black bean polenta burrito bowl
March 3, 2013 Have you ever taken the time to fully caramelize onions? Why has it taken me to the age of 29.65 to do so? Yeah, I work in decimal points this year. Don’t judge.
I think it’s always been the amount of time it takes to do the caramelizing that holds me back. A solid 30 minutes?? That is just way too long.
But, if you’re not incorporating the onions into another part of the recipe, which would make you wait 30 minutes before getting started on the next step, it is worth 30 minutes of your time to make them.
Because…!!!
In that 30 minutes you can whip up the entire rest of this meal!
I’m only slightly excited.
The other pieces to this puzzle are a cinch to make.
Polenta. Scratch that. CHEESY polenta. Unless you’re vegan, then plain polenta will do juuuust fine. A handful of sharp cheddar cheese was stirred in right at the end of cooking along with a few splashes of hot sauce. Creamy, creamy goodness.
And then there are the beans.
These are the b.e.s.t. black beans I’ve ever cooked. You’ll need one pot, a spoon, and a few other ingredients. The KEY is adding liquid to the beans and cooking them down to become flavor packed and tender. No dry beans here!
Don’t feel like whipping up guacamole? No problem. Mash an avocado, squeeze 1/2 a lime on top, and sprinkle with salt. DONE.
Just call me Rachel Ray.
I suppose if I’m being completely honest this meal probably takes 33.35 minutes to complete. But who’s counting??
I’ve tried to keep things as simple as possible by breaking apart each component into 4 mini recipes. At the end you’ll find a guide for the ordering and timing to make this entire meal.
En-JOY.
Black Bean Polenta Burrito Bowl gluten-free, vegan option // yields 3-4 servings
for the onions + peppers
- 1 tablespoon ghee/coconut oil
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 sweet bell peppers, sliced
- sea salt
- Heat the ghee or coconut oil in your largest pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and peppers and stir frequently until just softened. 5-7 minutes.
- Generously sprinkle with salt, stir, then reduce heat to med-low for about 25-30 minutes until fully golden brown and caramelized. Stir every few minutes.
for the black beans
- 2 teaspoons ghee/coconut oil
- 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans, rinsed + drained
- 1 small can diced mild green chiles
- 1/4 cup no/low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup salsa, not chunky
- 1/2 – 1 tablespoons chipotle sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- sea salt
- Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a pot over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds – 1 minute until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Stir in the black beans, green chiles, veggie broth, salsa, 1/2 tablespoon chipotle sauce, cumin, and a few pinches of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 10 – 15 minutes until thickened and almost all of the liquid has cooked off, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and add more chipotle sauce or salt if desired.
notes/subs: It’s best to use a pureed/thin salsa as the liquid is necessary for cooking. Chipotle sauce comes in a small can in the ethnic aisle of your store. It is very spicy so be sure to taste along the way and add in small amounts.
for the polenta
- 1 cup dry polenta grits
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups low/no-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, optional
- few splashes of hot sauce
- sea salt + black pepper
I used Bob’s Red Mill polenta grits, so be sure to check your package for exact instructions as they may vary.
- Bring water + veggie broth to a boil.
- Slowly stir in the polenta grits, add a few pinches of salt, and reduce heat to simmer.
- Stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese [if using], hot sauce, and a few pinches of black pepper, then cover for 5 minutes before serving. If it thickens too much add a bit more water and heat over med-low until smoothed out and creamy.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
notes/subs: The cheese is not necessary if you need this dairy-free or vegan.
for the quick guacamole
- 2 avocados
- 1 lime
- sea salt
- Mash the avocado and add the juice from 1 lime.
- Mix together with a few pinches of sea salt.
- Taste and add more salt if desired. If you’re not serving this right away, press saran over the surface [touching] of the mashed avocado and keep refrigerated.
<< quick guide for cooking this meal >>
- Follow onion + pepper cooking directions.
- Open all cans, prep garlic, and anything else that you will need to have on hand.
- When the onions/peppers have about 15 minutes left, start heating oil for the black beans and follow the instructions for those.
- After starting the beans start the polenta.
- Make the quick guacamole.
- Garnish with green onion or cilantro if desired. SERVE!
One more thing before I go!
The new and improved Ashley McLaughlin Photography website went live Friday night! To kick the launch off you’ll find a brand new blog post featuring my sweet cousin, Elizabeth.
Hop on over and check it out! The entire site is brand spanking new!
Ashley
beans, easy meals, entree, gluten free, grains, vegan 
Reader Comments (27)
& simple guacs are so underrated.
beautiful new site!!
seriously long time- bow I have no excuses, off to the grocery store I go!
@Abby - I actually don't have a post on that yet, but definitely should make one. Be on the lookout in the next few weeks!
@Ashley - Oooh, good luck! Let me know if you are looking for a specific type of recipe at any point!
@Brittany - Definitely give it a try! It's such a nice change from rice and cooks so much faster. Great if you're short on time!
@Laura - Thank you so very much! And yeah...the onions...amazing!
@Sarah - Hahaa! I did that a few years back. I think I cooked them for 10-15 minutes and said caramelized and someone called me out. I had no idea! Ooops.
@Alyssa - Thanks, girl. ;)
I love the new photo site - great job!
https://somesnapshots.wordpress.com/
this looks great!! and thanks for that caramelizing onion tip *slaps forehead* I've been under the impression that needs lots o' sugar, which is why I haven't tried it yet (saving the sugar for sweet treats ;) ), so I'm loving this!
Question about the beans: you think kidney beans would work just as well?
And I'm liking your site, just discovered it.
Oh, and aren't caramelized onions the best thing ever?
@Anna - Definitely try making it at home. Super easy! But, like most grains it is somewhat bland. Good for a base under flavorful toppings like these or good on its own with mix-ins.
@Deva - Thanks so much about the photography site! I'll definitely have to check into making the onions in a crock pot.
@Sasha - I can totally understand why you thought that! :) You'll have to try them out! Kidney beans would work perfectly. Thanks for saying hello!
@Sarah - Aw, thank you. That means a lot!
@Catherine - Yes, pretty much!