We get it: At first, a "grain bowl" doesn’t sound like the most exciting dinner option. But if you look beyond the image of tasteless “macrobiotic plates” featuring limp broccoli and undercooked rice, you'll see the possibilities are endless—and incredibly tasty.
To prove our point, we’ve rounded up 29 colorful recipes that show how getting the perfect balance of essential food groups all at once can be healthy, fast, and most of all, fun.
1. Mexican Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls
A fajita? A burrito bowl? Let’s call it a bit of both. This recipe lets you recreate classic Mexican flavors at home in about the same time it would take you to wait in line at your local fast-food joint. It also gets bonus points for tossing the white flour tortilla and instead serving a spicy chicken-and-veggie mix over brown rice for a gluten-free, higher-fiber meal.
2. Kale, Mushroom, and Roasted Chickpea Rice Bowls
While this recipe calls for a trio of colored rice varieties, don’t worry if you’ve only got brown on hand. Even with a single variety, you'll still keep the fiber count of these bowls impressively high, while a garlicky mix of chickpeas, kale, and mushrooms provide potassium and a hefty 14 grams of protein per serving without a slice of meat in sight.
3. Curried Veggie Brown Rice Bowls
There’s so much color going on in this Indian-spiced comfort food, it’s natural to want to ladle up a big serving. A rainbow of veggies (use a bag of frozen ones for ultimate healthy convenience!) is jazzed up with the piquant, anti-cancer powers of paprika, curry powder, and cumin, while a dollop of peanut butter adds an irresistible creamy factor. You’re gonna want to make a large batch!
4. Black Bean, Mango and Coconut Rice Bowls
Make already-fragrant jasmine even more mouthwateringly aromatic by cooking it in coconut milk. Its healthy fatty acids give the grain a melt-in-your-mouth richness that makes it a perfect base for the sweet-and-spicy black bean and mango topping. Tropical-inspired, refreshing, and full of fun flavor combos, it’s a vacation in a bowl.
5. Smoky Tempeh Vegetable and Rice Bowl
Don’t be intimidated by the number of components—it’s more of a mix-and-assemble job than any heavy-duty kitchen work. Plus, some of the more obscure ingredients are optional. The time spent is well worth it.