A Simple Cauliflower Rice Base You Can Take in Any Direction

This super simple dish starts with cauliflower rice, black beans, diced tomatoes, and chickpeas. By keeping the base neutral, it becomes easy to prep ahead and adapt throughout the week-different seasonings can completely shift the direction without starting from scratch. This is the kind of Costco vegan meal prep I rely on when I want simple ingredients that stretch across multiple meals.

The Base Ingredients

• Cauliflower rice
• Black beans
• Chickpeas
• Diced tomatoes

That’s it. Simple, filling, and easy to keep on hand.

Optional Add-Ins

Once the base is prepared, a few simple add-ins can take it in completely different directions. My go-tos include:

• Liquid aminos or coconut aminos
• Dijon mustard
• Diced tofu
• Pumpkin seeds
• Nutritional yeast

You don’t need all of these at once, just one or two is often enough to change the direction of the dish.

Flavor Directions

This base works especially well because small seasoning changes create completely different flavor profiles:

• Savory / Asian-inspired:
  Adding liquid aminos or coconut aminos gives the bowl a savory, umami flavor. Pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast fit naturally here, and the tofu can stay lightly seasoned or plain.
• Spicy / Mexican-inspired:
  Adding hot sauce and tossing the diced tofu with taco seasoning before mixing it in shifts the whole dish in a different direction. The black beans and tomatoes already in the base pair naturally with these flavors.
• Mediterranean-Inspired:
  Add chopped cucumber, fresh greens like arugula or spinach, and a splash of lemon juice. This shifts the base toward something lighter and fresher while keeping the same foundation.

You can keep adjusting based on what you have and what sounds good that day.

Note: The prices shown are what I paid at Costco.

The Practical Part
Meals like this stay in my rotation because they’re practical. The ingredients are easy to find, they work well for meal prep, and the base adapts without adding much cost or effort. For a filling, plant-based meal made with organic staples at $2.20 per serving, that matters, especially when you’re trying to keep food costs down without relying on packaged convenience foods. Keeping a flexible base also makes cooking feel easier. Instead of following strict recipes, you’re working with ingredients that adjust to your taste, your pantry, and your energy level.