Submitted by nicole on Wed, 04/13/2016 - 10:19

Today, I'm going to share one of my favorite incredibly fast and easy and delicious and filling and healthy make-ahead meals: Quinoa Beef Burrito Bowl.

Quinoa and mexican shredded beef burrito bowl on a white weathered wood background

The beef is originally made with a crock pot, but it makes spectacular leftovers (and I'm picky about leftovers), so it's perfect for incredibly fast, easy, healthy lunches for days. And it's so good that I don't get tired of eating it days in a row.

Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Beef:

large beef roast, lean, trimmed of visible fat, and cut into approximately 2" chunks
1 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
water to cover the beef

I love crock pot cooking, but I'm picky about what I'll cook in a crock pot (texture issues). Shredded beef (or chicken) done this way is fabulous. Flavorful, and so incredibly easy. You just throw it all in the crock pot, and let it cook long and low all day. At dinnertime, pull out the beef and shred it. I like to pour some of the cooking liquid over my shredded beef, too (about 1/2-1 cup, depending on how big the roast was).

Shredded beef on a kitchen scale, cooked quinoa in a half cup measure, green salsa in a bowl, sour cream in a Tablespoon, three leaves of romaine lettuce, on a cutting board.

I've had my dinky little rice cooker since I went to college (Vassar class of '98!). The thing will never die, and I love it. I cook up a batch of quinoa for the burrito bowl in it, using a little beef bouillon, some cumin, and a little chili powder for extra Mexican flavor. This, too, makes fabulous leftovers.

The fact that both the beef and the quinoa reheat gorgeously is what makes this burrito bowl so darn convenient. I keep the ingredients in the fridge, and I can have a fast and easy and delicious lunch or dinner within a couple minutes of walking in the door.

Mexican shredded beef in a white bowl on a kitchen scale reading 4 ounces.

Measure out 4 ounces of lean shredded beef. Add ½ a cup of the cooked Mexican quinoa to the bowl. Top generously with shredded lettuce, 2 Tablespoons of salsa (I love the zing of tomatillo salsa), and one Tablespoon of low fat sour cream. Cheese is great in the burrito bowl, too.

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Yeah, it's not the prettiest thing in the world, but holy cow, is it delicious! And satisfying!

Want even more mexican crock pot inspiration? Check out this amazing chicken slow cooker enchiladas recipe.