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Most people think of burrito bowls from places like Chipotle when they hear the term rice bowl. But there's a whole world of flavors to explore in rice bowls, from Vietnamese to Caribbean. And unlike burrito bowls that have a ton of components and take a lot of time to prepare, rice bowls can be very simple and easy to cook. When you're looking for a quick new weeknight meal, try one of these meal-in-one-bowl recipes.
Related: 50 Easy Recipes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less
Though there are a handful of components to this bowl, they're all really simple to put together. A sweet and salty teriyaki glaze is brushed on the salmon before broiling, and then drizzled on top of the bowl (Bonus: You'll have leftover glaze to use again!). Seasoned sushi rice adds a nice dimension to the dish, but you can use plain rice to save time.
Recipe: Panning the Globe
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Rice isn't something we eat for breakfast much in the U.S., but that might change with this morning-friendly recipe. Crisp bacon, blistered grape tomatoes and garlicky spinach comprise the BLT in this bowl. The runny yolk of a sunny-side-up fried egg is wonderful dripped into the rice and bacon.
Recipe: Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Related: 30 Creative Rice and Bean Dishes From Around the World
Meatballs are a great way to change up your rice bowl game because you can flavor them any way you like. This Greek version is full of feta cheese and oregano, then broiled for fast and even cooking without a mess on your stove. The yogurt sauce is similar to tzatziki with dill and mint for fresh herbaceousness.
Recipe: Southern Living
Shrimp is ideal for quick rice bowls because it cooks so quickly, even from frozen. The shrimp in this recipe are marinated in a mixture of orange juice, sriracha, honey and soy sauce that also doubles as a dressing for the dish. Oranges are peeled and the flesh is cut into chunks for a salad with cucumbers, utilizing the whole fruit.
Recipe: Bon Appetit
Roasted cherry tomatoes, blanched green beans and pesto-coated chicken make up this rice bowl. Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavor and makes them sweeter. To save an extra step, you can also roast the green beans on the same pan instead of boiling them. Using a jar of store-bought pesto is a real time saver on this one.
Recipe: Damn Delicious
The cilantro sauce that coats the cubed chicken breast in this recipe is a flavor-packed combination that's similar to a bright, fresh pesto. Precooked rice and canned black beans are great shortcuts to get this meal on the table in no time. Tomatoes are the only other topping, but feel free to add whatever you have in your fridge, like corn cut off a cob or cucumber.
Recipe: Averie Cooks
Poke is a Hawaiian dish of raw fish, and turning it into a bowl makes it similar to sushi without the rolling. Ahi tuna is tossed with a simple Asian dressing with soy sauce and sesame oil, then it's served on top of a bed of rice with Persian cucumber and avocado. If you like your poke creamy, add a squirt of sriracha mayonnaise.
Recipe: Good Housekeeping
This bowl might remind you of your favorite takeout spot. Chicken pieces are glazed in a sweet and salty sauce and paired with garlic broccolini over rice. Don't be afraid of getting a lot of char on the broccolini because it adds depth and sweetness. A sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of everything makes a pretty — and tasty — garnish.
Recipe: Delish
This Indian-inspired dish is a great way to use up big heads of farmers-market cauliflower, or to make in the winter when cauliflower is still readily available in the store. It's marinated in a yogurt-based spice mixture and then baked so it forms a flavorful crust. If you'd like more charring, give it a few minutes under the broiler before serving.
Recipe: Pure Wow
Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches are packed with fresh vegetables, herbs and umami-packed ingredients. They translate really well into a bowl, like in this recipe with shredded chicken. The meat is cooked in an Instant Pot before being crisped under a broiler for texture. Fresh and quick pickled veggies make it healthy and interesting.
Recipe: Little Spice Jar
Related: 50 Simple, Cheap, and Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
Bibimbap is a Korean rice bowl dish with grilled meats and vegetables. This version is extra quick to come together because it uses ground beef with a simple seasoning of soy, chili sauce and brown sugar. Wilted spinach is also fast to make and adds tons of nutrients to the dish. Tangy, spicy kimchi and the runny yolk of a fried egg are both amazing on top, so don't skip them.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
This vegan bowl looks amazing thanks to the black rice, which isn't nearly as hard to find as it used to be — check your store's bulk bins. Baked tofu is spicy with sriracha, ripe mango is sweet, radishes are sharp, and the coconut milk and peanut dressing is creamy and complex, bringing everything together.
Recipe: Love and Lemons
By starting out with pre-seasoned Italian sausage, you're already on your way to adding tons of flavor to this bowl. To mesh better with the Asian ingredients, mix some fresh ginger, scallion, and cilantro into the sausage meat. A simple sauce made with hoisin, which is like a Chinese barbecue sauce, perks up the whole bowl.
Recipe: Woman's Day
Scallops are often overlooked for shrimp, but they're just as tasty and quick cooking. Make sure that your pan is hot enough so they get a nice sear on each side for a beautiful presentation. Garlic, butter and lemon are heated in the same pan after the scallops are cooked and drizzled over the dish. Fresh, spicy pico de gallo cuts through the rich garlic butter.
Recipe: Damn Delicious
Plantains are a common ingredient in Caribbean cooking, and though they look like a banana, they taste and cook up more like a sweet potato. In this recipe, ripe plantains are baked until sweet and caramelized, then placed in a bowl with rice, black beans, and a simple red cabbage slaw. It's a good, balanced blank canvas for other toppings like guacamole, chimichurri or hot sauce.
Recipe: Minimalist Baker
The marinade for the beef in this recipe really makes the dish. It's full of umami-packed ingredients like oyster sauce and fish sauce, making the beef taste even beefier. Tenderloin is great, but flank steak or skirt steak are less-expensive substitutes. All of the fresh herbs and vegetables are a great foil to the rich meat.
Recipe: Half-Baked Harvest
Inspired by a dish called kedgeree, this rice bowl includes sweet Indian curry powder, giving the rice a bright yellow color and fragrant flavor of cumin, coriander and turmeric. The flaky cod is steamed on top of the rice while it cooks, cutting down on steps and dishes to wash. Celery and cilantro give it a final crunchy flourish.
Recipe: Bon Appetit
Burrito bowls of all kinds are a typical bowl meal, but they can often have a ton of components that take a long time to put together. This recipe is the most basic burrito bowl you can make, and it's still crave-worthy. There's nothing wrong with using jarred salsa, canned beans and even pre-cooked rice to save time, and you can always add any other toppings you and your family likes.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Gochujang is a deep red Korean chile pepper paste, and it's great when used as part of a marinade for meat, like in this rice bowl recipe. The beef is then cooked in an Instant Pot to ensure it stays tender. All kinds of fresh vegetables make up the rest of the bowl, and a thick drizzle of reserved marinade brings all the flavors together.
Recipe: Good Housekeeping
Peanut sauce is good on practically everything, and that includes this bowl with chicken thighs and basmati rice. The chicken and rice are cooked in the same pot, along with shallot, ginger and fragrant star anise. There's a hefty amount of sriracha in the peanut sauce, giving it a bite that goes well with the chicken and cucumbers.
Recipe: Bon Appetit
Related: 20 Dishes Every Meat Eater Should Try at Least Once
