These Vegan Fajita Bowls are easy to make with spicy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, red bell peppers and more, and are sure to satisfy that Chipotle craving! They’re served with fluffy cauliflower rice and creamy guacamole for the ultimate meatless meal. Gluten-free, grain-free, vegan and include paleo, low carb and Whole30 swaps.
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Updated February 2022
Hearty Veggie Fajitas in a Bowl
Looking for a Mexican-inspired meal that’s packed with protein but will also work with your vegan diet? You’re in for a treat with these veggie fajita bowls! They’re quick to put together, and you can easily customize them with the vegetables and protein of your choice.
We love making these bowls when I have a bunch of veggies in the fridge that need to be used up. Not only are they naturally vegan, gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free, but you can also make them paleo, low-carb/keto and Whole30 with a few simple swaps! No matter what your dietary needs are, these veggie bowls are a healthy lunch or dinner option that you’ll turn to again and again.
What You’ll Need
My favorite way to make these fajita bowls is with the following combination of ingredients. It’s fail-proof!
- Sweet Potato: Scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks. You can either peel it first or leave the skin on. For low-carb and keto Chipotle bowls, substitute this with broccoli, cauliflower or another compliant veggie of choice.
- Red Bell Pepper: Thinly sliced.
- Cauliflower Rice: Don’t worry about cooking it before you begin.
- Extra-Firm Tofu: Drained, pressed and cut into 1-inch squares. Leave this out if you’re paleo or Whole30 and replace it with the protein of your choice.
- Taco Seasoning: I highly recommend making your own!
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed from 1 full lime.
- Avocados: Cored and scooped.
- Baby Spinach: Any mixed greens you have on hand can be used in place of the spinach.
- Fresh Cilantro & Red Pepper Flakes: To garnish the bowls.
How to Make Vegan Fajita Bowls
Making these bowls is just a matter of cooking the rice & veggies and whipping up the guacamole. You can even prepare everything in advance and refrigerate each component in an airtight container!
Heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roast Veggies: Add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers to a large baking sheet. Toss them with oil, salt & pepper, then roast them in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Cook Tofu: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and leave it undisturbed until it’s golden, about 2-3 minutes. Flip it over and cook it for 2 more minutes.
Season & Continue Cooking: Add the taco seasoning, half of the lime juice and salt & pepper. Allow the seasoned tofu to cook for 2 more minutes, then remove it from the heat and set it aside.
Cook Rice & Make Guac: Cook the cauliflower rice until it’s soft. Make the guacamole by mashing your avocado with the rest of the lime juice and some salt & pepper.
Build Bowls: Distribute the red peppers, sweet potato, tofu, cauliflower rice, spinach and guacamole evenly among 4 serving bowls.
Garnish & Serve: Top each vegan fajita bowl with some chopped fresh cilantro and red pepper chili flakes to taste. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Let’s talk about some handy tips and tricks that will help you prepare perfect veggie bowls.
- Drain the Tofu Well: In order for your tofu to get nice and crispy over the stove, you have to press and drain it thoroughly. You can do this using a tofu press or by allowing the tofu to sit between two heavy plates lined with paper towels for 10 minutes. I like to drain it both before and after I cut it into cubes for good measure.
- Line Your Baking Sheet: I recommend lining your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil when you roast your sweet potatoes and bell peppers. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
- Remember to Flip the Tofu: After your tofu has been cooking for about 2 minutes, you’ll want to flip it over and cook it for a couple more minutes before adding the seasonings. That way, both sides will get equally golden.
- Spice Up the Guac: The guacamole in this recipe keeps things simple with some lime juice and a little salt & pepper to flavor it. Feel free to spice it up with red pepper flakes, finely chopped jalapeños or another add-in of choice.
Variation Ideas
Like I touched on earlier, you can customize these veggie bowls however you’d like. Here are some more ideas for inspiration!
- Make Cajun Fajita Bowls: Sometimes I like to forgo the taco seasoning and use Cajun spice seasoning instead. It adds a little more heat than the taco seasoning without making the bowls super spicy.
- Use Another Kind of Rice: Not a big fan of cauliflower rice? Riced broccoli is another diet-friendly alternative you can try. If you’re not keto or grain-free, regular brown or white rice will work.
- Add Nachos to the Mix: Whenever I’m craving some added crunch, I’ll throw some grain-free nachos into my vegan fajita bowls. So yummy!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
If you think you may have leftovers, hold off on assembling all of the bowls. It’s best to store each component in a separate airtight container in the fridge. I recommend building and enjoying your bowls within 2-3 days of making everything.
When you’re ready to assemble the bowls, reheat the roasted veggies, tofu and cauliflower rice separately in the microwave. Heat each component at 50% power in short 15-20 second intervals until heated through. Then build your bowls and dig in!
Are These Freezer-Friendly?
Yes! Everything used in these bowls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just make sure the containers you use for storage are freezer-friendly. Thaw out frozen rice, tofu, veggies and guacamole in the fridge before reheating and/or assembling the bowls.
More fajita recipes you will love:
More Healthy Vegan Meals to Try
Want to start making more healthy vegan dishes at home? Try the following recipes next!
These Vegan Fajita Bowls are easy to make with spicy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, red bell peppers and more, and are sure to satisfy that Chipotle craving! They're served with fluffy cauliflower rice and creamy guacamole for the ultimate meatless meal. Gluten-free, grain-free, vegan and include paleo, low carb and Whole30 swaps.
- 1 medium sweet potato scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks (you can peel them or leave the skin on) - swap with broccoli, cauliflower or other low-carb veggie for keto
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower rice
- 9 oz extra firm tofu pressed, drained and cut into 1-inch squares. Leave out for paleo/Whole30 and sub with protein of choice
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning OR sub with Cajun spice seasoning
- 1 lime
- 2 avocados
- 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Red pepper chili flakes for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers to a large baking sheet. Toss with oil, salt and pepper and roast in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and and leave undisturbed until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Add taco seasoning, juice of half a lime and salt and pepper and allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the cauliflower rice until soft and make the guacamole. Mash avocado with the rest of the lime juice and some salt and pepper.
Build your bowl - red peppers, sweet potato, tofu, cauliflower rice, handful of salad or spinach and guacamole. Top with some chopped fresh cilantro and red pepper chili flakes.
- To Store: If you expect to have leftovers, hold off on assembling all bowls. It's best to refrigerate each component in a separate airtight container. Build and enjoy bowls within 2-3 days of making everything.
- To Reheat: When ready to assemble bowls, reheat roasted veggies, tofu and cauliflower rice separately in the microwave. Heat each component at 50% power in short 15-20 second intervals until heated through. Then build bowls and serve.
- To Freeze: Store separate components in freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw out frozen rice, tofu, veggies and guac in the fridge before reheating and/or assembling the bowls.
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