Meal Prep Burrito Bowl Base (Printable Version)

Versatile bowl base with rice, beans, protein, and veggies for easy assembly.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice

→ Beans

02 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

→ Protein

03 - 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
04 - or 1 lb ground beef or turkey, cooked and seasoned
05 - or 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup corn kernels
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
10 - 1 cup shredded lettuce or chopped romaine

→ Toppings

11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend
12 - 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
13 - 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
14 - 1 avocado, sliced or mashed
15 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Lime wedges for serving

→ Seasonings

17 - 1 tbsp olive oil
18 - 1 tsp ground cumin
19 - 1 tsp chili powder
20 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
21 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Prepare rice according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly before portioning.
02 - For chicken: season with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook in skillet with olive oil until fully cooked, then chop. For ground meat: brown in skillet with olive oil and seasonings until fully cooked and drain excess fat. For tofu: toss cubes in olive oil and seasonings, then pan-fry until golden on all sides.
03 - Sauté beans with splash of olive oil, cumin, and chili powder for 2-3 minutes to warm through and infuse flavors.
04 - Dice all vegetables into uniform pieces. Shred cheese, chop cilantro, and slice avocado. Store each component in separate containers.
05 - Divide rice, beans, protein, and vegetables into 4 airtight containers, keeping each component separate to maintain texture and freshness. Store toppings in small individual containers.
06 - Reheat base components as desired, then add fresh vegetables and toppings just before eating for optimal texture and flavor.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Four ready-to-eat meals come together in under an hour, which means you're essentially paying your future self in time.
  • Every component stays separate until the moment you eat, so nothing gets soggy or weird—crisp lettuce stays crisp, warm rice stays warm.
  • Built-in flexibility means you can swap proteins, grains, or vegetables based on what's in your fridge or what your body needs that week.
02 -
  • Separating toppings from the base isn't optional if you want these to taste good by mid-week—I learned this the hard way when I pre-mixed everything on day one and ate soggy bowls by Wednesday.
  • Pat your lettuce completely dry and store it with paper towels, because moisture is what turns crisp greens into a wilted mess faster than anything else.
  • Don't skip seasoning the beans and protein individually—these are the moments where your bowl stops tasting like leftovers and starts tasting like you actually planned it.
03 -
  • Let your rice cool slightly before packing it into containers, or steam will get trapped and turn everything mushy by the next day.
  • If avocado is non-negotiable to your bowl, buy it hard on Sunday and eat it fresh right before you assemble—it's the one ingredient that truly doesn't survive the week.
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