How to Build a Yummy Rice Bowl

The classically delicious Rice Bowl

Okay, so there are plenty of reasons why a Rice bowl is amazing. They can be ridiculously cheap to make, you can customize them in endless ways, they work perfectly as a structure for my Meal Building Formula, and they can be incredibly nourishing and filling.

Rice bowls can be rich and savory, fluffed up with veggies, and doused in a dense creamy sauce. Just about any flavor you’re craving can be incorporated into a Rice bowl. Here, I’m sharing the basic formula I stick to when I want to make an outstanding meal at home.

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01. the general formula

So I think the easiest way to think about Rice Bowls is by breaking them down into different parts. That way, it’s not as overwhelming.

Using the same method I use for meal prep— Meal Building— let’s talk about the four main components:

Structure | Base | Toppings | Sauce

• Structure: Think of this as the "title" or "category" of your meal
  In this case, it’s the Rice Bowl

• Base: Some kind of hearty, flavorful addition

• Toppings: Additional Veggies, Fruits, Dips, or Salsas

• Sauce: Something real delicious to drizzle all over

You certainly don’t need to include all four components to make a Rice bowl delicious, but I find following this formula helps me include as many yummy fixings as possible.

Okay, so let’s dive into each component a lil further.

Check out those awesome Rice Bowl fixins - yum !

02. Creating your Rice Bowl

Structure

When building a Rice Bowl, consider the Rice itself to be the “Structure” of your meal. What kinds of Rice are we talking? Whatever kind is your favorite.

• White Jasmine Rice

• Short Grain Brown Rice

• Brown Basmati Rice

• White Basmati Rice

• White Quinoa (no, it’s not rice, but still delicious)

>> I almost exclusively use White Jasmine Rice at home. It’s just super tasty and versatile. Also, I like to keep my kitchen minimal so it’s just my go-to to have on my shelves

Preparing your rice

You can really get as simple or creative as you’d like here. Depending on the variety of Rice you choose, the cooking time and liquid required will vary. Make sure you Google it beforehand so you don’t wind up with mush.

• Plain, with Water, Veggie Broth or Bouillon, or Coconut Milk

• Tomato Rice

• Cilantro Lime Rice

• Coconut Rice and Beans

• Belizian Rice and Beans

• Stir-Fried with Veggies

>> Typically, I make a big ol batch of Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon to store in my fridge for easy Rice Bowl assembly throughout the week. I cook about 1.5 cups dry rice at a time.

>> Sometimes I’ll branch out and make something a little more complex for a Rice Bowl. My go-to “I wanna impress someone” preparation is Coconut Rice and Red Beans.

Base

If you wanna take your Rice Bowl to the next level, consider adding in a meal Base. All Bases require additional steps beyond simply chopping fruits or veggies, but there are many you can make ahead of time for quick meal arrangements.

• Roasted, steamed, or sauteed Veggies

• Simple cooked Beans

• Bean Salads or Mixtures

• Roasted or Sauteed Potatoes

• Prepared Jackfruit, Tempeh, or Tofu

• Stews, Soups, Veggie Chilis

• Leftovers!!

Like I said, a Base isn’t necessary to create a kickass Rice Bowl. But if you’re feeling ambitious or prepared ahead of time, it’s a fantastic addition to bulk-up your meal.

>> My two favorite Bases to keep on hand are Zesty Beans and Corn and Roasted Root Veggies.

Toppings

Yay toppings!! Now’s the time to make this Rice Bowl your own and tasty as heck.

Hop over to the grocery store and load up on all your favorite Fruits, Veggies, Salsas, and Dips. Carve out some time to get these Veggies prepped ahead of time, or just buy pre-chopped Produce and skip the extra work. If you need ideas, Ive listed some of my go-to’s below.

Pico de Gallo
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Guacamole
Hummus
Pickled Jalapenos
Roasted Red Bell Pepper
Olives

Baby Tomatoes
Corn
Avocado
Green Onion
Cucumber
Radishes
Red Onion
Carrots
Celery

Red Cabbage
Green Cabbage
Lettuce
Arugula
Kale
Sprouts
Chard
Broccoli
Beets

>> In my fridge, I’ve usually got shredded Red Cabbage, diced Green Onion, sliced Cucumber, shredded Carrots, halved Baby Tomatoes, Pickled Jalapenos, and occasionally will make some Pico de Gallo.

Sauce

It’s really difficult to choose a favorite part of a meal……but a lot of the time, mine winds up being the Sauce. And in a Rice Bowl, it can really pull the flavors together.

I typically opt for super rich, creamy dressings, like my Spicy Cilantro Crema, Cashew Nacho Cheeze, or Creamy Peanut Sauce.

Some other suggestions: Vegan Ranch Dressing, Cashew Alfredo Sauce, Avocado Goddess Dressing, Lemon Tahini Dressing, Cashew Lime Crema, etc.

>> I’ve always got one Sauce prepped in my fridge that I use on a variety of meals, not just Rice Bowls. I really really really recommend keeping one to two Sauces you’re wild about in your fridge at a time. A super delicious Sauce is a great motivator for making meals on the fly.

View all of my Sauce Recipes here

Spicy Cilantro Crema

02.putting it together

Okay! Now’s the time to start brainstorming some ideas for the Rice Bowl you’ll be building yourself.

Deciding what rice bowls to make

It’s soooo helpful to create a list of your favorite foods, that way you know what your options are and can go from there. I highly recommend grabbing a piece of paper and writing out your answers to the following prompts, but do what works best for you.

Let’s start with two different lists:

1. Make a master-list of all your favorite foods that could fall into each category in the Rice Bowl formula.
   Put asterisks * next to ingredients you usually have on-hand.
   (This is helpful for everything related to Meal Building, as well)

2. Write out a list of specific Rice Bowl ideas, using the formula as your format. Include the ingredients needed.
   (For an example of this, scroll down to “My Favorite Rice Bowl Creations”)

Now let’s expand further. Add additional ingredients & ideas to the lists above, as needed:

1. What are some of your favorite Meals, homemade or otherwise? Can they be transformed into Rice Bowls? How would it be broken down into the Rice Bowl formula?

2. Which Fruits & Veggies do you always enjoy? Which ones would you grab if they were prepared in your fridge?

3. What kinds of Sauces or dressings do you choose? (Creamy, Tangy, Salty, Tomato-y, Sharp, Light, etc.) Do you usually have any on-hand?

>> Once you have your list of Rice Bowl ideas and the ingredients needed, you can quickly and easily turn this into a shopping list.

Arranging your Rice Bowl

Assuming you’ve got your ingredients at home, your Rice is cooked, your Toppings are all prepped, and your Sauce is ready for a-slatherin - it’s time to arrange your Rice Bowl!

It’s as simple as following the formula:

1. Structure - Put some delicious Rice in a bowl

2. Base - Mix into or place on top of Rice

3. Toppings - Sprinkle diced Veggies & Fruits all over

4. Sauce - Drizzle all over!

5. Enjoy - !!!

I’ve included below my personal favorite Rice Bowl Creations to act as a guideline for some of the things you can create yourself. As you’ll see, I really meant it when I said I love my good ol’ Jasmine Rice.

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My favorite Rice Bowl creations

Summery Fresh Rice Bowl

Structure - Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon
Base - n/a
Toppings - Cucumber, Red Cabbage, Baby Tomatoes, Alfalfa Sprouts, Green Onion, Mango
Sauce - Cashew Lime Crema

Nacho-Style Rice Bowl

Structure - Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon
Base - Zesty Beans and Corn
Toppings - Pickled Jalapenos, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole
Sauce - Cashew Nacho Cheeze (& Cashew Lime Crema, if I’m feeling ambitious)

Peanut Sauced Rice Bowl

Structure - Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon
Base - Roasted Root Veggies & Greens
Toppings - Green Onion, Red Cabbage, Fresh Mint & Cilantro
Sauce - Creamy Peanut Sauce

Coconut Rice with Jerked Jackfruit

Structure - Coconut Rice with Red Beans
Base - Jerked Jackfruit (sub tofu, tempeh, chickpeas)
Toppings - Red Cabbage, Mango Pico de Gallo
Sauce - Spicy Cilantro Crema

Cozy Comfort Rice Bowl

Structure - Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon
Base - Roasted Root Veggies
Toppings - Arugula, Baby Tomatoes
Sauce - Vegan Ranch Dressing

Mediterranean Rice Bowl

Structure - Jasmine Rice with Veggie Bouillon
Base - Lemony White and Red Beans
Toppings - Pitted Kalamata Olives, Roasted Red Pepper, Arugula
Sauce - Lemon Tahini Dressing

>> These are a few star players in my kitchen at home, however this list by no means covers all the meals I create on a daily basis. I often just pull from whatever veggies, fruits, Bases, and Sauces I’ve already got chopped up without much thought.

That being said, I hope these ideas can serve as a good launch-point for ingredients to keep on-hand.

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