{"id":47683,"date":"2024-04-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=47683"},"modified":"2026-09-14T23:52:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T06:52:07","slug":"how-to-make-a-grain-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/how-to-make-a-grain-bowl\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cook: How to Make a Grain Bowl"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever visited a Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Cava, or the like, then you\u2019ve most likely eaten, or heard of, a grain bowl<\/a>. Grain bowls are culinary poster children for many fast-casual restaurants that aim to offer healthy and plant-forward options.<\/p>\n

But are these prepared grain bowls really all that good for you?<\/p>\n

The truth is that many restaurant grain bowls come with animal-based ingredients, fried items, sugar- and oil-laden dressings, and way too much salt \u2014 all of which are the antithesis of the grain bowl\u2019s origins.<\/p>\n

You see, the concept of the grain bowl is similar to a Buddha bowl<\/a>, a vegetarian meal served in a single bowl that includes several small portions of foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables.<\/strong> It\u2019s said that Buddha bowls got their name from the Buddha\u2019s alleged tradition of receiving food donations in a bowl he carried with him.<\/p>\n

Since then, this simple type of meal has acquired a variety of names, from grain bowl to power bowl<\/a> to nourish bowl.<\/p>\n

But the concept of a grain bowl is a universal one. Cultures around the world have their own version of combining grains, plant protein, veggies, and other ingredients in a bowl. Dishes like Indian thali, Korean bibimbap<\/a>, and Ethiopian beyaynetu are all examples of grain bowls.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And you can create any type of bowl-based meal using spices and inspiration from your favorite cuisine, which you can also customize to your heart\u2019s content! The ingredients can even vary depending on what time of day you plan to consume the dish.<\/p>\n

So how can you construct your own plant-based grain bowl at home? In the accompanying \u201cHow to Cook\u201d video, we’ll walk you through the steps to concoct your own DIY grain bowl masterpieces.<\/p>\n

What Is a Grain Bowl?<\/h2>\n
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A grain bowl is an all-in-one meal featuring whole grains as the base and is traditionally served in a bowl.<\/strong> You can use a single grain, like brown rice, or a grain medley, like amaranth<\/a>, quinoa<\/a>, and buckwheat<\/a> (a winning combination since these particular grains cook in approximately the same amount of time!).<\/p>\n

Part of the grain bowl\u2019s beauty is that it can help you manage time and efficiency in the kitchen. Grain bowl ingredients are easy to batch cook and meal prep with.<\/p>\n

Make a large quantity of beans or lentils<\/a> and whole grains<\/a> for the week, chop up some veggies, store everything away in the refrigerator, and dish them out individually when you\u2019re ready to assemble your bowl. Change up the flavors by using different spices or sauces each night of the week.<\/p>\n

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Watch our video on How To Make Plant-Based Sauces and Dressings<\/a> for more tips on leveling up your plant-based meals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Grain Bowl Ingredients<\/h2>\n

Other benefits of grain bowls are that they can accommodate just about any dietary preference and offer endless combinations of ingredients. You can easily create a different grain bowl every night of the week or perhaps every night of the year!\u00a0<\/p>\n

At their simplest, plant-based grain bowls typically include<\/strong>:<\/p>\n