Welcome to a list of our best grain bowl recipes, where we celebrate the beauty of grains in all their diversity.
With their blend of textures, flavors, and colors, grain bowls offer a canvas for endless creativity in the kitchen.
Whether you’re seeking a nourishing meal packed with nutrients or a flavorful dish to satisfy your taste buds, grain bowls have something for everyone.
From ancient grains like quinoa and farro to staples like rice and barley, each recipe offers a unique twist and takes inspiration from global cuisines and culinary traditions.
Our grain bowls are packed with nutrient–rich ingredients such as fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and fresh herbs, so you can enjoy a satisfying meal that fuels both body and soul.
Best of all, these recipes are suitable for meal planning, potlucks, office lunches, and school box meals.
How to build a grain bowl
When you build your grain bowl, try to incorporate these five elements for a healthy and nutritious meal.
- Greens (leafy greens, fresh vegetables, roasted vegetables, etc.)
- Protein (legumes, chickpeas, lentils, peas, tofu, nuts, seeds, plant-based dairy)
- Grains (ancient grains, pseudo-grains, pasta, couscous, corn, quinoa, rice, etc.)
- Fats (olive oil, tahini, avocado, coconut, nuts, seeds, etc.)
- Herbs and spices (parsley, basil, mint, cilantro, dill, chives, etc.)
For example, this black bean salad bowl includes various whole foods that make a tasty and super delicious meal.
Our best grain bowl recipes
1. Farro salad
We start this grain bowl list with a quick, Italian-inspired meal: farro salad with roasted vegetables.
Make it in 30 minutes with simple Mediterranean ingredients and a creamy mustard dressing.
2. Barley salad
This barley salad combines the best of ancient grains with an aromatic mix of roasted vegetables and Italian seasoning.
This healthy serving of grains makes a tremendous vegetarian lunchbox meal or meal prep idea.
3. Pesto pasta salad
Pasta is a beautiful way of eating grains while getting a good source of complex carbohydrates (through whole-wheat pasta).
Our dairy-free pesto pasta salad is a creamy and crunchy fresh serving of grains that is great for spring and summer.
4. Couscous Bowl
This easy grain bowl idea shows you how to pair couscous with crunchy fresh vegetables.
Drizzle with an aromatic lemon dressing to make a wonderful Mediterranean-inspired couscous salad.
5. Vegetable couscous
Prepare for a vegetable–packed meal with pan–roasted veggies and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette.
This bowl makes for a tasty 30-minute vegetarian dish for the whole family.
6. Quinoa chickpea salad
Quinoa is a nutrient-dense grain rich in B vitamins and protein.
This 20–minute recipe combines chickpeas and quinoa to create a simple and healthy bowl with seasonal veggies and a mustard vinaigrette.
7. Kale quinoa salad
This delicious kale and quinoa salad is great for meal prepping. It can also be eaten as a healthy lunch or a vegetable side dish.
The salad is colorful and has different textures, making it a healthy meal with polyphenols and plenty of vitamins.
8. Vegan pasta bowl
This Italian-inspired pasta salad combines fresh veggies, cannellini beans, a creamy dressing, and al dente pasta.
We recommend using seasonal veggies of different colors and textures so your pasta bowl is packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
9. Black bean bowl with quinoa
Black beans are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with plant-based protein, antioxidants, and fiber, and they’ll keep you full for long.
Mix some quinoa and drizzle with chipotle sauce, tahini sauce, or avocado spread to make the black bean bowl extra fulfilling.
10. Mediterranean farro salad
Farro is an ancient wheat grain with plenty of nutrition and health benefits thanks to its fiber, antioxidants, and plant protein.
You will love this farro salad with a satisfyingly chewy texture, roasted eggplant, and juicy zucchini.
11. Buddha bowl
Buddha bowls combine colorful vegetables, whole grains, and plenty of plant-based protein (grilled tofu) accompanied by a delicious peanut sauce.
It is an excellent way to pack tasty and nourishing ingredients into one flavorful and gorgeous dish.
12. Mediterranean hummus bowl
Creamy hummus, fresh vegetables, and pickled red onions make a colorful meal with this delicious hummus bowl.
We recommend using farro, barley, bulgur, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, or whole–grain rice for grains.
Quinoa is not popular in the Mediterranean, but you can use that too to make a Mediterranean quinoa bowl.
13. Pearl couscous salad
Israeli couscous is a pasta made with durum wheat flour and water, like Italian pasta.
With this grain salad, we show you how to cook Israeli couscous and transform it into a tasty and colorful Mediterranean pearl couscous salad.
14. Fregola bowl
Fregula is a traditional Sardinian grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture, perfect for adding depth to Mediterranean–inspired dishes.
Its small, spherical shape lends a delightful bite to soups, salads, and pilafs, making it a versatile choice for culinary exploration.
15. Moroccan couscous bowl
With this Moroccan couscous bowl, you’ll taste the essence of North African cuisine: aromatic spices, crunchy nuts, and sweet dried fruits softened by fluffy couscous grains.
You can serve this as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main dish with roasted carrots. It’s excellent for meal prep as it keeps well for days.
16. Lentil quinoa salad
This quinoa lentil salad is a nutrition powerhouse that will make you feel great and satiated.
You’ll love the textures and flavors of tender sweet potatoes, earthy lentils, and fulfilling quinoa hugged by a creamy, tangy mustard dressing.
17. Mango quinoa bowl
This grain bowl combines the delicious juiciness of mangoes with nutty and protein-rich black beans and quinoa.
We rely on an easy-to-make cilantro lime dressing that adds a tangy and slightly sweet taste to this vibrant mango black bean salad to tie everything together.
18. Italian rice salad
We adore whole-grain brown rice (long grain) in this veggie-packed rice salad because it has a beautiful texture and richer flavor than white rice.
Brown rice is a whole grain, healthier, and more fulfilling than white rice. This brown rice salad is easy to prepare and one of the best plant-based recipes for picnics and potlucks.
19. Tabbouleh bowl
Tabbouleh is a refreshing Levantine parsley and tomato salad mixed with bulgur, lemon juice, scallions, and olive oil.
Serve tabouli as a starter on a platter with other Middle Eastern foods as a side dish, or make it ahead for cookouts and BBQs.
20. Lentil salad with quinoa
To make this delicious lentil salad even more protein–packed and nutritious, add 1/2 to 1 cup of boiled quinoa.
Our lentil grain bowl is satisfying, colorful, and packed with plant–based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
21. How to cook couscous
You’ll love couscous because it’s easy to make. Its pleasantly mild flavor and slightly nutty notes allow you to pair it with almost anything.
Use it as a base to make grain bowls like this couscous with vegetables, couscous salad, or chickpea salad.
22. Chickpea pasta salad
You can make this refreshing pasta salad bowl in about the time it takes to boil the pasta.
It’s packed with crunchy veggies, a delicious mustard dressing, and plenty of fiber and protein to keep you full and nourished.
23. Mujadara bowl
We recommend using white basmati rice for this Middle–Eastern Mujadara. It cooks fast, and lentils taste delicious.
Substitute any other type of white or brown rice, such as long grain, short grain, or Jasmine rice, for basmati, but remember to adjust the cooking time according to the instructions on the rice package.
24. Marinated tofu bowl
You can use marinated tofu in salads, grain bowls, wraps, stir-fries, and pasta, and it is excellent for last-minute dinners and meal prep.
You’ll love this recipe because you can make it quickly for a light dinner, as the tofu doesn’t need to sit in the marinade.
25. Falafel bowl
Our final recipe on this list is a falafel recipe beautifully coupled with fresh veggies and hummus.
You can quickly build a filling falafel bowl with greens, roasted bell pepper, warm pita bread, and tahini sauce.
How to store these grain bowl recipes
Make ahead: most of these grain bowl recipes are excellent to make ahead as they keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
We like to chop and separate veggies, grains, and protein sources separately and mix them on the day of eating.
Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: we do not recommend freezing these recipes; however, you can freeze most cooked grains for up to 3 months.
Please refer to each recipe’s storage section to ensure the grain is freeze-able.
To freeze, let the grains cool down completely, transfer them into freezer-friendly zip-lock bags, and freeze. Then, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, microwave, or boiling water.
More salad inspiration
Get more salad and vegetable-packed inspiration with these nutritious and beautiful veggie recipes:
- 45 easy salad recipes (including salads as a meal, side dishes, and lunch ideas).
- 40 vegetable side dishes (roasted, steamed, grilled, and microwave veggie ideas).
- 25 easy vegetable recipes with appetizers, sides, and dinner ideas).
- 30 raw vegan recipes (fresh and raw vegan meal inspiration).
- 45 tasty vegetarian dishes (vegetarian lunch, dinner, and dessert inspiration).
25 Healthy Grain Bowls
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1½ pound sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1-Inch cubes
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium avocado diced
- ½ cup corn
- ½ red onion chopped
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños chopped
FOR THE CILANTRO LIME DRESSING
- 1 cup packed cilantro
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
STEP 1: BOIL THE BEANS
- Rinse, then boil the black beans in a large pot with plenty of lightly salted water for about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Taste the beans to check if they are done, then drain them in a colander.
STEP 2: COOK THE SWEET POTATOES
- Preheat oven or air-fryer to 400°F or 200°C.Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1-Inch cubes. Toss them in ½ tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, and a few twists of black pepper.
- Oven Roasting: transfer cubed sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until tender and browned.
- Air frying: transfer cubed sweet potatoes into the air fryer basket. The cubes CAN overlap. Air fry for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket every 4 minutes to allow for even cooking.
STEP 3: MAKE THE DRESSING
- To a blender add all ingredients: cilantro, lime juice, maple syrup, garlic, peeled and grated ginger, salt, and olive oil.
- Blend for a couple of minutes until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and lime before serving.
STEP 4: MIX THE BLACK BEAN SALAD
- To a large bowl, add the black beans, diced avocado, finely chopped onion, sliced jalapeños, roasted sweet potatoes, corn kernels, and diced green bell pepper.Next, pour in the cilantro lime dressing.
- Toss well, taste and adjust for salt, and let the flavors meld for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Optionally, you can add about 1 cup of boiled quinoa.
Notes
Nutrition
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