11 DIY Grain Bowl Recipes That Are Complete Meals in One Dish (2024)

Roasted Salmon and Farro Bowls

Salmon is a great addition to any grain bowl recipe—it's easy, healthy, and filled with protein and healthy fats. While the farro cooks, prep the rest of your grain bowl by roasting the salmon and skillet-cooking the veggies. Top it off with a homemade vinaigrette and this healthy salmon grain bowl will be bursting with flavor.

Carne Asada Burrito Bowl

No one will be hungry after eating a serving of this hearty steak and rice bowl. The 7 grams of fiber and 37 grams of protein guarantee that. The meal can also be a make-ahead idea if you do as author Kevin Curry suggests and start marinating the meat the night before. It also makes the meaty grain bowl idea extra flavorful.

Bacon and Egg Rice Bowls

This may look like a breakfast grain bowl (and it could be!), but there's no wrong time of day for it. If you keep cooked rice on hand, you could quickly make it for a midnight snack. Scared of spice? The hot sauce is optional, but if you love to make your taste buds burn, feel free to pile it on this yummy grain bowl.

Quinoa and Butternut Bowl

Just look how pretty this bowl is! And because it's filled with good-for-you ingredients like quinoa and butternut squash, it's healthy, too. Need extra protein? Add a poached egg. Of course, if you decide to skip it, you can add this recipe to your collection of vegetarian grain bowls.

Tahini, Grain, and Veggie Bowl

With all those beautiful colors and contrasting textures, everyone will want to taste this vegan grain bowl. Tahini is the secret ingredient to that creamy looking sauce that adds richness to the bowl while keeping the dish entirely plant-based.

Buy It: Joyva Tahini ($7, Target)

Chickpea and Freekeh Salad

This bowl of ancient grains will have you scraping for every last bite, and it'll make you feel healthy after eating it too. Feta and mint dress up the simple sauce made from garlic and olive oil. Chickpeas and freekeh (a grain popular in the Mediterranean made from roasted green durum wheat) give the bowl heartiness.

Roasted Beet-Citrus Sorghum Bowls

The roasted beets and warm sorghum as the base of this gluten-free grain bowl recipe make it one of our favorite warm grain bowl recipes for cold weather. The creamy dressing of mayo, sour cream, and feta adds such decadence, it eats like comfort food. Oh, and if you don't have sorghum on hand, feel free to swap in farro, quinoa, or even brown rice in its place.

Buy It: Bob's Red Mill Sorghum ($9, Amazon)

Pork, Brussels Sprouts, and Barley Bowls

This sheet pan grain bowl is best served in the cold months when Brussels sprouts and citrus are at their peak. To give this easy grain bowl powerful flavor, roast the Brussels sprouts and pork in a homemade orange-thyme vinaigrette, then drizzle the rest on top of the finished product.

Indonesian-Style Beef and Rice Bowls

This simple dinner bowl takes only 20 minutes of prep time, so you can make it just about any night of the week. It consists of fresh veggies and spicy red curry. If you're looking for protein grain bowls, you're in luck—this tasty bowl packs a whopping 27 grams of protein.

Asparagus-Pistachio Quinoa Bowls

If you follow a lacto-vegetarian diet or just want to eat more plant-based meals, this quinoa grain bowl is a perfect fit. The only ingredient from keeping this recipe from being a vegan grain bowl is a half-cup of Greek yogurt (which you could swap for a dairy-free yogurt, if you like). Even without meat, this flavorful bowl contains 12 grams of filling protein.

Kale-Quinoa Bowls with Miso Dressing and Tuna

For a quinoa grain bowl that will also get you a serving of seafood this week, add this tuna dinner to your meal plan. White miso paste and sesame seeds add Asian flavor influences while three oranges and a ¼ cup of lemon juice add bold, bright citrus notes. Of course we threw in plenty of greens—kale, cucumbers, and edamame—so the supper is loaded with healthy nutrients.