Quinoa Burrito Bowls are an easy weeknight meal made in your Instant Pot. Customize them with any toppings you love!
Unlike traditional burrito bowls, this recipe uses quinoa as a protein-rich alternative to rice. It cooks quickly in the pressure cooker and is relatively hands-off until you’re ready to serve.
As written, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. However, feel free to top it with any protein you love, like baked chicken breasts or leftover taco meat.
You can also wrap it in tortillas as a burrito filling, or serve it with crunchy tortilla chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The base of these bowls is simply rinsed quinoa and your favorite salsa. Paired with black beans, it becomes a complete vegetarian meal idea!
Sauteed onion and bell peppers give this dish extra color and flavor, but you can omit them for a faster meal, or swap for any other veggies you need to use up. You could even add a bag of frozen corn, for extra texture.
Just like a traditional burrito bowl, feel free to add any toppings you love, like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cilantro, or guacamole.
How to Make Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot and add a drizzle of olive oil into the pot. Saute the onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and stir again briefly, just until fragrant.
Press the Off/Cancel button on your machine and immediately pour in the water. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula to make sure nothing is stuck. (This will prevent a burn error later.)
Rinse the quinoa under running water in a sieve for 1 minute or until the water runs clear. This will help remove the saponin in its outer coating, which can have a bitter or soapy flavor.
Pour the rinsed quinoa and salt into the pot, and stir well. Then add the drained black beans and salsa on top, and don’t stir it.
Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to the Sealing position. Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 1 minute. It will take roughly 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize.
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. This is when the quinoa will finish cooking, without sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the screen reads L0:15, move the steam release valve to the Venting position.
The floating valve in the lid will drop when there is no more pressure in the pot. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Adjust any flavoring to your taste, adding extra salt or a squeeze of lime juice.
Serve warm with any toppings you love, like fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, or a dash of hot sauce. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can cook quinoa on the stove, too! Simply use a medium saucepan to saute the pepper and onions, then bring the liquid to a boil when you add the quinoa, beans, and salsa. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat, but don’t remove the lid for 5 more minutes. This will ensure the quinoa is perfectly cooked, without burning to the bottom of the pan.
Yes, of course! Feel free to add chili powder, garlic, dried oregano, or smoked paprika for extra flavor. You can also use 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth instead of water, if you prefer.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Try my Instant Pot Vegan Chili, Lentil Curry, Mashed Potatoes, or Lentil Soup for more ideas.
Instant Pot Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion , diced
- 1 red bell pepper , diced and seeds removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup quinoa , rinsed well
- 1 cup prepared salsa
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans , drained and rinsed
- Optional toppings: Avocado , guacamole, fresh cilantro, green onions, salsa, lime wedges, shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot, using the "Saute" setting. Saute the onions and peppers until start to soften, about 5 minutes, then add in cumin and stir for another minute. Press the Off/Cancel button right away.
- Add in the quinoa and water and stir well, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom. (This will prevent a burn error later.) Add the salsa and beans on top without stirring again. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to "Sealing."
- Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and cook at high pressure for 1 minute. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes when the cooking cycle is complete, to let the quinoa finish cooking, without burning to the bottom of the pot. When the screen reads L0:15, move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
- When the floating valve in the lid has dropped, it's safe to remove the lid. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then serve warm with any toppings you love, such as avocado, diced onions, salsa, and shredded lettuce.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can quickly reheat on the stove top, or serve cold!
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these Quinoa Burrito Bowls, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turn out for you.
Hey Megan, what if you don’t own an instant pot? Do you have a similar recipe for those of us who still have to cook on the stove, lol?
Ha, sorry! I meant to add stove top directions at the end, but my baby distracted me last night. 😉 I just added them to the bottom of the post– hope you’ll enjoy it.
This is my favorite go to healthy recipes for meal prep. I can have it for lunch nor dinner for a few days, I switch up toppings to keep it varied. Love it. So simple, nutritious and tastes amazing!
This recipe looks great! I can’t wait to try it! And your new cookbook is AWESOME!
You have great ideas! I look forward to trying this soon. Thank you for what you do.
I’m curious why the cook time is 12 minutes in the Instant Pot at low pressure – usually (and based on other sources for timing) I find quinoa is done in 6 minutes at high pressure – does using low pressure double the time ? I’m also guessing it doesn’t overcook the already cooked beans but I’m curious about the timing as it seems long to me, but then again I rarely use low pressure as a setting or even the rice button for that matter.
great question. I have a LUX so don’t have low pressure and was wondering how I could make it work.
If you can only cook at high pressure, I would do 2 minutes on high and then let it naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes before taking off the lid.
Delicious! Had it for lunch today. Didn’t have salsa so substituted my own canned spaghetti sauce ?
This recipe was amazing! So simple yet flavorful – even my non-vegetarian husband loved it. I’m planning on making it already for next week.
What a yummy dish! It is so easy to make and tastes fantastic. Thanks for adding the stovetop instructions, Megan!
Do you think I can do 1min high pressure with NPR 15mins instead? 1min seems to be the norm in quinoa cooking with instant pot…
Feel free to experiment and see how you like it!
Thanks Megan! So I tried 2mins High pressure with 15-20mins NPR, and turned out amazing!!! I sprinkled some shaved cheddar cheese on top and it was so delicious. My toddler loved it too 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe!
This was amazing! I used fire roasted salsa and it added a nice kick. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
i made this the other night and used it to stuff poblano peppers for vegan chili rellenos, they were a big hit. This simple dish has a great flavor profile! The only thing i will do differently next time is add a little more water and increase the cook time so the quinoa can open up a little more, I cooked it on the stovetop.
Have you tried freezing leftovers of this? Seems like it might freeze well.
This was delicious! And so easy. Perfect for lunch or a quick supper. I don’t like cumin in large amounts so I subbed chili powder. So good. Thanks for the recipe!
This is one of my favorites!! It’s so good!
Very good. I love how simple it is. This will for sure be in rotation for Sunday lunch prep.
Hi Megan, I love your recipes and recommend them to
friends and family. You are an inspiration & I am a fellow
IIN health coach.
On this recipe, is stove top best (I do not own an instapot)
or will the crock pot work as well?
Thanks!!
I bought the instant Pot and so excited to try your recipes. What kind of salsa did you use for this recipe? Or do you think tomato sauce (from a glass jar) would work too? Would love a recommendation! Thanks so much!
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, we really like their Double-Roasted Salsa. When I don’t have that on hand, I’ve also used fresh pico de gallo from our local grocery store’s refrigerated section. I’ve never tried it with tomato sauce, but it might be worth a shot!
Loved this recipe! Mixed it with some lettuce and guac and it tasted like heaven!
Excellent flavor! Love this easy-to-make great-tasting recipe that’s healthy too! Thank you!
Is a rice/ slow cooker similar to instant pot?
I found these quite bland, but adding beef or sirloin have them just the taste that was missing.
Hi Megan!
What measurements would I use to double this recipe? I’m looking forward to serving it at a dinner party. Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration.
I got an instant pot recently and decided to use this recipe as a base (since I’m learning cooking times). I didn’t have salsa so I added a can of diced tomatoes and ingredients for a homemade taco seasoning recipe and some frozen sweet potatoes (I know..not properly combined..) We topped it with guacamole and loved it.
Would this freeze well? Thanks so much!
I haven’t tried that myself, but I imagine that it would! (Beans and Quinoa both freeze well separately, so I think they’d be fine together, too.) I’d freeze individual portions for easy reheating, then thaw in the fridge overnight so you can heat it up in a skillet when you’re ready to serve again.
Thank YOU!
It freezes really well! I make this monthly and freeze half!
i made this recipe exactly as written except I added more spices, because I’m a southern New Mexico gal and i like things very flavorful, not necessarily heat! I used one of my favorite spice blends, Tia Rita’s red chile blend – salt free ( http://www.sweethots.com/product-category/tia-ritas-southwestern-foods/ ). I don’t work for the company, just love their products. It turned out perfect and actually tasted better the next day! It’s so great over some chopped romaine with some sliced avocado, yum.
@Lizbeth, I laughed out loud at your Southern NM Girl reference!! So true! Not from there but totally relate. Can’t wait to try a Deming version of this soon! lol
THIs was so great! I am new to pressure cooking and quinoa, but this was so great. FOLlowed thE recipe exactly and it turned out perfect.
This is a great alternatIve to chicken or beef. I did not have black beans but used pinto beans instead. Very good.
I made this tonight, it was very easy and tasty, thank you for the recipe.
Loved this recipe! if I double the ingredients in the IP, do I keep the cook time the same? Or would I actually reduce the cook time, since it takes longer for the pressure to build up?
Very easy and delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
I make a similar “casserole” in the oven that has shredded sweet potatoes in it. If those were added here, do you think I would increase the amount of liquid? I don’t think cooking time would change by much. It sounds yummy as is, but it reminds me of that other dish and made me wonder.
Delicious!
What size instant pot did you use to make this? Thanks!
I have the 6-quart!
Also the ingredients list 1 cup prepared salsa, does that mean store-bought salsa? If so, what brand did you use?
Yes, I used Trader Joe’s brand, and sometimes I just use fresh pico de gallo from the fridge case in my grocery store.
Hi,
Loved the recipe. Turned out very tasty.
I was wondering how many grams of carb and fat is there per serving?
If I double the recipe, do I also double the water? Also, do I keep the same cook time for double the ingredients? Thanks!!
This was such a yummy recipe. I just got a Cosori pot(very simular to Instant pot) and this is the first recipe I tried. I cook a lot and the flavor, texture and complexity was awesome. My new favorite way to make a burrito bowl.I added vegan sour cream, scallions, cilantro and avocado as garnish. Thanks so much!
I am really loving your Instant Pot recipes! Please post more!! XO
I made this as my first recipe for my new Instant Pot. What a hit! The flavor was amazing and I felt the avocado definitely took it to the next level. I might experiment with the liquid quantity because mine, probably due to the kind of salsa, was a little mushy the first day. So good though!
I just made this dish. It is so delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing
My husband said this was “incredible”. Thanks for the recipe! Btw 2 min on high and 15 minute NPR did not work for me (as another commenter suggested. The quinoa was not fully cooked.Next time I will follow the recipe!
The Instant Pot Vegan Burrito bowl recipe is loaded with incredible flavor! I have to say this is one of the best tasting burrito bowls I’ve ever had! Everyone loved it! I love my instant pot and this recipe will become a regular in our household! Thanks so much!
Mushy! Followed the recipe exactly and find that while the flavor is OK, the texture is pretty much mush.
If I want to double the recipe do I need to add more time?
No, you shouldn’t have to add more time, it will just take longer to come to pressure.
The calorie count has got to be off. One cup of quinoa yields 3-4 cups cooked. One cup per serving is way more than 163. 🙁 I wish! The recipe is great, however. Thanks for sharing.
This has become one of my favorite recipes. It’s great for potlucks or serving a larger crowd, I just double it.
This is delicious! I used salsa from my favorite local restaurant and added shredded cheddar cheese on top. Even my husband loved it even though there is no meat. Yum!!
This was so delicious and so easy. Thank you for sharing, it will be added into my rotation! Full disclosure, as vegetarians the addition of sour cream and cheese made it even more delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
This is the first thing I made when I got my IP, and is one of my top 5 go-t recipes. The only advice I might have: If using a chunkier salsa, add the salsa last and don’t stir it in. I’ve had two batches hit the dreaded BURN message on my IP. If I pour the salsa in last and leave it on top of all of the other ingredients, I’ve never had a problem.
Thanks!
I am having the BURN issue over and over too!
Interesting, thank you for sharing that!
I think this MAY mean that the salsa you are using has too high of a sugar content. I have never had an issue, but I have heard of this happening to friends when they make things that are sweeter.
I just made this great recipe in my Instant pot. It was SO easy. I did add a few things to it…I did double the recipe to the letter and it was fine. I did add 1 tsp chili powder, I also pan seared some frozen corn and added at the and and a can of original Rotel. After the pressure cooking which I used the rice feature, it started to count down to cool and I let it go 12 minutes and checked the steam release and it was done. I would let it finish it’s cycle next time as the quinoa could have opened up a bit more. No change in taste just appearance. I mixed in fresh cilantro this morning to give it some needed green color and the taste is fantastic! I ate it with some wholly guacamole on top!!