Vegan Mango and Black Bean Rice Bowl

The vegan rice bowl features a mango salsa which is a refreshing condiment made with mango, corn, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and fresh lime juice.  The plant-based bowl pairs the salsa with ripe avocado and spicy pickled red onions for a flavorful vegan rice bowl.

Black bean rice bowls work great for dinner or a make-ahead lunch.  The versatile recipe can be adjusted for what grain or veggies you have on hand. For more plant-based meal ideas try this post for vegan Buddha bowls.

Pickled onions add a burst of tangy flavor with a slight crunch to grain bowls, hummus sandwiches, tacos, and so much more.  They are best made the day before and can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks to add a burst of flavor to grain or Buddha bowls. 

For more vegan rice bowl recipes try a tofu burrito bowl, a veggie taco bowl, a chickpea vegetable rice bowl, a vegan fajita bowl, or a peanut tofu Buddha bowl.

Recipe features

• It’s an easy grain bowl with a colorful fresh mango corn salsa!
• It’s vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and plant-based!
• This recipe uses simple ingredients for a flavorful black bean bowl!

Ingredient notes

The plant-based bowl recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

Mango corn salsa - The salsa is sweet from fresh mango and corn, has a little kick from jalapeños, and is tangy from fresh lime juice.  Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences.  Instead of garlic add diced red onion, or if you prefer more heat add more diced jalapeño.  

Black beans - The recipe calls for 2 cans of drained and rinsed black beans for convenience.  Instead of canned beans, 3 cups of cooked black beans can be used, or substituted with chickpeas or edamame.

For more black bean recipes try vegan black beans with tomatoes and jalapenos or a black bean burrito bowl with a chipotle dressing.

Jasmine rice - Instead of jasmine rice, try brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or millet in this recipe.  For a more flavorful rice, try cilantro lime brown rice or Mexican-inspired brown rice. For another recipe with jasmine rice, try vegan rice salad with chickpeas and broccoli.

Red bell pepper - The bell pepper can be substituted for another vegetable, like diced cucumber.

Ripe avocado - The plant-based bowl pairs avocado with mango salsa to flavor the grain bowl instead of making a dressing.  The avocado adds a creamy texture to the sweet salsa and crisp red bell pepper. 

Spicy pickled onions - Pickled red onions add a burst of flavor to the vegan rice and bean bowl.  The recipe uses serrano chilies, but they can be substituted for jalapeños for a milder version or the chilies can be left out. 

The spicy pickled red onions are best made the day before.  They can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 weeks and be used to give a burst of flavor to other bowls like vegan sushi bowls or try them on a hummus cucumber sandwich.

Tips

• You may need 1-2 mangoes for the salsa depending on their size.  One large or 2 small.
• Make the pickled red onions the day before and have them on hand as a topping for other grain bowls, tacos, or sandwiches.

Instructions

If you’re making pickled red onions, it’s best to make them the day before. To prepare the vegan rice bowl, start the rice and cook it according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, make the mango corn salsa. 

Dice the mango into small bite-size pieces, and add to a bowl with the corn, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and salt. Zest one lime and juice it.  Add the zest and 2 tablespoons of juice to the bowl of mango corn salsa. Mix together, taste, and adjust seasoning.

Drain and rinse the black beans. Slice the bell pepper open, remove the seeds and ribs, then chop it into bite-size pieces.

Slice the avocado open, and remove the pit.  To cube the avocado, slice through the flesh of the avocado to the skin of the fruit but not through it.  Do this vertically and horizontally to make squares.  Then use a spoon to scoop out the cubes.

Portion out the rice, black beans, mango salsa, red bell peppers, and avocado into good-sized bowls.  Then top with spicy pickled red onions.

Storage

The rice and black beans can be stored together in an airtight container in the fridge, but I would store everything else separately.  If you are using the recipe for meal prep, wait to add the avocado until you’re ready to enjoy the meal.  The rice and beans can be stored for about 4 to 5 days, but the corn mango salsa is best within 2 days. 

Related recipes

• Zesty quinoa salad with black beans
• Vegan sushi bowl with a sweet soy dressing
• Tofu burrito bowl with tofu meat crumbles
• Vegan fajita bowls with black beans
• Vegan rice salad with dairy-free ranch dressing

I hope you liked the recipe.  If you did feel free to rate the recipe and leave a comment.