Easy Tex Mex Vegan Buddha Bowls

This easy Tex-Mex vegan Buddha bowl was born from a classic “oops, I forgot to go grocery shopping” moment. It’s the ultimate “pantry raid” meal! Using leftover rice, a can of beans, some corn, and a scoop of salsa, I was able to have a delicious, healthy dinner on the table in minutes.

Here’s what I serve for dinner when I don’t feel like cooking but still want to eat healthy. It’s kind of a blend between a buddha bowl and a burrito bowl since I’m using salsa as my “dressing”.

This keeps things VERY simple and you can swap any of the ingredients out for whatever you have on hand. We eat some version of this at least once a week since it’s so simple and hearty.

It is big and round and filled with vibrant veggies and rice. They are really easy to make, satisfying, and perfect for getting lots of vitamins and minerals. The name has been around for a while, and it’s just sort of stuck! 

As you will see, Buddha bowls are completely customizable and have all sorts of flavors and ingredients. 

🥦 Ingredients

One of the reasons this is my go-to 10-minute meal is that it uses super simple staples I almost always have on hand.

Here’s the classic combination our family loves for this Tex-Mex bowl. Don’t forget to check out the Variations section for more ideas on how to customize it!

✅ Cooked brown rice – This is the perfect hearty base. I love using leftovers to make this meal even faster!

✅ Corn – I use canned or frozen – whatever you have on hand.

✅ Black beans: It’s not a Tex-Mex bowl without them!

✅ Salsa – This is my “secret” ingredient. It acts as the sauce and adds a serious dose of flavor with zero effort.

✅ Roma tomatoes

✅ Broccoli

✅ Avocado

✅ Cilantro

🍲 Instructions

👉Step 1: I start by microwaving some leftover brown rice. We have a rice cooker (I HIGHLY recommend getting one), so I make rice in batches and always keep some in the fridge for a few days at a time.

👉Step 2: Next up, microwave some veggies! I usually heat up some frozen corn or broccoli. On this particular day, I decided to spend more time roasting the broccoli, but I usually use the microwave.

👉Step 3: While the vegetables are microwaving, slice two Roma tomatoes, cube an avocado and chop some cilantro. Season the tomato and avocado with salt and pepper. This makes two bowls, so if you’re cooking for one, just use one tomato and half an avocado.

👉Step 4: When the veggies are done, rinse a can of beans, add a few spoonfuls of chunky salsa to the beans and microwave for a couple of minutes. They look so ugly in the pictures, but I swear it’s good.

👉Step 5: Then, add everything to the bowl, arranging everything nicely. And finally add a little salsa to the rice. This always hits the spot, and I could eat this every day!

📌Tip: It takes about 10 minutes total if you’re starting with leftover rice, so when you make rice, double the batch so you can have the base of this meal ready to go ahead of time.

📌 Expert Tips

🔸Rinse those beans. This is my #1 tip for any recipe using canned beans. Before you mix them with the salsa, give your black beans a really good rinse in a colander. This gets rid of any “canned” taste and makes the whole bowl taste so much fresher.

🔸Don’t overcook the veggies. When you heat the broccoli and corn in the microwave, you just want to warm them through! Keep an eye on them so they stay crisp-tender. Overcooking them will make them release water, which can lead to a soggy bowl (and nobody wants that!).

🔸Boost your leftover rice. Since this meal is so quick, I love to give my leftover rice a simple flavor boost. While it’s reheating, I stir in a small pinch of cumin and a big squeeze of fresh lime juice. It’s a tiny step that makes the whole bowl taste more like a restaurant-style Tex-Mex meal.

🔸The salsa is your “sauce”. The salsa is your secret weapon here, acting as the dressing for the whole bowl. I find that a good quality, thick and chunky salsa works best because it adds both flavor and texture, not just liquid.

🥬 Ingredient Ideas

As you will see, this is completely customizable and can have all sorts of flavors and ingredients. Here are a few that I add when I have them on hand.

Sometimes I’ll also swap the rice for roasted potatoes since my husband isn’t a huge lover of rice. Seriously good either way!

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