45 Flavorful Grain Bowls That Take Meal-Prepped Ingredients To New Heights
They're ripe for improvisation.
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-prepping! Check out our 45 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.
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.
Peanut Chickpea Protein Bowls
Chickpeas and peanut sauce are two of my current obsessions, so these peanut chickpea protein bowls are my idea of paradise for dinner. Crispy chickpeas, cabbage slaw, and brown rice are topped with more veggies and herbs and drizzled with creamy peanut sauce for a satisfying dinner that’s both hearty and healthy.
Get the Peanut Chickpea Protein Bowls recipe.
Greek Power Bowls
This grain bowl is not only packed with protein, but it’s endlessly versatile. It starts with a brown rice or quinoa base, then layers in chicken breasts, Greek-inspired fresh veggies, feta, and a simple, fresh dressing that ties everything together. It comes together in 25 minutes too!
Get the Greek Power Bowls recipe.
Halal Cart-Style Cauliflower Bowls
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.
Chipotle Shrimp Taco Bowls
This recipe formula works for countless variations, but we especially love this FAST chipotle shrimp version. After an easy adobo and honey marinade, it only takes the shrimp a quick 4-ish minutes to cook. The rice can be done while the shrimp is marinating, then all that's left is prepping the toppings!
Get the Chipotle Shrimp Taco Bowls recipe.
Sweet Potato Couscous Sunshine Bowls
Here it is: a bowl that’s comforting in its own right, easy on the gut, and full of good energy. Inspired by a Moroccan sweet potato salad, this sweet potato sunshine bowl is living up to its cheery name with the addition of citrus-flavored couscous.
Poke Bowls
This is our favorite combo of ingredients, but you can feel free to swap in your favorites or whatever you’ve got in the fridge. The key is to aim for color and variety (and really fresh fish!), but the world truly is your oyster... er, tuna!
Get the Poke Bowls recipe.
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.
Steak Grain Bowls
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 Bowls recipe.
Spicy Salmon Bowls
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 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.
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowls
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!
Miso Salmon & 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 & Farro Bowls recipe.
Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls
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.
Mexican Corn & Chicken Bowls
These bowls—featuring sweet corn, lime, honey-marinated chicken, and fluffy white rice—are an ideal summer lunch or dinner. They're a straightforward yet satisfying meal that’ll please everyone’s palates.
Get the Mexican Corn & Chicken Bowls 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.
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.
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.
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.
