40 Flavorful Grain Bowls That Take Meal-Prepped Ingredients To New Heights
They're ripe for improvisation.
Want to change up your lunch or dinner game with something filling, easy, and a little bit healthier? Here at Delish we think that grain bowls are the best proof that you don’t have to give up flavor in lieu of simplicity. All you need is a base (like rice or quinoa), a protein, lots of veggies, and a delicious sauce, and you’re in business. Plus they are great for meal-preepping! Check out our 340 grain bowl recipes for ideas, then get creative—they’re made for mixing and matching, so feel free to make them your own.
First things first: You’ve got to start out with a well-cooked grain. Lucky for you, we’ve got all the tips to make sure your white rice, quinoa, brown rice, couscous, cauliflower rice, and wild rice are cooked perfectly.
Next comes vegetables: We prefer a mix of roasted, like sweet potatoes, broccoli, or cauliflower; and raw, like tomatoes, cabbage, or bell peppers. Something pickled or fermented, like kimchi or pickled red onion, can also be nice, so try a variety of options 'til you find your favorite combo.
Protein is next, and we’re not just talking meat. Well-seasoned steak, shrimp, chicken, or seafood are all welcome here, but don’t forget about alternative protein sources, like beans, tofu, or tempeh. Cook them any way you like—on the grill, in the oven, or even in your air fryer.
Finally, you’ve gotta have the perfect sauce. We’ve included a number of options here, but feel free to peruse our best salad dressings for alternate ideas. Heck, check out our favorite dips too—simply thin them a little with liquid (water, milk, or juice are all good options), then drizzle them over top of your grain bowls.
Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls recipe
The beauty about this bowl is that it's infinitely adaptable. You can roast just about any veggie, use any number of toppings, and it'll taste amazing in this recipe. The only thing we might insist you must keep on the bowl is the incredible peanut butter dressing.
Get the Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls recipe.
Halal Cart-Style Cauliflower Bowl
This bowl is a homemade take on a New York street food favorite. Picture succulent halal chicken, marinated to perfection in a harmonious blend of spices, fragrant oregano, and zesty lime juice: an explosion of flavors that dance on your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
Salmon Quinoa Bowls
This salmon recipe is not only a simple, quick dinner (ready in 20 minutes!), but it’s a texture lover’s paradise. Quinoa is the base for our bowl, setting the stage for tender, buttery salmon, fresh arugula, thin slices of cucumber, and a homemade creamy dill and yogurt dressing.
Get the Salmon Quinoa Bowls recipe.
Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls
Pad krapow is Thailand’s most popular stir-fry dish for a reason. It’s got saucy ground meat tossed with sliced bell peppers, spicy chiles, and a handful of fresh, sweet basil, served over steaming rice. Our take on this super-simple dish is the perfect protein-packed meal prep that’ll keep you excited to eat all week.
Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowls
We think gyros are one of the best sandwiches. With tender spiced meat, crunchy fresh veggies, tzatziki, and chewy pita, it's not hard to see why this Greek dish is so globally beloved. Inspired by this popular sandwich, we created this healthy but hearty bowl that's perfect for meal-prepping.
Get the Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowls recipe.
Goddess Bowls
An easy chicken dinner or healthy make-ahead lunch, these bowls combine nutritious powerhouses—brown rice, avocado, roasted asparagus, and sweet cherry tomatoes—with a creamy, herby dressing. Plus, like any bowl, you can get completely creative with these—it's all up to what you like and have on hand.
Get the Goddess Bowls recipe.
Steak Kebab Bowls
Nothing screams summer quite like rainbow veggie kebabs dotted with succulent cubes of marinated steak, charred to perfection over the grill. We complete this dish by resting the kebabs over a bed of crunchy spinach and cucumber salad tossed in a garlicky tahini dressing, plus a pile of herby orzo,
Get the Steak Kebab Bowls recipe.
Miso Salmon And Farro Bowls
Take your Monday night dinner into a Tuesday afternoon lunch with this miso-glazed salmon and charred scallion farro bowl. Salmon always calls for a sidekick, and in this case, we turned to our current obsession: farro.
Get the Miso Salmon And Farro Bowls recipe.
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl
When we want a tried-and-true perfect meal, we always go back to the chicken burrito bowl. It’s classic, reliable, and, best of all, completely customizable depending on our mood. We’ve included recipes here for all our favorite burrito bowl toppings, but feel free to swap them in and out for yours!
Get the Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe.
Avocado Breakfast Bowls
Grain bowls aren't just for lunches and dinners! For this one, we used quinoa as a base, avocado and eggs for protein, and roasted sweet potatoes for bulk. Don't skip that everything bagel seasoning, it ties everything together perfectly.
Get the Avocado Breakfast Bowls recipe.
Sushi Bowls
Not ready to make your own California roll or shrimp tempura roll at home quite yet but craving the classic sushi flavors? A homemade sushi bowl is a great place to start. You can practice making restaurant-worthy sushi rice, source quality fish, and discover what ingredients, flavors, and textures make your perfect sushi bowl.
Get the Sushi Bowls recipe.
Steak Grain Bowl
A double-purpose chimichurri acts as a marinade for the steak and a finishing sauce for these bowls; the not-too-spicy jalapeño sauce provides a tangy, creamy counterpoint—plus, its versatility means it can go on anything and everything (read: make extra, and put it on everything).
Get the Steak Grain Bowl recipe.
Copycat Sweet Green Harvest Bowl
Attention, Sweetgreen lovers! Your regular weekday lunch is about to get an instant upgrade. Loaded with roast chicken, sweet potato, and that signature balsamic vinaigrette, our copycat version of Sweetgreen’s beloved harvest bowl will make your favorite takeout lunch an everyday reality.
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Meal prepping doesn’t need to be complicated, and these chicken shawarma bowls prove that. Top it with a simple yogurt sauce and your favorite store-bought or homemade hummus. The bowls are great on their own or served with some warmed pits to scoop up all of the components.
Get the Chicken Shawarma Bowls recipe.
Jerk Shrimp & Pineapple Bowls
Not only is it a super-cute and fun way to serve dinner, but its a great way to pack in the protein and veggies. In this case, we’ve got jerk marinated shrimp, sweet peppers, and a sweet and spicy glaze that will make you want to lick your plate clean.
Get the Jerk Shrimp & Pineapple Bowls recipe.
Ground Beef Stir-Fry Teriyaki Bowls
Versatile and simple, stir-frying is a tried-and-true, go-to method for getting dinner on the table FAST. We love stir-frying for countless cheap and easy dinners, but especially in this recipe that combines ground beef with broccoli, carrots, and teriyaki sauce.
Jerk Tofu Grain Bowls
This vegan recipe is a bit of a culinary road trip through some Jamaican staples: sweet plantains, aromatic rice and peas, and tofu in a jerk marinade. To add a touch of crunch, acidity, and color, we top it all off with a simple red cabbage and carrot slaw that is just as delicious on its own as it is in the bowls (make extra and put it on everything).
Get the Jerk Tofu Grain Bowls recipe.
Spicy Salmon Bowl
Spicy salmon is the perfect topper for a brown rice bowl. The rest of the components here are optional (though we are pretty partial to those quick pickled cukes), so feel free to get creative!
Get the Spicy Salmon Bowl recipe.
Coconut Lime Shrimp Bowls
Zero coconut milk goes to waste in this shrimp bowl. Some of it is used with fresh pineapple and lime juice to create a creamy and bright marinade, while the rest is used to cook the rice, and WOW—it's a total game-changer.
Get the Coconut Lime Shrimp Bowls recipe.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowl
Start your week off right by meal prepping with these fresh & filling grilled chicken bowls. The recipe makes four, which is perfect for two lunches and two dinners for you and anyone you want to share with.
Get the Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowl recipe.
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