25 Wholesome And Colorful Grain Bowl Recipes

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. 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. For example, this black bean salad bowl includes various whole foods that make a tasty and super delicious meal.

Our best grain bowl recipes

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients. Easy right? Comment * Name Email Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me when Louise or Nico reply to my comment.

Δ Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.