Amazing Protein-Packed Vegan Cuban Bowls
Savor the rich, Latin flavors in these plant-based protein-packed vegan Cuban bowls! Featuring rice, black beans, and hearty plant-based picadillo. You won’t even miss the meaty picadillo flavor with these plant-based bowls. One of the things I missed the most when I first transitioned to veganism over a decade ago was the Latin dishes I grew up loving. I made it my mission to recreate the foods and flavors that were so familiar to me, and these bowls have easily become one of my top favorites.
So, what exactly is picadillo? It’s a classic Latin dish that is very popular in Cuban cuisine. Traditionally made with ground beef, onions, peppers, and tomato sauce, it’s seasoned with a blend of spices like oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. There are numerous variations, such as adding green olives, but perhaps the most debated and controversial is incorporating raisins into the dish.
Thanks to the rise of plant-based meat alternatives in recent years, recreating that rich, meaty picadillo taste is now easier than ever!
Table of Contents
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
- Rice or quinoa
- Olive/avocado oil
- Yellow or white onion
- Garlic
- Red pepper
- Green pepper
- Tomato sauce (8-ounce can)
- Black beans (14-ounce can)
- Plant-based protein (used Beyond Beef)
- Green olives
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Bay leaf
Optional (toppings)
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Plantain chips (used Plantain tostones)
This recipe offers plenty of flexibility, making it very adaptable depending on what you may have available in your pantry. For instance, you can replace the brown rice with quinoa or swap the plant-based protein for options like tofu, tempeh, seitan, textured vegetable protein (TVP), or lentils!
Protein-Packed
One of the most common questions I get when people learn I’m vegan is, “But where do you get your protein?” There are plenty of nutritious and hearty vegan protein sources. In fact, these tasty bowls offer up to 29 grams of protein per serving!
A 4-ounce serving of Beyond Beef provides a solid 21 grams of protein. Pair that with half a cup (130 grams) of black beans for an extra 6 grams. Add in your brown rice and quinoa base, which can contribute another 3 to 8 grams of protein.
If plant-based meat substitutes aren’t your preference, don’t worry. Tofu delivers up to 9 grams of protein per 3-ounce (84-gram) serving, while tempeh packs an impressive 18 grams for the same amount. For those who prefer legumes as their protein source, a quarter cup (50 grams) provides up to 11 grams of protein.
Check out my other post for a guide to some of the best vegan protein sources!
Common Recipe Questions
What is plant-based protein?
Plant-based proteins refer to proteins derived from plants rather than animal sources. These can be found in legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and certain vegetables. Examples of plant-based protein include lentils, peas, quinoa, oats, tofu, tempeh, and seitan. Check out my other post for a guide to some of the best vegan protein sources!
What is Picadillo?
This is a common staple in Cuban cuisine. It is traditionally made with ground beef, onions, peppers, and tomato sauce, it’s seasoned with a blend of spices like oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. There are numerous variations, such as adding green olives, but perhaps the most debated and controversial is incorporating raisins into the dish.
Can I use an alternative plant-based protein in this recipe?
Absolutely! This recipe offers plenty of flexibility, making it very adaptable. While I have not tested the different measurements or cooking times for other plant-based protein substitutes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, textured vegetable protein (TVP), or lentils are great options.
Can I substitute the brown rice?
Yes! Feel free to swap out brown rice for white rice or quinoa as the base for the bowl. Cook these per the package instructions and simply add them as the base when building your bowl.
Vegan Cuban Bowls
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked*
Black Beans
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (sub avocado oil)
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup green pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup red pepper, diced
- 1 can black beans, 14 ounce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup water
Plant-based Picadillo
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil, (sub avocado oil)
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup green pepper, diced
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- 12 ounces Beyond Beef
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- pinch black pepper
- ½ cup green olives
Instructions
Rice
- Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
Black Beans
- Add oil to saucepan, saute onion until translucent on medium heat, add garlic and saute until fragrant, add green and red pepper, add salt and cumin, mix and sauté until tender.
- Add 1 can of black beans, add 1/2 cup of water (or more if needed), toss in bay leaf, cook on medium heat for about 15-20 min until thickened.
Plant-based Picadillo
- In a sauté pan add oil, sauté onion on medium heat until translucent, add garlic and saute until fragrant, add green and red pepper, add salt, cumin and pinch of black pepper.
- Add the Beyond Beef, sauté until cooked, add 1 can of tomato sauce, sauté for about 10-15 min.
- Assemble bowl adding rice, black beans, picadillo, and add toppings of choice.*
Notes
Nutrition
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