This 20-minute fajita bowl is the perfect answer to your needs for a quick yet flavorful and nutritious weeknight dinner! This easy recipe combines seasoned oyster mushrooms with colorful fajita veggies, two types of Mexican rice, a delicious corn salsa, creamy guacamole, zesty vegan Chipotle mayo, and a side of crisp lettuce to create an irresistible bowl that the whole family will love.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you budget recipes and money-saving tips every week!
The secret to crafting the most flavorful fajita bowl lies in the sides. By incorporating a wide variety of toppings, such as creamy guacamole, tangy salsa, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and zesty lime, you not only enhance the bowl with an array of tastes but also introduce a delightful mix of textures.
If you in need of more inspiration, be sure to check out some of my other bowl recipes, this copycat Chipotle veggie bowl or my Mediterranean-inspired falafel bowl!
Jump to:
❤️ Why you’ll love it
This easy fajita bowl recipe takes the classic chicken fajita bowl and turns it meat-free. Oyster mushrooms are such an amazing substitute, you will not miss chicken or beef at all. Trust me.
I take shredded oyster mushrooms and toss them in a flavorful homemade fajita sauce, pan-fry them, and then combine them with my fajita veggies, Mexican fried rice, cilantro lime rice, corn salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, and vegan chipotle mayo.
The result is a nutritious and delicious Tex-Mex medley you can enjoy as-is or with a side of warm tortillas for a complete meal!
This is one of my favorite recipes because it makes dinner nights and meal prepping a breeze. It is the perfect use of leftovers from the night before and takes a total time of only 20 minutes to throw together. It is also incredibly versatile, so you can add, omit, or substitute bowl components as you please!
Subscribe to our newsletters and download it right now.
🧾 Key ingredients
Oyster mushrooms – Oyster mushrooms mimic the taste and texture of chicken and are an excellent vegan alternative to chicken fajitas.
Fajita sauce – This flavorful sauce combines my homemade fajita seasoning (composed of hot chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and salt) with soy sauce, and a splash of lime juice to give your oyster mushrooms an unforgettable Tex-Mex flavor.
Fajita veggies – My Chipotle copycat fajita veggies take colorful bell peppers and red onion and season them with oregano, salt, and pepper to give your fajitas an additional burst of flavor and crunch.
Mexican rice – This bowl uses two types of basmati rice: An aromatic fried rice made with flavorful tomato puree, and various herbs, spices, and veggies, and a zesty copycat Chipotle cilantro lime rice made with fresh cilantro, bay leaf, and a blend of lemon-lime juices.
Dressings – A fajita bowl is only complete with delicious dressings to top it with. This recipe will use my copycat Chipotle corn salsa, creamy guacamole, and vegan Chipotle Mayo.
Lettuce – Fresh, crisp shredded romaine lettuce adds the finishing touch, turning your fajita bowl into a delicious, light salad.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
This easy fajita bowl recipe only requires a large skillet to cook the oyster mushrooms and one bowl or serving plate wide and shallow enough to fit all its components.
Most of the individual components in this recipe only need 1-2 pieces of equipment to make. See each recipe for more information.
👩🍳 Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
Start by preparing each of the individual fajita bowl components according to their recipe: The fajita sauce, fajita veggies, Mexican fried rice, Chipotle cilantro lime rice, copycat Chipotle corn salsa, guacamole, and vegan Chipotle mayo. Once prepared, continue with the following steps.
Making a fajita bowl
STEP 1
Tear the oyster mushroom into pieces using your hand. It is easy to prepare them. Since they grow on trees, you don’t even need to wash them.
STEP 2
Add the vegetable oil to half a serving of the fajita sauce and stir well.
STEP 3
Place the oyster mushroom pieces into a bowl and pour the fajita sauce over them. Gently mix the two until the sauce is evenly spread.
STEP 4
Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the oyster mushrooms, making sure that they spread evenly. Once the moisture evaporates, press down on the mushrooms to make them crispier. There are many ways to cook them, but frying is quick and easy.
STEP 5
Flip the mushrooms and repeat with the opposite side. In approximately 15 minutes, they should be done. Add additional seasoning or salt if necessary.
STEP 6
Add the components of the recipe to a dish to build the bowl: crispy oyster mushrooms, fajita veggies, Mexican fried rice, Chipotle cilantro lime rice, copycat Chipotle corn salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, and vegan Chipotle mayo.
💡 Expert tip
To make this fajita bowl recipe as simple as possible on the day you serve it, it helps to prepare the ingredients a day or so in advance. You can also buy store-bought guacamole, salsa, or spicy mayo instead of making it yourself. For the best results, always wait until the day you plan to serve the bowl to top it with the dressing!
🔄 Variations
Fajita bowls are incredibly versatile, and it takes little effort to customize them to your liking.
You can add black beans or pinto beans to make it a burrito bowl, or use brown rice, sweet potato rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa instead of the basmati rice. Or, you can swap out the corn salsa for Mexican street corn salad or pico de gallo.
You can try it with other veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, sweet potato, zucchini, carrots, or butternut squash, or swap out the lettuce for other leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, or collard greens. Or, you can mix it up with some sweet flavor and add fruits such as mangos, peaches, or pineapple. If you like spicy food, throw in some jalapeno or serrano peppers.
Instead of oyster mushrooms, you can use cauliflower, my tofu Chipotle sofritas, or my Chipotle plant-based chorizo (pictured below).
You can also swap out the guacamole and vegan mayo with other dressings such as hot sauce, vegan sour cream, or vegan queso dip.
🥣 Serving ideas
Enjoy this fajita bowl alone as a salad, or serve it with my flourless tortillas to make a fajita classic spread. Fajita bowls also go great alongside tortilla chips and salsa or vegan queso or with fresh avocado slices. To make your bowl even more beautiful, sprinkle on some red cabbage just before serving!
❄️ Storing tips
Fajita bowls are always best when enjoyed fresh. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them as follows:
In the refrigerator: Store the assembled bowl in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
In the freezer: I do not recommend freezing the assembled bowl as the vegetables will lose their texture and become soggy. You should always serve the guacamole and salsa fresh.
Reheating: Reheat the oyster mushrooms separately from the rest of the bowl. I recommend reheating them in the oven or air fryer to maintain as much crunchiness as possible.
🤔 FAQs
The fillings and the size of the tortilla are the main differences. Traditional fajitas contain grilled meat and veggies, whereas burritos typically include meat, beans, and other fillings. Fajitas tend to be served with smaller tortillas (larger than taco shells), and burritos are pre-wrapped in extra-large tortillas.
This is a gluten-free recipe as long as you follow the ingredients listed.
While olive oil will get the job done, if you want to achieve the grilled flavor that fajitas are known to have, it is best to stick with a high-heat oil such as vegetable oil.
More fajita recipes
THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.
⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN E-BOOK NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES! ⇐
Fajita Bowl (with Crispy Mushrooms)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 oz Oyster mushrooms
- 6 Tbsp Fajita Sauce
- 4 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- 4 servings Fajita Veggies
- 4 servings Mexican Fried Rice
- 4 servings Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
- 4 servings Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa
- 4 servings Guacamole
- 4 Tbsp Vegan Chipotle Mayo
- ½ Lettuce
Instructions
- Tear apart oyster mushroom by hand.
- Add vegetable oil to ½ serving of fajita sauce. Stir well.
- Add oyster mushroom pieces into a bowl. Pour the fajita sauce over and gently mix them until its spread evenly.
- Heat a large pan to high heat. Add oyster mushrooms. Spread them evenly. Let the moisture evaporate, then press down the mushrooms to make them crispier. Turn and repeat with the other side as well. This process will take approximately 15 minutes. Check for seasoning, and if needed, add some salt.
- Build your bowl: add Fajita Veggies, Mexican Fried Rice, Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa, Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice, Mexican Street Corn, Shredded Lettuce, and Vegan Chipotle Mayo.
Leave a comment