Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls
These Mexican street corn burrito bowls are a healthier way to enjoy burritos, without sacrificing flavour! Charred corn, quinoa, and black beans are seasoned to perfection and topped with tangy vegan lime crema for a delicious weeknight dinner.
I love dinner in a bowl and I love Mexican food. Put the two together and you’ve got this recipe for Mexican street corn burrito bowls!
While regular Mexican street corn is made with mayo and cheese, this burrito bowl recipe gives you all of that street corn goodness, but veganised. (As a bonus, it’s also much less messy to eat out of a bowl than off of a cob!)
The corn is charred on the stovetop for that signature smoky flavour, then I whip up a tangy vegan dressing made with plant-based yogurt, lime, and garlic, which adds that creamy element that makes Mexican street corn so irresistible.
My next favourite thing about this recipe is how easy it is to meal prep. You can make all the ingredients separately, then pack them together for your lunch, or keep them separate and mix them together when you’re ready to eat. They components will last throughout the week, and you can easily double or even triple this recipe if you’d like—it tastes good hot or cold too!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Bowls:
- Cooked quinoa – Here’s how to make fluffy quinoa.
- Olive oil
- Canned whole kernel sweet corn
- Black beans – You’ll need one can of black beans, although you can cook dry beans if you prefer.
- Red bell pepper – Yellow or orange work too.
- Parsley or cilantro
- Burrito bowl seasoning – Garlic powder, paprika, cumin, sea salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Lime Crema:
- Vegan Greek yogurt – Or use homemade vegan yogurt.
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
For Assembling:
- Jalapeño slices – You can use fresh or pickled.
- Avocado slices
- Lime wedges
Is Canned Corn Healthy?
Canned corn can be healthy, although not all brands are created equal! Look for canned corn that is low in sodium and that only contains simple, everyday ingredients. It’s also important to make sure the can is BPA-free.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls
This is a great recipe for making in advance! Just be sure to store everything separately in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
- Make the seasoning. Combine all of the ingredients for the burrito bowl seasoning and set aside.
- Mix the crema. Whisk together the ingredients for the lime crema in a small bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
- Char the corn. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet set over high heat. Once it’s very hot, stir in the corn. Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes, tossing about every 30 seconds to get a char on all of the kernels.
- Season. Transfer the charred corn to a bowl and toss it with 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoning.
- Cook the beans and peppers. Return the skillet to the stovetop and add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the black beans and red bell peppers, along with the remaining seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the bell pepper is tender.
- Assemble. Divide the ingredients into bowls, add your favourite toppings, and drizzle with the lime crema.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to help you get perfect vegan Mexican street corn burrito bowls:
- Be patient. If you stir the corn constantly, it won’t get that nice char. Only stir it every 30 seconds!
- Keep the beans and peppers separate (or not). I cook the beans and peppers side-by-side so they don’t mix to keep my burrito bowls looking pretty, but if aesthetics don’t matter to you, you can just mix them all together.
- Using other types of corn. You can use fresh corn for this recipe or frozen; if you use frozen, let it thaw first.
Variations
You can swap the quinoa for cooked rice or even cauliflower rice. Another type of bean can be used instead of black beans, or you can add another plant-based protein like vegan chicken or marinated tofu.
How to Store Leftovers
It’s best to store leftovers separately, although if you’ve already mixed everything together, that’s fine too. The components of this recipe will last in the refrigerator for about 4 days; reheat in a skillet or the microwave.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze the different components of this recipe for up to 3 months. Let everything thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat the quinoa, corn, beans, and peppers in the microwave or in a skillet. (The crema doesn’t need to be heated.)
More Vegan Meal Bowls
- Vegan Poke Bowls
- Nourishing Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Korean (Gochujang) Tofu Rice Bowls
- Curried Satay Veggie Bowls
Enjoy friends! If you make this Mexican street corn burrito bowl recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
Bowls:
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 15.25 oz can, 1 ½ cups Del Monte® Fresh Cut Sweet Whole Kernel Corn, drained
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
Burrito Bowl Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Lime Crema
- 1/4 cup vegan greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- lime wedges, for garnish
- Top with jalapeño slices, avocado slices, and lime
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the burrito bowl seasoning and set aside. Similarly, mix all the ingredients for the lime crema together and set aside.
- In a pan over high heat, add 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil until very hot. Add in the Del Monte® Fresh Cut Sweet Whole Kernel Corn and stir to combine (it should sizzle from the high heat). Char the Del Monte® Fresh Cut Sweet Whole Kernel Corn for about 2 ½ minutes, tossing every 30 seconds or so to get a char on all pieces of the corn. When charred to your liking, remove from heat, add into a separate bowl and then add in ½ teaspoon of the burrito bowl seasoning.
- In the same pan, add another 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Add in the black beans and red bell peppers. I add mine side by side so they don’t mix, or you could do them one after another. Sprinkle in the rest of the burrito bowl seasoning and stir it in. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bell pepper has softened slightly and the black beans are well seasoned. Remove from heat.
- Assemble your bowl as you’d like – I like to split the ingredients equally between three bowls, using a cup of quinoa in each. Top with avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and a squeeze of lime. Drizzle with the Lime Crema and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- To store: It’s best to store leftovers separately, although if you’ve already mixed everything together, that’s fine too. The components of this recipe will last in the refrigerator for about 4 days; reheat in a skillet or the microwave.
- To freeze: You can freeze the different components of this recipe for up to 3 months. Let everything thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat the quinoa, corn, beans, and peppers in the microwave or in a skillet.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This looks and sounds amazing. I assume you drained the corn first? How dry does it need to be in order to get that beautiful char?
Hi Jean!!
Thank you so much!! Yes, I drained the can and rinsed corn then just let the water run off. Shaking the mesh sieve with the corn in them to get rid of excess water was all I needed to do, I didn’t need to do any additional drying!! I hope that helps!!
We just made this and loved it! Do you have the nutrition facts and serving size for this recipe?
Hi Stefanie,
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed them! I don’t actually but you can calculate them here: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Really easy and great for meal prep for the week! I didn’t have bell pepper or avocado, but I added some soy chorizo which went well with it.
Thanks so much for the review Anna! We really appreciate it.
love your recipes
Thank you Melanie!
So easy!! It was simple to prepare and clean up a breeze. Thank you for your recipes and website. You have given me and my family hope for going vegan.