31 Rice Bowl Ideas for Quick Weeknight Dinners
You have three meetings, a doctor’s appointment and a laundry list of errands to run today. Needless to say, dinner isn’t exactly your first priority. Might we suggest leaning on one of our favorite shortcuts? Consider the rice bowl: Simply prepare a massive batch of basmati (or whatever type you prefer) and top it with any veggies and proteins that are hiding in your fridge. The leftovers will last you all week long, and you won’t need to give mealtime a second thought. In case you need inspo, here are 31 tasty, speedy rice bowl ideas we love.
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1. Make-Ahead Spicy Chicken and Rice Salad
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, high protein
Once you have a batch of brown rice at the ready, you're more than halfway there. Even better, you can shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own for maximum convenience.
2. Soy-Ginger Salmon Bowls with Coconut Rice
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, make ahead
Peeling the carrots and cukes into ribbons makes for such a gourmet presentation, no? The recipe is dairy-free as is, and if you sub tamari for soy sauce, it'll be gluten-free too.
3. Hemp and Walnut Crusted Salmon with Broccoli and Kimchi Cauliflower Rice
Photo: Michael Marquand/Styling: Jodi Moreno
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, gluten free
Want the feel of a rice bowl minus the carbs? Then cauliflower is your friend. Here, it's mixed with kimchi and paired with citrusy wild salmon, crowned with crunchy walnuts and hemp seeds, and broccoli.
4. Bacon and Egg Fried Rice
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
One bite and it'll become your favorite way to use up leftover rice. Serve it for breakfast, serve it for dinner—whatever you do, just be sure to douse it in sriracha before digging in.
5. Black Rice Bowl with Figs, Radicchio, Pickled Radishes and Pepitas
Aran Goyoaga/Cannelle Et Vanille
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, gluten free
Not only is black rice visually striking, but it also boasts a uniquely nutty sweetness and a chewy, tender texture we adore. Feel free to substitute apples, pears or roasted grapes for figs if you'd prefer.
6. Miso-Glazed Salmon with Gochujang Rice
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
This umami-packed recipe is a mere six ingredients away, and it only requires five minutes of prep to boot. (If you use leftover grains, it'll take even less time.)
7. Firecracker Chicken with Rice
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein
The buttery, spicy, sticky sauce is sure to satisfy your craving for takeout. Finish the two-part rice bowl with a flourish of sesame seeds and sliced scallions, or add a roasted veggie of your choice to the mix.
8. Tabasco- and Gochujang-Cured Salmon Poke Bowl
Louise Haggar/A Splash of Soy
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, high protein
As long as your rice is already cooked, you won't need to use the stove or oven to prepare this uber-flavorful dish. The zingy, vinegary marinade cuts right through the rich, fatty salmon.
9. Bibimbap Bowls
Photo: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Ditch quinoa in favor of these clean-eating bibimbap bowls, a Korean-inspired meal piled high with veggies and rice. Spicy, crunchy and satisfying, they’re easy to whip up on a whim. (Did we mention they’re gluten-free?)
10. Cauliflower Rice Bowl with Carrots, Lentils and Yogurt
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
This low-carb twist uses riced cauliflower instead of traditional rice, but we promise you won't mind once you taste it. We're loving the spiced lentils, laced with curry powder, cumin and coriander.
11. Buddha Bowl with Kale, Avocado and Wild Rice
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, high protein, beginner-friendly
Sorry, but we’re not sick of Buddha bowls yet—especially when they’re piled high with avocado, oranges and pomegranate seeds. The hard-boiled egg adds much welcome protein to the dish.
12. Tandoori-Inspired Roast Cauliflower Bowls with Tahini
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: dairy free, vegan, gluten free
This simple dish cooks in the oven on a sheet pan, and it’s loaded with the ginger, cumin, turmeric and paprika you’re craving. Go ahead, be generous with the tahini.
13. Easy Indian-Inspired Kitchari Bowls
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Wait, you haven’t heard of kitchari bowls? While the restorative Indian stew had its moment in the limelight, it’s actually been a popular Ayurvedic dish for centuries.
14. Whole30 Chicken Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice with Coconut-Herb Sauce
Photo: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: low carb, high protein, dairy free
Few things are as satisfying as juicy, tender meatballs. Place them on a bed of cauliflower rice and top 'em with creamy coconut-herb sauce and you've got yourself a low-carb-yet-hearty dinner.
15. Shrimp Bowls with Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice and Pineapple Salsa
Two Peas and Their Pod
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
Cue the island vibes. Coterie member Maria Lichty’s rice bowls are filled with seaside summer favorites: coconut, shrimp, pineapple and lime.
16. Roasted Plantain and Sweet Potato Rice Bowls
Floating Kitchen
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan
Coterie member Liz Harris’s ingenious match of coconut-lime rice, roasted plantains and spiced spuds is the definition of healthy comfort food. Extra guac, please.
17. 30-Minute Chili Maple Lime Salmon Bowls with Forbidden Rice
Ambitious Kitchen
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Five minutes of prep for a dinner this pretty? If only getting dressed in the morning were this easy.
18. Orange Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowls
Foodie Crush
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein
Coterie member Heidi Larsen’s gluten-free, paleo-friendly bowls sub in blitzed broccoli for traditional rice. It cooks faster than rice (45 seconds!), and it’s a sneaky way to add in more greens.
19. Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
Cookie and Kate
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, beginner-friendly, gluten free
It’s everything you love about a burrito, minus the gluten. Thanks to hearty sweet potatoes, black beans and avocado, this plant-based version is a crowd-pleaser, even for meat eaters.
20. 20-Minute Cilantro Chicken with Rice and Beans
Averie Cooks
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly
If you prep all of the ingredients in advance, all you'll need to do before mealtime is combine everything in a bowl and zap it in the microwave for two minutes. Dinner = done.
21. Brown Rice Whole Grain Bowl with Cashew Lemon Dressing
Salt and Wind
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free
The best weeknight dinners include a bit of meal prep. For this brown rice bowl, use any leftover grain you have and shake up the dressing in advance. Total time to get it on the table? Five minutes.
22. Chicken Fajita Burrito Bowl
The Modern Proper
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein
Burritos and bowls are a dinner hit, so combining the two is a no-brainer. Toss all the fajita components you love—bell peppers, chicken, sour cream and beyond—into brown rice for a satisfying, crowd-pleasing meal.
23. Black Fried Rice with Snap Peas, Hemp Seeds and Scallions
Feed Me Phoebe
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
We spy sriracha, which gives this black fried rice from Coterie member Phoebe Lapine a tasty kick. Add to that hemp seeds, scallions and eggs, and you’ve got dinner—in a breezy 20 minutes.
24. Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls
What’s Gaby Cooking
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
Thought you couldn’t make sushi at home? Think again. The secret is buying sashimi-grade salmon, then tossing it with rice in this deconstructed bowl loaded with veggies, pickled ginger, avocado and roasted seaweed.
25. Tofu Poké Bowl
Simple Veganista
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, no cook
Soy-ginger tofu takes centerstage in this fish-free poké bowl. Top it with cucumber, radishes and cabbage for extra crunch, plus every leftover drop of the punchy marinade.
26. Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Bowls
Gimme Some Oven
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly
Yep, dinner can be this simple. Sauté the chicken and veggies, add pineapple and douse it in your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce. Done.
27. Lemon Pepper Baked Tempeh and Herbed Rice Bowl
The Full Helping
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Let's give tofu the night off, shall we? Coterie member Gena Hamshaw suggests subbing lemon-pepper tempeh with whatever veggies you have on hand. Total cook time? Twenty minutes. Deliciousness level? 100.
28. 30-Minute Vietnamese-Inspired Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl
Half Baked Harvest
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Transport yourself to Saigon in 30 minutes flat. This flavorful beef bowl serves up plenty of fresh herbs and veggies, all atop a bed of drool-worthy crispy rice.
29. 30-Minute Thai Basil Turkey Bowls
Lexi's Clean Kitchen
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, gluten free
Turkey isn’t reserved for sandwiches and Thanksgiving dinner. Ground turkey serves as the base of these Thai basil rice bowls finished with spicy ghost pepper. Oh, did we mention it’s Whole30-approved?
30. Healing Bowls with Turmeric Sweet Potatoes, Poached Eggs and Lemon Dressing
Pinch of Yum
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
What's better than eating an apple a day? Noshing on this antioxidant-rich power bowl, finished with filling eggs, crisp greens and crunchy pistachios.
31. Black Bean Plantain Vegan Bowl
Minimalist Baker
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free
This low-ingredient rice bowl is filled with good-for-you ingredients, like roasted plantains, black beans and veggie slaw. But it's begging to be topped with guac, cilantro, fresh lime and hot sauce, if you ask us.
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