Name: Plantain Edamame Veggie Rice Bowl
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups brown rice (short or long grain); 4-6 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1 (10-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame beans (340 grams); 4 ripe plantains (yellow with brown spots) (peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices); Salt and black pepper; 1 large ripe avocado (peeled and sliced or chopped); 1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half, 155 grams); Dried Rosemary needles; Chimichurri sauce

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This plantain bowl is a perfect go-to high-protein vegan meal, or make them for meatless Mondays.

You will love this hearty power bowl dish filled with brown rice, edamame beans, and sweet plantains. Then paired with veggies on the side and topped with a lovely cilantro parsley chimichurri sauce.

It's savory, a tad spicy, sweet, with different textures, and simply delicious.

Bowls filled with cooked rice, small tomatoes, avocado slices, fried edamame beans, fried plantains, and topped with chimichurri sauce.

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Why you'll love this power bowl
About the plantains in this recipe
Notes & Tips
Complete this plantain bowl
Recommended
📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this power bowl

It's a build-your-own dinner: It's fun and the perfect meal for each one to decide whether you want more of a savory flavor, a sweeter taste, more veggies, or spiciness.
It's topped with a drizzle of fresh cilantro chimichurri sauce, which adds a lovely refreshing spiciness that's not overpowering. It's so worth making because you will have leftovers for other salads, and you can make it in advance.
Crispy plantains are the star of this dish: they are quickly pan-fried in either olive or coconut oil and then topped with a pinch of salt.
I'm adding quick-pan-fried edamame beans: I prefer them over black beans here. They add a lovely crunch and are a great source of plant-based proteins.
Brown rice adds a lovely chewy texture: It's quickly boiled in about 25 minutes, and you'll use that time to prepare the rest. Feel free to swap this with white rice or coconut rice if that's what you have on hand.

About the plantains in this recipe

Plantains are a starchy cousin of the banana and are often mistaken for a vegetable because it needs to be cooked for consumption.

I have eaten them baked, fried, boiled, or mashed. They taste deliciously sweet when cooked ripened or savory when still in their green taste.

But in this recipe, I'm using ripe, yellow spotty plantains. They caramelize when pan-fried and become sweet and tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Making them a wonderful choice to make vegan plantain burrito bowls mixed with savory, spicy flavors.

A hand slicing lengthwise through a plantain with a knife.

Sliced raw plantains on a cutting board.

Fried plantain slices in an iron skillet.

Notes & Tips

Make the chimichurri sauce in advance: Although ready in 10 minutes, shave off that time by prepping this sauce with fresh herbs ahead of time.
Reduce the rice's cook time by bringing the water in a medium saucepan to a boil first and then adding the rice—like you would cook pasta. This starchy grain will be ready and tender in about 25 minutes.
Use that time to prepare the other components of this edamame plantain bowl while keeping an eye on the rice.
Use a large nonstick skillet to pan-fry plantains: I love my cast iron skillet because it evenly browns the plantains and holds its heat well.
Fry the sliced plantains in a single layer on medium-high heat to get that crispy brown texture. You might have to work in batches.
Reduce to medium heat if your pan browns the fried plantains too quickly. They will otherwise turn blackish before sweet and tender on the inside.
Use the same large skillet to pan-fry the beans briefly: First, remove the browned yellow plantains and set aside. The pan's surface is already hot. Add a tad more oil and toss in the beans for about 5-7 minutes until they're cooked through and slightly brown.

Cooked rice, tomatoes, sliced avocado, fried edamame beans, fried plantains, chimichurri sauce, and seasoning displayed on a table.

Complete this plantain bowl

Avocado slices add a delicious creaminess and are my favorite add-on here.
Cherry or black cherry tomatoes are refreshing and sweet and pair well with the chimichurri sauce.
Dried Rosemary needles: if you have them, sprinkle some over the end result. It adds a minty aroma and balances the flavors of this deliciously sweet-savory meal.
Other alternative options to serve on the side: for a more spicy crunch, add a small, thinly sliced red onion on the side; add more citrusy flavors with extra cilantro or lime wedges; any leftover sweet potatoes from last night go well here too.
Not vegan: Try serving a fried egg on top for a more savory touch or toss in some shredded chicken.

This an easy dinner recipe allowing family or friends to make their own hearty, satisfying edamame plantain bowl at the table. Enjoy!

A wooden fork digged into fried plantains, edamame beans, topped with cherry tomatoes, and chopped avocado.

📖 Recipe

Plantain Edamame Veggie Rice Bowl

Mariska Ramondino

Make this delicious and healthy vegan plantain bowl recipe with protein-rich edamame beans, sweet pan-fried plantains, brown rice, healthy veggies, and a quick homemade chimichurri sauce—incredibly satisfying!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Main Courses

Cuisine International

Servings Servings

Ingredients

▢ 1 ¼ cups brown rice short or long grain
▢ 4-6 tablespoons olive oil divided
▢ 1 (10-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame beans 340 grams
▢ 4 ripe plantains (yellow with brown spots) peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
▢ Salt and black pepper
▢ 1 large ripe avocado peeled and sliced or chopped
▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half, 155 grams

Garnishes

▢ Dried Rosemary needles
▢ Chimichurri sauce

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil (about 4 quarts. Once the water is boiling, add the rice and continue boiling for 25 minutes.
Place frozen edamame beans in a bowl covered with water to quickly defrost, and set aside.
While rice is cooking, pan fry the plantains.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
When oil is shimmering, add the plantains (you'll have to work in batches).
Fry for 1 to 2 minutes on one side and then another minute on the other side or until caramelized and browned. Season with salt to taste.
Heat more olive oil if needed to fry the next batch. Continue untill all plantains are fried.
Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the same medium heat.
Toss in the drained edamame beans. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned, set aside.
When the rice is ready, drain and return the rice back to the pot. Season with a sprinkle of salt and stir to combine.
Serve each ingredient separately in serving bowls or plates together with the tomatoes, avocado slices, and chimichurri sauce. Assemble the bowls at the table.
To serve, layer rice, edamame beans, and fried plantains into 4 serving bowls. Arrange some tomatoes and avocado slices on the side.
Serve with chimichurri sauce and dried rosemary needles (optional) for garnish.
Store leftovers except for avocado in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

Storage: Best when fresh. However, leftovers store separately in the fridge for up to 4 days (exclude avocado).

Prep cook time includes preparing the rice to be cooked on the stove, washing and cutting the tomatoes, peeling and slicing the avocado, peeling and slicing the plantains, and thawing the edamame beans.

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Nutrition (% Daily value)

Calories: 497kcal (25%)Carbohydrates: 63g (21%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 30g (46%)Sodium: 13mg (1%)Potassium: 1147mg (33%)Fiber: 7g (29%)Sugar: 32g (36%)Vitamin A: 2138IU (43%)Vitamin C: 41mg (50%)Calcium: 18mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.

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