17 Easy Three-Step Grain Bowls for Lunch

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Published on December 2, 2023

salmon rice bowl — Photo: Ali Redmond

Grain bowls are a convenient option for lunch since all your grains, proteins and vegetables easily come together in one bowl. This collection of recipes is packed with grain bowls that are even simpler since they take only three steps or less to make. Get energized at lunch time with dishes like our delicious Salmon Rice Bowl, or refuel with a meal like our flavorful and hearty Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

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Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

Jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a dense, chewy texture, is a blank canvas that takes on flavors well. In these vegan burrito bowls, the jackfruit is simmered in a warm and spicy chile sauce that's so good you'll never know you're eating a plant-based protein instead of pork or beef.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

salmon rice bowl — Ali Redmond

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl makes for a tasty lunch or dinner. With healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and veggies, you'll have a flavorful meal in just 25 minutes.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black-Bean Quinoa Buddha Bowl

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Salmon Sushi Grain Bowl

Get all the delicious flavors of sushi without the time-consuming rolling with this quick grain bowl recipe. All you need is 15 minutes to get this healthy dinner on the table or to pack it up for lunch at work.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.

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Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls

a recipe photo of the Charred Shrimp, Pesto, and Quinoa Bowl — Brie Passano

These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.

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Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls

Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls

Skip takeout and whip up these equally delicious and easy-to-make burrito bowls at home. They're great for a fast and easy dinner or a healthy meal to pack for work throughout the week.

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Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl

Edamame Veggie Rice Bowl

The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

containers

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

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Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl

a bowl with salmon, avocado and greens

Poke (pronounced poh-kay), the bite-size marinated fish salad famous in Hawaii, is so popular that it's sold by the pound in supermarkets. Now it has crossed the Pacific to become the meal-in-a-bowl du jour, served in eateries from Los Angeles to New York. But it's easy to make at home with this quick recipe. Sriracha and Chinese-style mustard add a touch of heat to the classic poke seasoning of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serving it over a brown rice salad makes it a meal.

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Brown Rice Shrimp Bowl with Tomatoes & Avocado

Brown Rice Shrimp Bowl with Tomatoes & Avocado

This quick and easy bowl pairs brown rice with cooked shrimp, tossed in a ginger-soy-sesame sauce, to create a flavorful dish in no time. Topping with tomatoes and avocado adds color and nutrients. Use leftover brown rice or pick up a package of pre-cooked brown rice from the grocery store to keep this meal no-cook.

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Quick Gochujang Pork & Rice Bowls

a recipe photo of the Korean Style Pork And Rice — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickeyt, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Deeply savory gochujang adds a mild heat to these quick-cooking grain bowls. Look for gochujang, a fermented red pepper paste, in Asian markets or in the Asian foods aisle of your local supermarket. Leftover brown rice can also be used in these grain bowls.

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Farro & Vegetable Bowls with Lemon-Shallot Herb Sauce

a recipe photo of the Farro & Vegetable Bowls with Lemon-Shallot Herb Sauce — PHOTOGRAPHER: GREG DUPREE, FOOD STYLIST: MARTGARET DICKEY PROP STYLIST: KAY CLARKE

These hearty grain bowls make the perfect lunch or dinner. You can use any assortment of roasted vegetables you like. The herb sauce adds brightness, while chopped pistachios provide crunch. Use any leftover sauce as a spread on a sandwich or drizzle over fried eggs.

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Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls

Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls

With a handful of shortcut ingredients from your grocery store, including precooked rice packets and seasoned baked tofu, you can prepare several high-fiber, high-protein meals in about 15 minutes.

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Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl

A healthy and satisfying vegan lunch for one, featuring roasted butternut squash, broccoli, peppers and onions with simple brown rice, lime-marinated tofu and creamy cashew tahini sauce.

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Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls

a recipe photo of the Kale and Chickpea Grain Bowl w Avocado Dressing — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed.

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3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

3-Ingredient Mediterranean Farro Bowl — Carolyn Hodges

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

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