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The Best 4th Of July Foods & Veggie Packed Burrito Bowls
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Independence Day is right around the corner and if you are anything like us, you are looking for patriotic inspired recipes to celebrate. Whether you are hosting the feast yourself or just bringing dessert, we have the best 4th of July foods for every type of celebration. Plus, we are sharing the recipe for our favorite Veggie Loaded Burrito Bowls – which just happen to be, red, white, blue and delicious!
I don’t know about you, but when I am planning a menu for any summer gathering I go for delicious simplicity, like burrito bowls. With only a little planning, a lot of California-grown produce, and a tiny bit of prepping you will earn the award of the summertime “hostess with the mostest”.
Tips for planning a veggie-filled, summer burrito bowl feast for the 4th of July.
The entire California Grown team is in agreement that DIY burrito bowls might just be the easiest meal to serve at just about any celebration. However, we particularly love serving them in the summer. Here’s why:
- Because so many of the ingredients like beans, salsas, and toppings can be prepped days in advance of the gathering, so there is no need to crank up the stove or oven for very long the day of your event – meaning you can reserve your A/C and your sanity.
- Summer is when produce is at its peak! The sky is the limit with your toppings, and you should totally reach for it. Think fresh salsas, herbaceous guacamole, and corn salad.
- There are almost as many dietary preferences and restrictions these days at a party as there are guests! You can make the dietary equation easier on yourself with a DIY, a la carte burrito bar where guests can help themselves to all that is good for them.
In the recipe card below, we are sharing the recipes for our Easy No Soak Black Beans and Oven Roasted Fajita Veggies. These recipes feed a crowd with minimal effort and can be made well in advance of your gathering.
Now all you have to do is mix and match your DIY burrito bowls with the veggie packed side dishes below to complete your feast.
What sides are good to serve with Veggie Loaded Burrito Bowls?
Sure, you should have ALL the fresh fixin’s like fresh cherry tomatoes, California lime wedges, and fresh cilantro, but you should also plan to serve a few different side dishes like the ones in the recipe links below to add variety to the offerings.
Herbaceous Guacamole
Is there anything that brings people together more than a gigantic bowl of Herbaceous Guacamole and chips?! We think not.
This particular guac is not your standard guac though, it is loaded with vibrant, punchy flavors from a variety of leafy green herbs that hit ALL the expected flavor notes for your tastebuds and a few surprising ones too!
Click here for this side dish for the 4th of July.
Lime Pickled Red Onions
The Delicious’ Salsa Criolla, a South American version of lightly pickled red onions with the addition of heat and subtle sweet from jalapeños and lime juice, is at the top of our must have on the menu list when serving burrito bowls.
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Oven Roasted Sweet Corn
Have you ever been curious about how to cook corn on the cob in the oven? It’s actually almost too easy! No prep, no fuss, no dishes. This hands-off oven roasting method from This Mess is Ours yields the sweetest most succulent oven-roasted corn on the cob that you will ever taste. Oh, and your house will smell heavenly too!
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Cilantro Lime Rice
This simple rice recipe from Hola Jalapeno brings the flavor of the most satisfying Mexican rice bowl right to your kitchen table with both stovetop and rice cooker instructions included.
The ingredient list calls for items like fragrant jasmine rice, fresh limes, cilantro, and California olive oil. I mean, talk about flavor!
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Strawberry Avocado Salsa
This Strawberry Avocado Salsa from The Delicious Life is perfect with tortilla chips as a snack or an appetizer, and is equally amazing served with seared salmon.
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
Remember when I said I was all about keeping it simple when planning a burrito bowl feast? It doesn’t get any easier than offering a rotisserie chicken for the meat eaters at your gathering.
These days, there are so many different types of diets to consider that I often take the easier route with protein such as chicken and offer guests a fan-favorite- a pre-cooked, store bought solution. I mean, who doesn’t love rotisserie chicken?
Share your patriotic recipe creations with us by snapping a pic and tagging us on social using #CAGROWN.
Craving more CA Grown goodness? Follow us on Pinterest for fresh and fabulous recipe inspo!
Easy No Soak Black Beans and Fajita Veggies for Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
Easy No Soak Black Beans
- 1 pound dried black beans rinsed, picked through any small debris removed
- 1/4 of a red onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs cilantro
- 1 sprig oregano
- 3 cloves garlic smashed, peel removed
- 1- 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
Instructions
Easy No Soak Black Beans
- Combine the black beans, red onion, bay leaf, sprigs of herbs, and cloves of garlic to a large pot with 4 quarts of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat the medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water as necessary to keep beans covered. Cook until tender, anywhere from 1 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours depending on how old the dried beans you are using are.
- Once the beans have finished cooking, remove any solids left from the quarter of the onion, garlic cloves, and herb stems.
Oven Roasted Fajita Veggies
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine the sliced peppers and onions on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and add the spices on top of the vegetables. Toss to coat then spread into an even layer .
- Roast in the oven 18-20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
To serve as burrito bowls
- Layer rice of your choice into bowls with cooked black beans and fajita veggies. Top with fresh vegetables like tomatoes and jalapenos, diced Oaxaca cheese, rotisserie chicken if desired, and colorful tortilla strips.
Notes
Nutrition
Are you looking to take a more traditional route of BBQ and grilling for the 4th of July? We have gathered recipes to inspire you for that type of patriotic menu also!
Keep scrolling and pin your favorite main dish, side dish, and dessert recipes to your Pinterest meal planning board for this 4th of July!
The Best Savory 4th of July Main Dish Recipes to Celebrate
Black Bean & Wild Rice Veggie Burger Patties
Our recipe for black bean burger patties makes the most perfect veggie patty on the planet – they’re full of flavor, easily customizable, and pretty darn easy to make too. Less than 30 minutes hands-on time!
Click here for this delicious 4th of July recipe!
The Ultimate Juicy Burger
Looking for a juicy burger recipe? Try this recipe from This Mess is Ours.
Don’t settle for dry, lackluster burgers this fourth of July! Instead, opt for one of these mustard-seared burger patties that are juicy, loaded with toppings like caramelized onions and heirloom tomatoes, and smothered in a special not-so-secret sauce that was made popular by a certain California based hamburger chain.
Click here for this easy 4th of July recipe!
Blueberry Jalapeño BBQ sauce
Fresh California blueberries take on a savory role in our simple, 15 minute Blueberry Jalapeño BBQ sauce recipe that is perfect on turkey burgers!
Click here for this delicious 4th of July recipe!
Dodger Dogs with Farmers’ Market Fresh Toppings!
Hot dogs are quintessential 4th of July eats! The Delicious Life ‘s grilled Dodger Dogs are piled high with fresh farmers’ market toppings like avocado, red onion, tomato and corn!
Click here for this 4th of July recipe!
Grilled Steak and Summer Vegetables
This is the time of year that we vegetable lovers live for! All of the work planting and tending to our backyard gardens or patiently waiting for the ripest bounty to hit our local markets – it’s here! Squash is plentiful, the herbs are full and fragrant, and the coveted vine-ripened tomatoes are finally ready to be picked. Put all of that lovely produce to use with this recipe for the grill!
Click here for this recipe for 4th of July!
More ideas to help you pick a side dish for 4th of July!
Red White and Blue Charcuterie Board Recipe
The Delicious recently shared everything you need to build your own red, white and blue cheese and charcuterie board for Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, Election Day, or any other occasion where a colorful, patriotic board would be fitting.
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
How to Cook Sweet Corn on the Grill with the Husk On.
Grilling corn in the husk is a simple way to impart lots of smoky flavor without drying out the kernels inside.
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Sourdough Onion Rings
These onion rings from Eat the Love are the absolute crispiest onion rings you will ever make or taste. The secret is using sourdough discard as the liquid! It’s thick and tangy, and clings to the raw onions more than any other liquid. Even better, when it fries up, the liquid evaporates, leaving a super crunchy coating on the onion!
Click here for this side dish for 4th of July!
Simple Summer Stone Fruit and Burrata Salad
The cherries, peaches, apricots, and plums in this salad are succulent, tender, and literally bursting with flavor.
Click here for this easy appetizer recipe!
The Best Sweet 4th of July Foods to Celebrate
Fresh Watermelon Cake with Summer Berries
This fresh twist on a cake is from A Girl Defloured and we think it’s really clever! This fresh watermelon “cake” is actually a whole, peeled watermelon! Topped with freshly whipped cream and summer berries, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, this is a not-too-sweet treat that we will be enjoying all summer long.
Click here for this 4th of July recipe!
Healthy Patriotic Popsicle
When the temperature starts to climb, and you find yourself looking for ways to beat the heat, try this patriotic fruit and yogurt-laced popsicle recipe. Fresh summer berries and cherries pair perfectly with creamy vanilla yogurt in these popsicles that are great for breakfast or dessert.
Click here for this 4th of July recipe!
Black & Blueberry Cobbler
This cobbler from This Mess is Ours is bursting with juicy berries and is loaded with an extra thick layer of cobbler crust on top which makes this literally THE BEST cobbler ever!
This endlessly customizable dessert is easy to make and perfect for whenever you want to indulge a bit.
Click here for this 4th of July recipe!
Red, White, and Blueberry Roll Cake
We have made and savored every bite of this blueberry-laced, delicious roll cake from G Free Foodie!
It may look like a work of art, but this cake is simple to bake and even simpler to prepare.
Click here for more gluten free 4th of July eats!
Red, White, & Blue Dessert Cake
This 4th of July dessert cake from This Mess is Ours is perfect for all of your patriotic party needs!
It requires zero baking and is completely customizable. No cherries? Use strawberries! Not a fan of blackberries? Go all blueberries. The mascarpone-laced whipped cream and citrus caramel-drenched Ladyfinger cookies make this dessert a real stunner.
Click here for this 4th of July dessert recipe!
4th of July Fruit Tray
Looking for a fun and simple patriotic dessert or festive fruit tray ideas? This DIY Fruit Tray from Best Friend’s for Frosting will be ready for your 4th of July party in just minutes!