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While writing The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, I wanted to share recipes that make dinner easier by cooking two things at once. That’s how these Chipotle burrito bowls were born.
You’ll get seasoned black beans and cilantro lime brown rice, both cooked from scratch, in about 10 minutes of hands-on effort.
Quick Look: Chipotle Burrito Bowls
- Method: Cook seasoned black beans from scratch on the bottom, with a bowl of tender brown rice on top. Simple Instant Pot prep!
- Why Make THIS Version? You’ll get two dishes at once: seasoned black beans and cilantro lime brown rice, both cooked from scratch, in about 10 minutes of hands-on effort.
- For extra flavor: Try my Chipotle Vinaigrette, which tastes exactly like the kind you’d get from the restaurant.
- Secret to Success: If any bean is sticking out of the water when the cooking cycle is done, that bean won’t be tender. That’s why this recipe calls for a lot of water, so you don’t end up with some beans cooked properly and others that aren’t.
- Key Ingredients: Dried black beans, brown rice, chipotle peppers, dried spices.
- Calories/Serving: 339 kcal.
- Pairs Well With: Burrito bowls, taco shells, and your choice of protein.
- Does the Instant Pot size matter? Yes, it can affect things. I tested this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot, which will pressurize faster than an 8-quart machine.
Summarize & Save this Recipe Content On:
“So simple yet so delicious! I LOVE rice and beans, and I LOVE Chipotle as well. I think I like this version better than Chipotle though! It’s perfect exactly as pictured, with the avocado, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, and lettuce for toppings.”
Table of Contents
ingredients You’ll Need
- Dried Black Beans. This recipe starts with dried beans, so you don’t need to soak them before getting started. It’s so convenient!
- Brown Rice. I tested this recipe with short-grain brown rice, but long-grain brown rice should work as well. The beans determine the cooking time here, and the brown rice won’t overcook since it’s away from the heat source.
- Chipotle Pepper. Using a whole chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce adds a smoky flavor to the beans, and you can use more of the can when you prep a batch of my copycat Chipotle Vinaigrette.
- Dried Spices. Ground cumin, oregano, and salt help make the beans flavorful as they cook. If you prefer plain beans, however, you can skip these extra spices.
How to Cook Chipotle Burrito Bowls (Step by Step)
- Add 1 cup dried black beans to a 6-quart Instant Pot, then add 3 1/2 cups water. Season with a whole chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano and salt.
- Set a stainless steel 2 1/2-inch trivet into the black beans so you can place a bowl of rice on top to cook at the same time.
- Rinse 1 cup brown rice in a fine-mesh strainer, then transfer it to a 7-inch oven-safe bowl. Pour 1 1/4 cups of water over the top and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Arrange the bowl of rice on the trivet in the Instant Pot. Then secure the lid and move the steam release valve to sealing, if needed. (Newer pots seal automatically, so you don’t need to do this.)
- Cook at high pressure for 30 to 35 minutes. The Instant Pot will take roughly 10 minutes to pressurize, so the screen will read ON until then.
- When the silver floating valve in the lid pops up, you’ll know the pot is pressurized. For safety, never try to open the lid when this is up.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for at least 15 minutes. The screen on your machine will start to count up, letting you know how long it’s been since the cooking cycle ended. (I let it rest 25 minutes here.)
- Move the steam release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure, if needed. The floating valve in the lid will drop, letting you know the pot is no longer pressurized. Now it’s safe to open the lid.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and squeeze lime juice and fresh cilantro over the top, if desired. Test the beans for tenderness by smashing them against the side of the pot.
- Serve the beans with a slotted spoon and pair with the rice and your favorite toppings for a burrito bowl.
Serving Tips
Serve the rice and beans like a burrito bowl from Chipotle, with shredded lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, and any other toppings you love.
Sometimes we add baked chicken breasts or ground turkey taco meat on top for extra protein, and other times we just enjoy this as a vegetarian meal. It’s delicious either way!
For extra flavor, try my Chipotle Vinaigrette or Cilantro Lime Sauce, which tastes exactly like the kind you’d get from the restaurant.
Instant Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe FAQs
Yes, but keep in mind that Instant Pot white rice cooks in just 4 minutes with a natural release. It might be softer if it cooks this long in the pressure cooker.
Yes, in that case you’ll only need to cook the beans for 9-10 minutes, so you could use white rice in the bowl instead of brown rice. (Brown rice requires at least 20 minutes at high pressure.) I wouldn’t use less water, since beans won’t cook properly if they aren’t fully submerged during the whole cooking cycle.
I’ve learned through experience that Instant Pot black beans need a LOT of water to cook properly. If any bean is sticking out of the water when the cooking cycle is done, that bean won’t be tender. That’s why this recipe calls for a lot of water, so you don’t end up with some beans cooked properly and others that aren’t. However, you can press the Sauté button at the end and stir often to help the excess water evaporate. The beans will thicken and become more flavorful that way, but it does require a little extra patience.
Yes, it can affect things. I tested this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot, which will pressurize faster than an 8-quart machine. If you use a larger pot, just make sure the beans are fully submerged in liquid so they cook properly, and know it might take longer for the pot to pressurize. I wouldn’t use a mini Instant Pot for this concept, since I don’t know whether they sell a trivet and bowl that would fit correctly.
Top your Burrito Bowls with….
If you try this Chipotle Burrito Bowl Recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting!
Chipotle Burrito Bowls (in the Instant Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans (not soaked)
- 3 ½ cups water
- 1 whole chipotle pepper (from a can in adobo sauce)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup brown rice , rinsed
- sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups water
- lime slices & fresh cilantro , for serving
Instructions
- In the bottom of the Instant Pot, add the dry beans, water, whole chipotle pepper, cumin and oregano.
- In an oven-safe bowl that is roughly 7 inches in diameter, add the brown rice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 ¼ cups of water. Place a 2.5-inch trivet in the beans at the bottom of the pot so you can place the bowl of rice on top.
- Secure the lid to your Instant Pot and move the steam release valve to SEALING. Press the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK button on your machine, then cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the cook cycle begins.
- Once the cook cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot screen will read LO:10 when 10 minutes has passed. Move the steam release valve to VENTING to release any remaining steam pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to open the lid.
- Use oven mitts to remove the bowl of cooked brown rice, and the trivet from the beans. Use a spoon to remove the whole chipotle pepper (so you don't bite into it later), then stir the beans and test for tenderness by pressing one against the side of the pot with a fork. When they mash easily, season with ½ teaspoon of salt. (If they are not tender, you can always return the lid and cook for 5 more minutes, but don't add salt until they are done.)
- The beans will be sitting in excess liquid, so you can use the SAUTE function if you'd like to get rid of that quickly. I've found they get less watery the longer they sit in the pot, so I don't always use the sauté function and instead serve them with a slotted spoon.
- Serve the cooked rice and black beans with your favorite burrito bowl toppings, like shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, a squeeze of lime juice, and some fresh cilantro. I like to store the leftovers separately to keep them more visually appealing, but you can store them together for an easy-to-grab lunch later. Leftovers should keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I make this almost every week. Usually I just use a packet of taco seasoning in the beans, and add some ground chipotle pepper instead of canned. I also use chicken stock in the rice. So easy and versatile.
Can you double this with the pot in pot method? Or would there not be enough room? Thanks!
This is on regular rotation in our home. So versatile and yummy!
I finally got through using my insta pot after having it over a year. Thank you for the step by step. only thing I was a little disappointed that my meal turned out a little bland. I love the chipotle bowl, so flavorful. Would you recommend doubling the seasonings?
Thank you for sharing all your fabulous tip, tricks and recipes
Carolyn Naylor
Game changer! beans and rice were perfect. I didn’t have the adobe chili and I used a black bean soup mix as those where the only black beans I had and just used that seasoning. IT was delicious and used her Vegan nacho cheese on top. I doubled the recipe as I have a big family and it all worked.
This is such a great recipe. Rice comes out perfectly; I do have to cook my beans a bit longer but they are older. My tip for the leftover chipotle peppers from the can: freeze them individually on a silicone mat (the sauce will stick to the pepper when frozen), then store in a jar in the freezer – you can take one out at a time!
Where’s the recipe for the dressing?
I don’t have a copycat recipe for Chipotle’s salad dressing yet, but we love these bowls topped with guacamole, salsa, and my easy chimichurri sauce: https://detoxinista.com/chimichurri-sauce/
Great recipe! I had no idea I could use my pressure cooker to cook both beans and rice at the SAME time…
I have this in the instant pot cooking right now for the first time and I can’t wait to try it! Loved the red beans and rice from your cookbook, but this recipe was quicker to put together, which is awesome! I’m curious how long the leftover chipotle peppers will stay good in the refrigerator. Thank you!
I keep my leftover canned Chipotle peppers in a sealed container for months at a time in the fridge and they have never turned. I add them to many dishes.
Our family is obsessed with this quick and easy weeknight meal. My two year old loves to help me measure the beans and rice! How would you recommend doubling the bean portion of the recipe? Would you double the water if you doubled the beans? And time? Or time would be the same? Thank you!
So so good! Thanks Megan, for all your trials & testing to come up with such great recipes.