Vegetarian Meal Prep Breakfast Bowls

My idea of a good breakfast is something that will actually keep me full until lunch, and I have one for you that definitely delivers. These vegetarian meal prep breakfast bowls are packed with protein from the eggs and carbs from hearty roasted potatoes.

Having breakfast in the fridge or freezer ready to go makes me breathe such a sigh of relief. On busy mornings, the last thing I want to do is try to figure out what to eat. So, I usually like to have some vegetarian meal prep options ready to go.

I’ve also started to be more intentional about having both breakfast and lunch planned out and prepped the night before, and it’s been a game-changer.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as packaging up last night’s leftovers for lunch and whipping up to-go smoothies, so breakfast is totally ready in the morning. I live in an apartment, so I always feel a little rude using my blender in the mornings because it’s really not a pleasant sound at 6:00 am, ya know?

Luckily, the prep is quick and quiet for these meal prep breakfast bowls. You’ll need a limited number of easy to find ingredients, and the best part? You can replace any of them and customize this meal as you please.

I will say, even though smoothies are usually my go-to meal during the warmer months, I definitely prefer a heartier breakfast rest of the time. These breakfast bowls look as good as they taste. They totally make me think of something Chipotle would offer if they did breakfast (hint, hint, Chipotle 😀). If you didn’t want to do the potatoes on the bottom of the bowl, make a batch of cilantro lime rice. It is amazing!

🥚 Ingredients

To keep this fresh for days, it’s important to use good food storage containers with lids. Today I’m using one of my favorite meal prep containers. Here are the main ingredients you will need.

✅Southern hash browns – the base of these breakfast bowls is baked southern hash browns (aka frozen diced potatoes).

✅Scrambled eggs – the southern hash browns are followed by a layer of scrambled eggs. Modify this for lunches and turn it into a burrito bowl.

✅Black beans

✅Cilantro

✅Green onion

✅Spinach

✅Mexican cheese

✅Salt & pepper

✅Taco sauce (for serving)

🍽️ Instructions

👉Step 1: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet. Break up the potatoes and spread them onto the baking sheet. Add some salt and pepper and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.

👉Step 2: Combine the eggs to a large bowl and add in salt and pepper to taste. Cook the scrambled eggs and set aside.

👉Step 3: Drain the liquid off the beans and pat them dry. Set aside.

👉Step 4: Chop up the green onions, spinach, and cilantro. Keep them separate and pat them all dry.

📌Tip: Don’t skip patting the beans and fresh greens dry! This is my secret to making sure the bowls stay fresh all week and don’t get watery in the fridge after a couple of days.

👉Step 5: After the hash browns have cooked, remove them from the oven and add half of the green onions and half of the cilantro. Let them cool.

👉Step 6: Separate the ingredients into the food storage containers. Place them in layers starting with the hash browns, then top with eggs, spinach, cheese, green onions, and cilantro.

👉Step 7: Place the meals in the fridge for up to 3 days.

👉Step 8: To serve, add some taco sauce to taste and heat them in the microwave for 1½ – 2 minutes. Stir and dig in!

📌Bonus: This will drive down your grocery costs and reduce the time spent in the kitchen! There are a lot of other cheap vegetarian meals to choose from, and I have a list that will help you save even more.

💡 Expert Tips

📌For the fluffiest scrambled eggs that reheat well, I like to cook them low and slow, stirring frequently so they form small, soft curds. I always pull them off the heat when they’re just set, as they will cook a little more when you reheat the bowl later.

📌Reheat and eat! I do reheat these vegetarian breakfast bowls in the container I prepare them in. It’s hard to show you what the actual bowl looks like in one of those, so I popped one on a plate so you can see what we’re working with.

While the microwave is super quick, the potatoes can sometimes get a little soft. My favorite trick for bringing back that crispy texture is to pop the bowl in the microwave for a minute to get it warm, then transfer everything to a hot, lightly oiled skillet for another minute or two to crisp up the potatoes again. It makes a world of difference!

Variations & Substitutions

📌Make this vegan. Just remove the eggs and use your favorite vegan cheese substitute to make these breakfast bowls. I’d recommend adding some more beans or potatoes, or even some baked tofu if you have the time.

📌Bulk it up. I wanted to keep this recipe simple, but the sky is the limit with how you can customize this. Add corn, “fajita peppers,” some crushed tortilla strips, a side of guac (served the day of)… basically live out your burrito bowl dreams in breakfast form.

📌Swap beans – Get creative and use half and half pinto beans and black beans, or if you’re not into black beans, just substitute in some pinto or kidney beans.

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