Cauliflower Burrito Bowls with Jalapeño Ranch are the ultimate vegetarian and gluten free weekday meal. Spice-roasted cauliflower, chipotle-style black beans, fire-roasted corn, and a creamy, yogurt-based ranch dressing.
The Ultimate Cauliflower Burrito Bowls:
These brassica bowls are at once fiery, creamy, crunchy, and cooling. To start, we have perfectly roasted cauliflower florets dusted in taco seasoning. Next, Chipotle-style black beans amped up with adobe sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, and a spritz of fresh lime juice. And to finish, a creamy jalapeño ranch dressing to add cooling undertones and balance the spice.
These Cauliflower Burrito Bowls are make-ahead friendly and come together in just 45 minutes. Therefore, consider dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow officially conquered.
How to Make Perfect Roasted Cauliflower:
In my opinion, the best roasted cauliflower is creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. To achieve this, it's important to roast at a high heat (no lower than 425°F) and avoid overcrowding the pan.
Those crispy, caramelized bits are achieved when the vegetable makes contact with the pan, so make sure they have enough space. Otherwise, the cauliflower will steam and turn mushy and not live up to its full delicious potential.
For the taco seasoning, feel free to use homemade or store-bought. The one thing to be mindful of, however, is the sodium content. Some pre-made taco seasonings are jam-packed with sodium, while others hardly have any. I use Trader Joe's brand, which I found it to be plenty salty, therefore negating the need to add additional salt to the cauliflower.
How to Make Chipotle-Style Black Beans:
These black beans couldn't be easier, and have the same zestful spice as the fan-favorite side at Chipotle. Using shortcut ingredients such as frozen fire-roasted corn and canned black beans and tomatoes make the process incredibly streamlined. I also dig the added texture and extra dose of fiber the corn contributes.
I love using Trader Joe's frozen fire-roasted corn, however you can use plain ol' sweet corn or even fresh corn charred on the grill!
These black beans register pretty low on the heat scale, but they do have some smoky spice from adobe sauce. However if you prefer extra heat, you can add fresh diced jalapeño or a sprinkle of chili flakes.
Homemade Jalapeño Ranch Dressing:
This yogurt-based ranch dressing comes together in 5 minutes flat in the blender. It's creamy and cooling with classic tangy flavor and subtle spice from the jalapeño. Fresh dill and cilantro lend an herbal boost, while a jolt of garlic and onion powder drive it home.
Plus, this recipe makes more than enough to give you leftovers after deploying generous amounts in the bowls. Use leftovers on anything from salads and tacos to roasted vegetables and crudités platters.
Also, I’m sorry in advance but once you try homemade jalapeño ranch, you will be ruined for all other store-bought ranch forever.Lastly, if you give this recipe a try, be sure to tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful bowls!
More Favorite Cauliflower Recipes:
BBQ Cauliflower Tacos with Green Tahini Sauce
Creamy Cauliflower Pasta
Teriyaki Cauliflower Power Bowls
Cauliflower Burrito Bowls with Jalapeño Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower cut into small florets
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 ½ Tbsp. taco seasoning homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 3 tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 15.5-oz. can black beans, undrained
- ¾ cup canned fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen/thawed fire-roasted corn I like Trader Joe's brand
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
Jalapeño Ranch
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1 small jalapeño seeds and ribs removed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp. fresh dill
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
Optional toppings/garnishes
- chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce, shaved radish, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoon of the oil and taco seasoning. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, avoiding any overlap; bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until tender and charred in some spots.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cook until slightly softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, adobo sauce, and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring often. Add black beans, tomatoes, and corn; simmer until liquid reduces, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lime zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Prepare Jalapeño Ranch by combining all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
- Prepare bowls by dividing black bean mixture evenly into each of 4 bowls. Top evenly with cauliflower and additional toppings of choice. Drizzle Jalapeño Ranch dressing overtop.
Sam
This was amazing! Just the right amount of heat for me, a wussy. Mine took about twice as long for the liquid to thicken up too, but man it was worth it! The jalapeno ranch is a new fav too!
Julie
Loved this recipe! Wasn't sure how it would turn out, as it was super liquidy for much longer than the time described, but I just continued to simmer until it finally thickened, I think my black beans had extra water in them. I added a little queso, crushed tortilla chips, chopped romaine and avocado. The crunch brought it all together!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Lisa
Delicious! Opted to forego the chipotle in adobo since I’m a spice wimp but we loved it! Will definitely make again! Also, thought the dressing would be great for my green salads I eat for lunch too! Thanks for sharing 🙌🏻
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thank you for taking time to leave a review!
Jenny
This is so delicious! I “veganized” it by using dairy-free sour cream in place of the yogurt. This will become one of our regulars. Thank you!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Jenny - I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Isabela
So good and healthy! I have made this every week for a month! The jalapeño sauce is so fresh and tasty that even on it's own, without cheese or avocado, the dish is really satisfying. I'm on a diet and this meal is a great way to lose waith while eating your 5 a day and still looking forward for lunch! Thank you!
Grace
Absolutely loved this recipe!! So easy to make and the jalapeño sauce really topped it off! We’ll definitely be making this again!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Grace - Woohoo! I'm so glad the recipe was a hit. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Ashley
Do you know the calorie count for each serving?
Tamara
Yessss! So yum! Will definitely make again and next time will top with avocado (was running low) and crumbled feta (totally forgot). Thank you!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Tamara, I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Maureeln
Yum!!!!! It was delicious - lots of flavour but not too hot. It was just right!!!
Bailey
Easily one of the most delicious meals I’ve made in a while! The recipe was easy to follow and came together pretty quickly. I will definitely be adding this to my usual rotation! It was even husband approved.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Bailey--I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Tori
I like to cook quinoa and mix that with the beans, corn, etc. as well as chop some chicken and cook it in a pan with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt and pepper for the meat eaters to put on their bowls! One of our favorite meals!!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Tori! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Josee
Am eating this right now, delicious! Every bite is different and complex. We are loving it and this is going in the make again file.
Suzanne
Hi, this looks really delicious. I noticed there was no nutritional information. I’m counting macros and would be interested as other recipes show that. Did I miss seeing it? Thanks so much!
Stacy
This made a great Friday night dinner on a cool Autumn night, topped with sliced avocado and monterey jack cheese. It took less than an hour to prepare, and the jalapeno ranch sauce is glorious! I'm looking forward to using it on other things.
dishingouthealth
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Stacy! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Cheers!
Robyn
This was SO delicious! I served mine with the suggested avocado, radishes and cilantro and also added some thinly sliced scallions. It made enough for two meals for two adults and we can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!
dishingouthealth
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Robyn! It's been a recent fav over here, too. Thank you for coming back and leaving a review!
Robyn
For leftovers I bulked it up by sautéed some shredded cabbage in olive oil and garlic salt before adding the leftovers to the pan to reheat, it was delicious!