15-Minute Quinoa Burrito Bowls

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THESE CHICKEN SAUSAGE & QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS ARE EASY, MAKE AHEAD FRIENDLY, AND SO QUICK TO MAKE YOU’LL HAVE DINNER ON THE TABLE IN JUST 15 MINUTES.

This post is sponsored by al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage.

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These Quinoa Burrito Bowls are like zesty tacos in a bowl but easier, faster to make and filled with healthy nutritious quinoa and chicken sausage to take it to that next level.

Filled with all the best ingredients, like quinoa, my 2-ingredient spicy red sauce, al fresco chicken sausage, and some black beans with corn that have been kissed by lime juice. Then you top it all off with your favorite taco-y toppings like cheese, lettuce, salsa, cilantro, and fresh sliced avocado!

These are wonderful make ahead & freeze meals!

But the best part about this recipe?

EVERYTHING IS IN ONE BOWL.

Such a time saving meal. No extra sides are needed and instead you get to curl up with your meal-in-a-bowl of comforting tasty food.

A meal that gives you the immediate satisfaction of knowing that even on your busiest nights you CAN actually put something healthy & delicious in your body.

Wanna know my best time-saving secret weapon? It’s al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage. I keep a package of it in my fridge all the time for those nights when 5’oclock rolls around and I don’t know what to make for dinner.

I’ve actually been using al fresco Chicken Sausage in several recipes like this One-Skillet Sausage Tortellini & Veggies Freezer Meal and this delicious Pressure Cooker Cajun Sausage & Rice recipe.

For this Quinoa Burrito Bowl recipe I recommend using the al fresco Mild Mexican Style Chicken Sausage from their new Chicken Nights faster product line.

Since this sausage is already flavored perfectly for tacos and other Mexican dishes, it saves me so much time in the kitchen. I don’t need to chop onions, or add spices or anything because the chicken sausage is already perfect for these burrito bowls!

WHY I LOVE THESE CHICKEN SAUSAGE QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS SO-SOOO MUCH:

• They taste great.
• They are easy & anyone can make them.
• They are healthy & nutritious and make you feel better for having eaten them.
• This recipe is so quick and perfect for last minute dinner moments.
• These bowls look fancy & expensive but are actually very affordable.

I’m so flippin’ in love with these bowls!

HOW TO MAKE QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS

• Step 1- Cook Quinoa:  First, you start by cooking the glorious quinoa using beef bouillon to give the whole bowl the perfect starting base of rich flavor.
• Step 2 – Slice & Saute Chicken Sausage:  Next, slice up the al fresco chicken sausage in thin slices, and then cut those slices in half. Then saute in a little olive oil until you get those mouth watering golden brown crispy slices.
• Step 3 – Make Spicy Red Sauce:  Whisk together some canned (or homemade) enchilada sauce and sour cream until smooth. If you like it spicier, use less sour cream. If you like it milder, use less enchilada sauce.
• Step 4 – Beans & Corn Mix:  Drain and rinse your beans and toss them together with your corn. Squeeze a lime over the top and gently mix it together.
• Step 5 – Layer the Bowls:  Start with a cup of quinoa first. Then top it with spicy red sauce, cooked sausage, and beans and corn mixture. Add as much or little of each ones as you like, they’re YOUR bowls!
• Step 6 – Add Toppings: Finally, top with all your favorite burrito bowl toppings such as salsa, sour cream, guacamole, fresh avocado, extra lime juice, corn chips or strips, olives, and cheddar cheese.
• Step 7 – Serve:  At this point you can devour the quinoa burrito bowls while they are fresh and hot. Mix them up or don’t, you eat them however you like!

IDEAS FOR TOPPINGS ON QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS:

I mean, you could go crazy here with toppings of all kinds. Here’s a little list of some of my favorites to get you started.

• Cheese. I love shredded cheddar cheese but you could use shredded pepper jack, queso fresco, or monterey jack cheese.
• Corn Chips. You can use tortilla chips, corn chips or tortilla strips if you like that extra crunch.
• Sliced black olives. These are sooo good in burrito bowls.
• Shredded lettuce or cabbage. I like to thinly shred some and add to the top of my bowls.
• Guacamole or fresh avocado slices. It’s hard to decide which one is better, I love them both.
• Fresh salsa, tomatoes or pico de gallo. Any of these would be amazing to add to quinoa burrito bowls.
• Lime juice.
• Fresh chopped cilantro.
• Sour cream.
• Diced fresh onions .
• Jalapeno or other peppers.
• Hot Pepper Sauce. Kick it up a notch if you like it spicy!

CAN YOU MAKE QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS IN ADVANCE?

These Quinoa Burrito Bowls reheat beautifully because everything is pre-cooked, so it is perfect to make in advance. You can meal prep by adding serving size portions into separate containers and keep in the refrigerator for the week (or up to 5 days).

You can then simply reheat individual servings in the microwave until warmed through.

HOW DO I REHEAT THESE BURRITO BOWLS?

Microwave: Using a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.

CAN YOU MAKE AHEAD & FREEZE QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS?

YES!  I absolutely LOVE making a big batch of these, and placing them in individual containers to freeze so I can enjoy quick lunches for myself. My husband loves them too.

The quinoa, beans-corn mix, sausage, cheese and spicy sauce freeze beautifully, however most of the fresh toppings should not be frozen. It’s best to add them in after reheating them up.

HOW TO FREEZE QUINOA BURRITO BOWLS:

1. Cool. Cool the cooked quinoa and cooked sausage completely before freezing. Cooling is important to avoiding freezer burn.
2. Package:  Using freezer safe containers, add in the cooled quinoa, followed by the spicy sauce (if using). Then add the cooled chicken sausage, followed by the corn & black beans. This is the base I like to freeze alone, then add my toppings on later such as cheese, lettuce, cilantro, guac, etc. after it’s been heated up. You can add the cheese if you want to (as it freezes great), but when you heat it up it will be melted, so it’s up to your preference there. Place plastic wrap inside container on top of food and press down, gently squeezing out any excess air, then cover container with lid or foil and label.
3. Freeze. Freeze these Chicken Sausage Burrito bowls for up to four months. *After 4 months, you can still eat them but chances for freezer burn or taste/flavor changes increase. Note: only freeze the quinoa, chicken sausage, spicy sauce, and corn-bean mixture. The toppings should be added after reheating. Do NOT freeze lettuce, chips, fresh tomatoes or salsa especially. You could add cheese, olives, peppers, onions, hot pepper sauce or lime juice if you like, as those do freeze well, however I prefer to add them fresh and cold on top after heating.
4. Thaw & Reheat. The easiest way to thaw your bowls is in your refrigerator overnight then reheat in the microwave. Using a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed. Then add your toppings and enjoy! To bake in the oven bake covered in oven-safe container at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
5. Reheat from Frozen. This method works if you used a microwave-safe bowl to freeze your Quinoa Burrito Bowls in. Take the frozen bowls out of freezer and remove lid and plastic wrap. cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 3 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed. Then add your toppings and enjoy! If using foil mini pans or metal pans you can go right from freezer to oven and bake them as well. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CONTAINERS FOR MAKING AHEAD BURRITO BOWLS ?

For making individual sized serving bowls you’ll want containers that are freezer and microwave safe. For glass containers I prefer around 32-36 ounces in size. This will give you about a cup of quinoa and still give you room for the sausage, beans and corn. But for paper containers I like 16 oz sized disposable ones. Here are some of my favs. 

Glass Meal Prep Containers. I love to look through the top rated Amazon meal prep containers from time to time and try out new ones. I’ve found most of them are pretty similar in durability and quality, so find ones that you think look nice and have great reviews. I love the color of this 5-pack of 34 ounce glass meal prep containers set. But I also love these simple & nice looking 8-pack Razab 30 oz. meal prep containers.

Disposable Containers. Although Amazon does sell plastic disposable meal prep containers, if I am doing disposable I prefer containers that are made from paper and are biodegradable. Here are my favorite freezer-safe paper disposable containers.
32 ounce Oval Burrito Bowls with Lids, 50-pack
16-oz Paper Hot/Cold Food Containers with Lids, 20-count

Mini Aluminum Foil Bowls. If you don’t use a microwave and need to use your oven only, you can purchase these 5-inch mini pie pans which can go from freezer to oven. Or you can use metal reusable pans if you don’t like disposable ones. 

LOOKING FOR MORE MAKE AHEAD RECIPES?

• Peanut Chicken Satay
• Make Ahead Asparagus Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Homemade Easy Lasagna Recipe
• Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli

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