Incredible One Bowl Meals

By Mary Shannon Wells
January 19, 2018
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
One bowl meals seem to be on every menu now, and we understand why. Filled with grains or noodles, veggies, and protein, one bowl meals are healthy and filling, which is a winning weeknight combo. If you’re looking for a rice bowl recipe, we’ve got plenty, like Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls and low-carb Skirt Steak and Cauliflower Rice bowls. Going meatless? Try veggie bowl recipes like Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta or Farro Bowls with Curry-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts. We could never forget about ramen and noodle bowl recipes, though. If you think you can’t make Asian cuisine at home, think again. With easy recipes like Slow-Cooker Ramen Bowls and Chicken Noodle Bowls with Peanut-Ginger Sauce, you can throw that takeout menu in the trash. Get a healthy, well-rounded meal all in one bowl with these recipes. Your weeknights just got jam-packed with one-bowl goodness.
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Meal Inspiration in a Bowl

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Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls

This colorful, meatless bowl manages to pack in a little sweet, salty, and spicy. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Plantains are ready to cook when their peels turn black on the outside, so buy them black or let them ripen before cooking. Many grocery stores sell heat-and-serve frozen plantains too.

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Soba Noodle-and-Shrimp Bowls

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Soba Noodle-and-Shrimp Bowls

Craving Asian flavor? This bright bowl is the healthiest way to get it. It’s got a hint of heat and a whole lot of goodness. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Don’t ignore the instruction about patting the shrimp dry before putting them in the skillet. This step keeps the shrimp from becoming soggy while cooking and ensures they’ll brown more nicely for the best flavor.

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Pork-and-Farro Bowl with Warm Brussels Sprouts-Fennel Salad

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Pork-and-Farro Bowl with Warm Brussels Sprouts-Fennel Salad

Pork tenderloin is a family weeknight favorite, and this hearty, healthy bowl should be next on your recipe list. Healthy whole-grain farro and a salad of Brussels sprouts, fennel, and shallots are a beautiful combination. Add crunchy chopped apples and a star-of-the-show vinaigrette, and you’ve officially outdone yourself.

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Skirt Steak and Cauliflower Rice with Red Pepper Sauce

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Skirt Steak and Cauliflower Rice with Red Pepper Sauce

Trying to give up starchy rice and bread? With low-carb cauliflower rice, you won’t miss them for a beat, and many stores sell it ready-to-go now. Paired with skirt steak, red pepper sauce, and a bit of arugula, and you’ve got a well-rounded, filling dinner.

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Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta

Got a Costco rotisserie chicken you haven’t used up yet? Here’s what to do with it. The lemon-brown butter sauce in this recipe is to die for, and you can even use baby carrots to save you time chopping and peeling.

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Burrito Bowls

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Burrito Bowls

Turn taco Tuesday around this week and make burrito bowls instead. This healthy option is full of customizable ingredients, so every family member gets exactly what they like. With premade ingredients like microwaveable brown rice, this is the fastest recipe you’ll make all week.

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Thai Beef Stir-Fry

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Thai Beef Stir-Fry

This recipe seems too easy to be true, but we wouldn’t lie to you. Simply mix together the sauce and cook the rest of the ingredients in a large skillet or wok. Serve over microwaveable Jasmine rice for ease, and you’ve got the most flavorful meal of the week on the table.

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Hatch Chile Grits Breakfast Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Hatch Chile Grits Breakfast Bowl

Whether you serve it in the morning or it’s breakfast-for-dinner night at your house, these breakfast bowls will be a hit. Made with Buttermilk Stone-Ground Grits and topped with Tex-Mex elements like green chiles, pico de gallo, and cilantro, this bowl shakes breakfast up. Don’t forget to top it with a fried egg (or two!).

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Farro Bowl with Curry-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin

Recipe: Farro Bowl with Curry-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Try out meatless Monday and fill up with this hearty, healthy bowl. To make things easier on you, the farro can be cooked up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. With the seasoning combinations in this dish, your family will think you picked it up from a five-star restaurant.

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Slow-Cooker Ramen Bowls

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Ramen Bowls

Instead of picking up ramen on your way home, have it ready and waiting for you with the help of your slow cooker. Low, slow cooking makes for the most flavorful broth.

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Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice

Bring the Mediterranean home with this quick, easy recipe. If you have leftovers, Greek meatball pitas with cucumber-yogurt sauce would make a delicious lunch the next day. And we all know meatballs freeze beautifully, so make several batches to save for hectic weeks.

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Quick Chicken Noodle Bowls

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Quick Chicken Noodle Bowls

Cozy up with these chicken noodle bowls when you need a quick comfort meal. Adding fresh lime juice just before serving adds bright flavor to this healthy bowl.

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Chalupa Dinner Bowl

Charles Walton IV

Recipe: Chalupa Dinner Bowl

When the schedule is full, the slow cooker is there to help with dinner. With fall-off-the-bone roast and all the toppings you could want, these dinner bowls are filling and kid-friendly.

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Buttermilk Grits with Country Ham and Shrimp

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Buttermilk Grits with Country Ham and Shrimp

If your family loves classic shrimp and grits, imagine how much they’ll love it when it’s made with buttermilk (and parmesan) grits, country ham, and creole seasoning. Yes, yes, and yes.

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Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl

Jennifer Davick

​Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl

Video: Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl

Your family will never know how easy this 20-minute recipe was to cook. If you like a kick, this the noodle bowl for you. Add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving for a hint of bright flavor.

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Steak and Peppers with Rice

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Steak and Peppers with Rice

When in doubt, get the slow cooker out. The steak and vegetables slow cook together for a savory, rich result. Serve over yellow rice (white or brown rice or egg noodles work, too) to complete the meal.

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Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl

This Tex-Mex bowl is bursting with color and healthy ingredients. Top with freshly sliced avocado and pair with a margarita or Mexican beer because you’ll want to toast to this delicious recipe.

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Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Can’t stop thinking about that Thai peanut sauce you love? Make a healthy version at home and drizzle it over colorful veggies and filling chicken (all ready in just 20 minutes). Craving, satisfied.

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Seared Scallops with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce and Orzo

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Seared Scallops with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce and Orzo

This 30-minute recipe is company-worthy but easy enough to serve on a casual weeknight. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Look for dry-packed scallops, which are packed without extra water or preservatives. This helps them brown nicely when cooked. Dry-packed scallops have a shorter shelf life than wet-packed scallops, so cook them the day you buy them.

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Pork and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Pork and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

There’s a chance you have a pork tenderloin sitting in your refrigerator or freezer that you plan on cooking this week. Instead of going the usual route, make a flavorful stir-fry with it. If you’ve never made bok choy before, it’s time to start. It’s full of healthy benefits like vitamins, potassium, calcium, iron, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.

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By Mary Shannon Wells