Black Bean Quinoa Turkey Burrito Bowls

If you are a fan of Mexican flavors, then you will enjoy these homemade black bean quinoa turkey burrito bowls. It is way better than eating burritos/bowls at restaurants/chains because this recipe is freshly made with handpicked fresh ingredients.

To build the burrito bowl, use Mexican brown rice or quinoa, salad greens, and sauteed turkey with Mexican spices.

Let's get started!

What is unique about this dish

• Wholesome, healthy burrito bowl for lunch or dinner
• Quick and easy to prepare
• Customize what to add to the bowl as per your liking.
• Prepare most of the ingredients ahead of time and assemble them just before serving.
• It is a perfect dish to make for the party.

Ingredients

• Ground turkey meat - buy organic meat whenever possible. Ground meat takes less cooking time, making it a perfect option for quick meals. For this recipe, you can also use boneless turkey thighs or breasts cut into bite-size pieces.
• Seasonings - to flavor the turkey, use ground cumin, chipotle chili powder (or smoked paprika if you don't have it), salt, and pepper.
• Cooked quinoa - to make the dish wholesome and filling, use cooked quinoa as a base. Or make this cilantro lime quinoa.
• Avocado - it adds a nice creamy touch to the dish. Slice and use it, or make fresh guacamole.
• Salsa - you can use homemade salsa (or make pica de gallo - a mixture of finely chopped onion, tomato, and cilantro). I prefer making fresh salsa or pica de gallo at home. However, you can use a store-bought one for a shortcut.
• Greens - get organic salad greens whenever possible. I used fresh arugula as a base for this recipe.
• Additional toppings - to make the dish even more interesting, add toppings like sliced cucumber, radish, crushed corn chips, etc.

Preparation tips

For cooking turkey

Peel and cut onion into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves. Cut tomato into quarters. Add everything to a small food processor jar and chop them finely (optionally, add jalapeno). Keep the mixture chunky. This mixture will be used to cook ground turkey.

Do not have a food processor? Then, dice the onion and tomato into small pieces and finely chop the garlic cloves.

For burrito bowl assembly

• Quinoa - cook quinoa in water or chicken broth on low heat for about 15 minutes. Follow this recipe to prepare cilantro lime quinoa.
• Avocado - peel, slice, or finely dice, or smash it. Or prepare homemade fresh guacamole.
• Salsa - make quick salsa at home.
• Cucumber - cut the cucumber in half and then slice it.
• Greens - wash the greens thoroughly and remove excess water. If you have a salad spinner, use it for this.

How to make turkey burrito bowls?

If you have prepared quinoa or rice and salsa ahead of time, making this burrito bowl will take very little time.

Step 1- Cooking ground turkey

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium-low heat. Add chopped onion, tomato, and garlic mixture and saute for a few minutes.

Add ground turkey meat and all the seasonings; mix everything well. Simmer it for a few minutes or until the pink color disappears. Let it cool down slightly before using.

Step 2 - Assembling burrito bowl with toppings

Add arugula and cooked quinoa in a large bowl, followed by spiced ground turkey.

Now add black beans and sliced cucumbers. Finally, top it with avocado slices and salsa. Optionally drizzle some olive oil and garnish with fresh lime wedges, crushed tortilla chips, and a wholesome turkey burrito bowls are ready to enjoy.

Serving suggestions

• This burrito bowl is self-sufficient for a filling lunch/dinner.
• Drinks - make any of these non-alcoholic drinks, such as pineapple mojito, strawberry detox water, or apple cider mimosa, to pair with it.
• Make Air Fryer corn on the cob to serve on the side.
• Wrap everything in large tortillas and make turkey burrito wraps.

Helpful tips

• Cooking ground meat - after adding meat to the hot pan, break it into small pieces immediately. If it cooks in big pieces, breaking them into smaller pieces will be difficult. Also, reduce the heat to low before adding the ground meat and cook it on low heat or simmer. High temperatures will toughen the meat.
• If you are cooking quinoa and turkey, just before serving, allow it to cool down before assembling the burrito bowl. Otherwise, salad greens and cucumber will wilt in hot temperatures.

Recipe variations

• Make it Spicy - add sliced jalapenos as toppings or add more chipotle chili powder.
• Add veggies - add roasted bell peppers to make this bowl more nutritious.
• Grain-free salad bowl - skip quinoa, add more greens, and make a salad bowl.
• Chicken bowl - use ground or diced boneless skinless chicken instead of turkey.
• Rice bowl - use cooked brown or white rice instead of quinoa. Mexican brown rice or cilantro lime rice will work perfectly in this recipe.
• Vegetarian bowl - use cooked chickpeas instead of meat and avoid using chicken stock or broth to make quinoa or rice.

Storage tips

Store leftover sauteed ground turkey, cooked quinoa, and other toppings separately. Cut cucumbers and avocado, and assemble the burrito bowl fresh just before serving next time. Turkey and quinoa can last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.