This taco Buddha bowl has all your Mexican favourites. Brown rice, sweet corn, smoky hearty black beans, a beautiful tomato salad, rich avocado and of course, it’s garnished with some cilantro and lime.
For all you cilantro haters, don’t worry, you can sub parsley or just omit, if preferred.
What’s a Buddha Bowl?
As defined by Urban Dictionary it’s a “bowl which is packed so full that it has a rounded “belly” appearance on the top much like the belly of a Buddha.”
This taco goodness in a bowl definitely fits the criteria!
I’ve also heard another version of the origins of the Buddha bowl, although for the life of me, I can’t recall where.
But the story goes something along the lines of, the Buddha would walk around town with an empty bowl. Then, each neighbour he encountered would give him a spoonful of their food. So at the end of the day, he has a full bowl of food with a little bit of many different things.
Both origin theories make sense to me! And either way, this taco Buddha bowl fits the criteria! It’s a nicely rounded bowl filled with a little of this and a little of that.
What’s in a Mexican Buddha bowl?
- Brown rice.
- Black beans seasoned with taco seasonings.
- Sweet corn.
- Rich and cream avocado.
- A delicious salad of tomato, red onion & cilantro drizzled with lime juice and white wine vinegar.
How to assemble a Buddha bowl
Typically, these bowls are assembled in sections as shown below. But if you don’t have the time or patience, it’s not totally necessary. You can just toss all the components together if preferred.
Once you start eating, everything gets mixed together anyhow, which is just how I like it! The flavours combine so beautifully together, for a truly perfect bite.
More healthy, balanced meals in a bowl
- Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
- Vegetable Bolognese Zucchini Noodles
- Chili Lime Chickpea Buddha Bowl
- Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice cooked
- 1.5 cups black beans cooked or canned
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup corn
- 2 avocados halved
For the Salad
- 4 tomatoes diced
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 lime juiced
- pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Add the black beans, all your seasonings, plus a tablespoon or two of water to a large skillet. Mix well and heat over medium low heat for about 4-5 minutes to heat the beans, and absorb the flavours.
- Assemble your four Buddha bowls, dividing the components equally between each one. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
Mmm this looks fantastic! What a great idea combining Buddha bowls and tacos 🌮 I’m thinking of making these for my family with their fave taco toppings — corn, avocado, black beans and rice like in your recipe (and maybe I’ll add a touch of salsa)!!
Thanks for the kind words Maria – yes you can definitely play with the toppings! Salsa is a great idea, or even some guacamole if you prefer over the avocado. 🙂