21 Healthy Rice Bowls That Are High in Protein

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Updated on June 25, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD

Salmon Rice Bowl — Photo: Ali Redmond

Rice bowls are easy customizable meals that are healthy and, in this case, high in protein. Each serving has at least 15 grams of protein, so you know these recipes will help keep you feeling full. They have the added benefit of fiber, which adds to the satisfaction factor.

With black, brown, wild or cauliflower rice as a tasty, filling base, we pile these bowls high with all of your favorite veggies, beans, fish, meat and herbs to create delicious flavor combinations that you'll love, from spicy shrimp taco-inspired bowls to bright, fresh sushi bowls. Whip up recipes like our Salmon Rice Bowl and Easy Chicken Tinga Rice Bowls for dinner, then box up the leftovers for a totable work lunch.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon Rice Bowl — Ali Redmond

This tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

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Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw

Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw

Fresh salsa verde, green cabbage and avocado all contribute to the vibrant green color of this light and bright fish taco bowl. We love the mild flavor and firm, meaty texture of halibut but any firm white fish like mahi mahi or tilapia will work well in its place. We garnish this flavorful taco bowl with cilantro, but if you want to take it a step further, try toppings like sprouts or watermelon radishes for even more bright green color.

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Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

a blue bowl full of chicken and vegetables and a smaller bowl with dressing

For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.

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Turmeric Rice Bowl with Garam Masala Root Vegetables & Chickpeas

Turmeric Rice Bowl with Garam Masala Root Vegetables & Chickpeas

This fragrant turmeric rice bowl topped with leftover spiced roasted root vegetables and chickpeas is inspired by flavors from India for an easy, vegetarian dinner.

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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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Easy Chicken Tinga Rice Bowls

Chicken Tinga Rice Bowls — Jacob Fox

Leftover chicken tinga, pinto beans and bell peppers combine to make a hearty, flavorful rice bowl. Finish with your favorite toppings like avocado and lime wedges.

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Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls

This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is packed with herbs from the basil pesto and the Italian spice mix and gets a slight kick of heat from the red pepper. If you enjoy the flavor profile, this dish can also be made with whole-wheat orzo in place of quinoa.

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Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema

These healthy Southwestern cauliflower rice bowls, topped with black beans, corn and smoky chipotle shrimp, get a cool-down from homemade avocado crema and take just 30 minutes to make.

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Chickpea Rice Bowls with Chicken & Halloumi

Chicken & Halloumi Chickpea Rice Bowls — Tara Donne

Present this meal buffet-style so everyone can craft their own bowls and get what they want (including an argument-free dinner). Chickpea "rice" has twice the protein and five times the fiber of brown rice. Find it in many supermarkets or online.

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Coconut Black Rice Bowls with Tofu & Purple Asparagus

Black beans, black rice and black sesame seeds all contain anthocyanins, potent antioxidant compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation. So "forbidden" rice isn't just striking, it's also a serious nutrition upgrade. Simmering it in coconut milk adds rich aroma and flavor.

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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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Banh Mi Black Rice Bowls

For this easy dinner recipe, we've taken inspiration from the popular Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, but lost the bun to make room for one of our favorite whole grains: black (aka forbidden) rice. To make these healthy grain bowls vegetarian, simply use additional tamari in place of the fish sauce.

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Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl

Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal.

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Tuna Poke

Poke (pronounced poke-ay), a Hawaiian word meaning "to chop" or "to cut," refers to a traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish in a simple, soy-based sauce with punchy seasonings like toasted sesame and chopped scallion greens. These tuna poke bowls feature seasoned brown rice and fresh veggies for a healthy, satisfying meal packed with protein and fiber.

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Tofu & Roasted Vegetable Grain Bowl with Pumpkin Seeds

Crispy tofu lends protein to this burrito bowl-inspired veggie-packed grain bowl that's perfect for a quick and easy dinner or packable lunch for work.

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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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Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls

With a handful of shortcut ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, you can prepare an entire week's worth of high-protein, high-fiber meals in about 15 minutes. Look for precooked wild rice packets to cut down on prep time. Wild rice is also a good source of fiber and each pouch of cooked rice heats in 3 minutes. Topping these bowls with prebaked tofu also cuts down on the time it takes to make this quick meal-prep lunch.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Rice Bowls

A bowl of tender shredded chicken, hot cooked rice and slightly spicy black beans served with fresh toppings is a meal that will satisfy anytime. Make this slow-cooker chicken dish on the weekend and reheat throughout the week for easy at-work lunches or dinner at the end of a long day. For a variation, swap the brown rice for a grain medley.

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Gochugaru Shrimp & Black Rice Bowls

Gochugaru Shrimp & Black Rice Bowls

This shrimp rice bowl gets its kick from fiery gochugaru—Korean-style red pepper flakes. Don't let that carrot-pickling liquid go to waste! We stir it into the cooked rice in these bowls to really bump up the flavor.

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Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl

Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl

This aromatic cauliflower rice bowl comes together in minutes and is a simple meal for one. Using frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice keeps the carbs in check—and makes for quicker prep.

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Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls

Curry doesn't have to take hours to prepare. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken (see associated recipe) and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes! Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

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