 stars
    This was quite good and easier than I expected given the multiple steps. I bought pre-riced cauliflower and added finely diced red onion along with the cilantro and lime juice- it was excellent!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yay! So happy to hear it, Ellie! 😀

  4. N.S. says:

    5 stars
    ‎ ‎ ‎

    Reply
  5. Lauren Sands says:

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for the first time, and was very upset to dig in my fridge and learn that my pickup order from the grocery store had apparently left out the tempeh. I am not a Vegetarian or Vegan so I quickly threw some chicken thighs in the oven. However, the rice was already made and I was starving, so I went ahead and threw all the ingredients in a bowl, and started eating, no real meat or imitation meat included, AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.

    I used spinach and salad mix instead of romaine. I also heated up the beans and spiced them generously to make the dish a little more rich.

    I eventually did add the chicken only to discover I liked it better without. Ten out of ten stars. The cilantro rice, chunks of avocado and red onion really shine in this recipe.

    I left the bell pepper out because I don’t digest raw bell pepper well.

    Will definitely make again!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      This made my day! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Lauren, even though it didn’t go to plan at first!

  6. Linda Dolsberry says:

    Do you recommend a substitute for adobo sauce in the sauce recipe?
    FYI: I’ve loved all the recipes I have tried! Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Really any Mexican or Tex-Mex style hot sauce will be good here!