These Black Bean Quinoa Bowls with Chipotle Tahini Sauce are easy to make and delicious! You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time, making them great for meal prep, and they are easily customizable depending on what additional toppings you like. The chipotle tahini sauce takes these bowls to the next level and adds a smoky flavor to this Mexican-inspired recipe.
I’ve been dreaming of this chipotle tahini sauce since I used it for my black bean wraps a few months ago. It’s seriously so good and makes everything taste better! These Black Bean Quinoa Bowls seemed the perfect way to enjoy it, and all the flavors go together well.
These quinoa bowls are great because all the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time, so you can easily assemble them for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week. I like to serve mine with some tortilla chips or warmed corn tortillas. I hope you enjoy them!
Why You’ll Love These Black Bean Quinoa Bowls
- They’re great for meal prep – The quinoa, black beans, and tahini sauce can all be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can either assemble your meal-prep containers ahead of time or whip up an easy lunch with the pre-made ingredients each morning.
- They are packed with plant-based protein – The protein from the quinoa and black beans will give you energy and help you get through the afternoon without the post-meal lethargy.
- The chipotle tahini sauce is bomb – I’ve used it before in a recipe and it’s definitely one of my favorite sauces lately. It’s creamy, smoky, a little spicy, and goes perfectly with the Southwestern flavors.
Black Bean Quinoa Bowls with Chipotle Tahini Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Black Beans – I used canned black beans cooked with onion, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can also use the beans right out of the can to save a little time. My Mexican black beans are also great in this recipe.
- Quinoa – I use plain, white quinoa in this recipe. You are more than welcome to add some seasonings to the quinoa, but I find that the chipotle sauce adds a lot, so I usually leave mine plain. You could also use tri-colored quinoa.
- Chipotle Tahini Sauce – This chipotle tahini sauce is made with just a few ingredients. You will need tahini, chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, fresh lime juice, cumin, garlic, salt, and a little bit of water.
- Optional Toppings – I like to top my black bean bowls with avocado, crunchy cabbage, pico de Gallo or salsa, fresh lime juice, and cilantro. You could use hot sauce, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or corn salsa, too. Tortilla chips are also a great addition to these bowls.
How To Make A Black Bean Quinoa Burrito Bowl
- Cook your quinoa according to the package directions and let it sit with the lid on for a few minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside. This is the time to add any seasonings if desired. Lime juice and cilantro would be great!
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil and the chopped onion. Let onion cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Next, add the drained black beans, along with the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix everything together well and let the beans cook for about 4-5 minutes, until heated through.
- Prepare your chipotle tahini sauce. Add tahini, lime juice, chipotle peppers, cumin, granulated garlic, and salt to a medium-sized bowl. Mix together until tahini has absorbed all of the liquid. Add about 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce out and mix until completely combined.
- Assemble your bowls: To each bowl, add inabout 3/4 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup black beans. Add on all your desired toppings and then drizzle with the chipotle tahini sauce. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired, and enjoy!
Black Bean Bowl Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Are these quinoa bowls vegan? Yes!
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes!
- Can anything be substituted for the quinoa? Yes, you can use regular rice, cauliflower rice, or another grain of choice.
- Can these bowls be prepped ahead of time? Yes, all the ingredients last well in the refrigerator, so you can either assemble your bowls ahead of time or just prepare the ingredients ahead of time and assemble them just before eating.
- How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, leftovers should last about 4-5 days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Hearty Vegetarian Quinoa Recipes?
Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
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Black Bean Quinoa Bowls with Chipotle Tahini Sauce
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Black Bean Quinoa Bowls with Chipotle Tahini Sauce are easy to make and full of so much delicious flavor! You can prep the ingredients ahead of time, making them great for meal prep and they are easily customizable depending on what additional toppings you like. The chipotle tahini sauce takes these bowls over the top and adds some smoky flavor to this Mexican inspired recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, or oil of choice
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional toppings: avocado, cabbage, jalapeno, salsa, pico de gallo, lime juice, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips
Chipotle Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I don’t blend my sauce, so I mostly just like to use the adobo sauce that the chipotle peppers are packed in. If using whole chipotle peppers, you can either dice them up before adding or blend the sauce to make it smoother)
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, about 3 whole limes
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, or 1–2 cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Room temperature water, I used about 1/4 cup total to thin the sauce out
Instructions
- Cook your quinoa according to package directions and let sit with the lid on for a few minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside. This is the time when you would want to add any seasonings to your quinoa, if desired. Lime juice and cilantro would be great!
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil and the chopped onion. Let onion cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Next, add in the drained black beans, along with the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix everything together well and let beans cook for about 4-5 minutes, until heated through.
- Prepare your chipotle tahini sauce. Add tahini, lime juice, chipotle peppers, cumin, granulated garlic and salt to a medium sized bowl. Mix together until tahini has absorbed all of the liquid. Add about 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce out and mix until completely combined.
- Assemble your bowls: to each bowl, add in about 3/4 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup black beans. Add on all your desired toppings and then drizzle with the chipotle tahini sauce. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
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