Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls

$7.07 recipe / $1.18 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.83 from 64 votes
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One of my favorite dinners from my childhood was a big bowl of rice, black beans, salsa, and cheese, or what I call “Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls.” Looking back I don’t know if that was our dinner because we couldn’t afford more, or if my mom didn’t have the energy to make something more complicated, but either way I loved that meal. It’s only a few ingredients, it’s super inexpensive, but somehow still so filling and so delicious!

Two poor man's burrito bowls on wooden plates with bowls of toppings on the sides

Why “Poor Man’s” Burrito Bowls?

In the age of Chipotle, when burrito bowls have become layers upon layers of fancy meats, creamy dressings, and crunchy tortilla strips, I’m scaling it back to the basics. No frills, no fancy ingredients, just the bare bones. The only ingredients you absolutely need to feel full and satisfied. And somehow, despite its simplicity, these super basic burrito bowls still make me so happy that my feet wiggle. 

Add In Your Leftovers!

Another reason I love these Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls is because it’s a great “sweep the kitchen” meal, or a meal that is versatile enough that you can add in all sorts of leftovers you might have hanging out in your fridge or pantry. Here are some other ingredients that you can add, if you have them on hand, and they need to be used up:

  • Sour cream
  • Roasted vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, onions)
  • Frozen corn
  • Crushed tortilla chips
  • Lime crema
  • Avocado
  • Pickled red onion
  • Cilantro
  • Tomato
  • Rotisserie chicken
  • Ground beef
  • Carnitas (I make big batches of this and then stash some in the freezer)

See? You can go as simple or as fancy as you want, but the “Poor Man’s” version, with just rice, beans, cheese, and salsa is all the deliciousness I need. This time around I also added green onion and jalapeño because I seem to always have extras of those in the fridge. :)

Can You Freeze Burrito Bowls?

Yes! These burrito bowls freeze great, so you can fix up a bunch and stash them in the freezer, cheese and all, for busy weeknights. As with any rice dish, it’s important that they are divided and cooled immediately after cooking. Once they are cooled completely in the refrigerator, you can transfer them to the freezer for long term storage. 

Front view of a Poor Man's Burrito Bowl with a fork lifting a bit out and cheese pulling from the bowl.

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Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls

4.83 from 64 votes
These easy no-frills burrito bowls are super fast and affordable. They're the perfect satisfying weeknight meal for times when money is tight!
Close up overhead shot of a poor man's burrito bowl with melted cheese
Servings 6
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice ($1.32)
  • 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • 2 15oz. cans black beans ($0.98)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
  • 1 16oz. jar salsa ($2.37)
  • 6 oz. shredded cheese* ($1.27)
  • 1 bunch green onions ($0.89)
  • 1 jalapeño (optional) ($0.15)
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Instructions 

  • Add the rice, salt, and 3 cups water to a medium sauce pot. Place a lid on top, turn the heat on to high, and allow the water to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit, with the lid in place, for an additional five minutes. Fluff just before serving.
  • While the rice is cooking, make the beans. Add both cans of black beans (undrained) to a small sauce pot, along with the cumin, and garlic powder. Heat over medium, stirring often, until heated through.
  • Slice the green onions and jalapeño (if using).
  • Once the rice is cooked, build the bowls. Add one cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup warm black beans, 1/3 cup salsa, and 1 oz. shredded cheese (about 1/4 cup) to each bowl. Top with a few sliced green onions and jalapeños, then serve.

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Notes

*Use your favorite type of meltable shredded cheese. Cheddar and pepper jack are both great choices.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 521.75kcalCarbohydrates: 85.28gProtein: 20.32gFat: 10.32gSodium: 1078.75mgFiber: 15.22g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Overhead view of a Poor Man's Burrito Bowl with a black fork stuck in the middle

How to Make Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls – Step by Step Photos

Cooked rice in a sauce pot, fluffed with a fork

Begin the rice first because everything else will be finished by the time the rice is done cooking. Add 2 cups long grain white rice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3 cups water to a sauce pot. Place a lid on top and turn the heat on to high. Once it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest, with the lid in place, for an additional five minutes. Finally, fluff with a fork.

Seasoned and heated black beans in a sauce pot

While the rice is cooking, season and heat the beans. Add two 15 oz. cans of black beans (undrained) to a sauce pot along with 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Heat over medium, stirring often, until heated through.

Burrito Bowl components laid out next to eachother

Slice a bunch of green onions and one jalapeño (optional). You’ll also need about 6 oz. (weight) shredded cheese (about 1.5 cups).

build burrito bowls - salsa being scooped into a bowl with rice and beans

Then it’s time to build the burrito bowls! Add about 1 cup rice, 1/2 cup beans, and 1/2 cup salsa to each bowl.

Add cheese, green onion, and jalapeño to burrito bowls

Then add about 1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded cheese, sliced green onion, and sliced jalapeño (if desired). Enjoy!

Two poor man's burrito bowls on wooden plates with bowls of toppings on the side

The heat from the hot rice and beans will usually be enough to melt the cheese, once stirred.

Close up overhead shot of a poor man's burrito bowl with melted cheese
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  1. I made this for dinner tonight and it was SO GOOD. Simple, yet incredibly satisfying. A comforting dish I will return to again and again. Thank you for the reminder that it doesn’t need to be fancy-schmancy to be delicious!

  2. I had a lot leftover of your Easy Taco Rice that I wasn’t sure what to do with. Stumbled upon this recipe because it’s linked on the Taco Rice one as a serving suggestion.

    So all I had to do was make the beans and slice the scallions and jalapeño! Dinner was ready in like 10 minutes. Topped my rice and beans with mild Pico de Gallo, shredded cheddar, jalapeño, scallions, and some pickled red onions that I also had kicking around. So cheap, quick, easy, delicious, and filling! (Bonus points for being meatless and nutritious!) From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this recipe!

  3. So good! It’s crazy how good these beans are with just a couple of basic spices. I like to cook them down for a while so they go a bit creamy. We usually use salsa verde instead of tomato salsa or just skip the salsa all together. I think I need to adjust this recipe to 3 cans of beans as we lick the pot clean and the kids are always asking for more!

  4. Hi, I followed your recipe for my flat dinner tonight. It was very tasty and quite a fun meal to have.. I also put some tortilla wraps in the oven so we made ended making burritos from the bowl too. Thanks!

  5. This is one of my favorite things to eat lately. So simple and delicious. We also make your slow cooker pulled pork, and we’ve been putting some of the leftover pork in these bowls. So good.

  6. Have made this several times and love it! Not draining the black beans makes them taste SO much better than drained. I also added a fried egg on top and it took it to a whole new level. My favorite kind of meal…cheap, filling, tastes good and easy to make.