Plant-Based Burrito Bowls
Plant-Based Burrito Bowls with Impossible "Meat"
Rachel Artus | December 16, 2020
- prep time: 10 minutes
- cook time: 30-35 minutes
- total time: 40-45 minutes
- servings: 6-8 servings (makes about 4 cups of ground "beef")
Ingredients:
12oz. (or 1 pack) Impossible Ground “Beef”
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
4-5 baby Bella mushrooms, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/3 cup crushed walnuts
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
Dry taco spice mix
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp hot Mexican-style chili powder
Garnish with: ripe avocado, fresh cilantro, chopped white onion, tortilla crisps and lime wedges
Instructions:
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat, then add 2 Tbsp olive oil and onion. Allow the onion to cook to translucent, then add mushroom.
- Allow vegetables to soften (stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes), then add the minced garlic and sauté everything together until garlic becomes fragrant.
- Once the garlic is fragrant, remove your 12 oz. pack of Impossible "beef" from the refrigerator and add it to the same pan. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, break the "beef" down to smaller pieces and crumbles. Stir frequently, allowing the "beef" to cook until there is no more pink left.
- As the "beef" browns, add soy sauce (or liquid aminos), salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, hot Mexican-style chili powder, lime juice, and crushed walnuts.
- Pour about 1 cup of either chicken or vegetable stock (or water, if no stock is available) over the "beef", then stir to combine the spices and liquid. Allow liquid to cook down for another 10-15 minutes and stir occasionally.
- After liquid has appeared to cook down about 80%, sprinkle fresh cilantro over the "beef" and dress with another squeeze of fresh lime.
- Stir in the lime and cilantro as the remaining liquid cooks down. Taste for flavor, then serve hot.
- Plate the "beef" over a bed of rice with my favorite Spicy Vegetarian Black Beans, sour cream and crisp Romaine lettuce. Garnish with crispy tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, ripe avocado, white onions and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Burritos and burrito bowls have always been a favorite of mine, though I haven’t been enjoying them as much since I’ve transitioned to plant-based eating—because sometimes it’s hard to find yummy plant-based options when eating out. However, I am a fan of Chipotle’s sofritas (slow cooked tofu). I’m not looking to add real beef to my burritos at the moment, but I’m definitely missing the flavor! There’s truly nothing like that savory, Tex Mex-style ground beef. My prayers were answered when Impossible Foods ground “beef” hit the market. It’s practically identical to real ground beef (with slightly less protein per ounce—plant-based, that is. I honestly prefer it at this point in my life). The texture and flavor are so similar to real ground beef, so I’ve been loving it as a substitution lately.
Did anyone else besides me grow up eating ground beef flavored with El Paso dry spice taco mix? I’ve been dying to create this flavor at home. It wasn’t until my friend Meg clued me on the true key to achieving the El Paso flavor—and that’s by adding a bit of soy sauce or liquid aminos to the ground beef— that I finally got it down. I’m not sure why soy sauce is the secret ingredient for flavoring homemade taco meat. Maybe it’s the super high sodium content. Or it’s the fermented delicious umami tones. Who knows! But it’s delicious and it deserves to be in your burrito bowl recipe.
Let’s talk about walnuts. That same friend who suggested using soy sauce also suggested adding crushed walnuts, and I’m so glad she did. By throwing them in right before adding the cup of stock, they soften up yet still add a bit of texture to the final product. Walnuts are a great source of healthy fats and plant-based protein and I personally enjoy the soft crunch they bring to the dish.
The last additions are the most essential—the garnishes. I believe that most, if not all, South American dishes should be garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped white onion. I think these are typical garnishes for a traditional taco, but I love the sweet and super fragrant tones they bring to a Mexican-fusion dish.
For this particular burrito bowl, I was craving a little extra carb and decided to fry up some tortilla crisps. To do this, heat oil in a pan, cut up 1-2 corn or flour tortillas into strips and fry them with a sprinkle of hot Mexican-style red pepper and salt until crispy. They truly hit the spot. What are some of your go-to burrito bowl combinations?