17 One-Bowl Meals to Make Right Now

updated Oct 11, 2021
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Everyone has their go-to meal format, and mine is one-bowl meals. You’ll find them in my lunch and dinner lineup every single week without fail. In fact, I love them so much I wrote two cookbooks about them: one dedicated to plant-based bowls and one with bowls that pack in a little bit of everything.

The beauty of bowl recipes is that they’re super versatile and nourishing, pack in a little of everything, and can often be prepped in advance. They can be as simple as tossing bits and bobs of leftovers, wilting veggies, and rice from the freezer into a bowl, with a drizzle of sauce to top it off.

Whether you prefer to load your bowls with veggies or top them with meat, there’s something for everyone. Here are 17 of my favorite bowl recipes to add to your meal plan ASAP.

1 / 17
Roasted Vegetable and Kohlrabi Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Inspired by the saucy peanut noodles in my regular dinner rotation, these plant-based bowls are all about putting the veggies first.
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2 / 17
Peanut Chicken Power Bowls
This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes from beginning to end and, best of all, everything in these bowls — the chicken, the quinoa, the vegetables, and the peanut sauce — can be made in advance.
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3 / 17
Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls with Crispy Chickpeas and Chopped Pesto
This hearty plant-based bowl treats you to a little of everything. Toss some chickpeas onto the baking sheet alongside the sweet potato to give your bowl a crunchy topping.
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4 / 17
One-Pot BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowls
Make this once and you're going to wonder why you haven't been adding BBQ sauce to your burrito bowls all along. You'll also love that this one-bowl meal comes together in a single pot.
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5 / 17
Garlicky Soba Noodle Bowls
I keep a pack of soba noodles in the pantry just so I can make this noodle bowl last-minute. When I want a little more bulk, I top it with a jammy egg.
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6 / 17
Roasted Cauliflower Bowl with Lentils & Sweet Potato Hummus
If you're tired of eating sweet potatoes roasted, this is the perfect bowl to slot into your meal plan. The "hummus" base (which can also be made with butternut squash), is basically mashed sweet potato and tahini.
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7 / 17
Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Bowls
These bowls call for poached eggs, but I mostly swap in hard-boiled eggs. That way I can prep the dish for a make-ahead lunch.
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8 / 17
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls with Avocado and Green Tahini
If you're on the fence about cauliflower, this bowl will make you a believer.
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9 / 17
Greek Chicken Grain Bowls
Inspired by traditional Greek salads, this bowl is loaded with the usual veggies, plus lemony, herby Greek-style chicken and a scoop of quinoa. It's finished off with a generous drizzle of tangy feta dressing.
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10 / 17
Mediterranean Hummus Bowl
Hummus isn't just for snacking. It's the best part of this high-protein, five-ingredient bowl.
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11 / 17
BBQ Tofu Salad Bowls
For maximum flavor, these tofu bites are coated with a mix of smoky spices before going in the oven, then they're blanketed with your favorite BBQ sauce.
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12 / 17
Smoky Quinoa Taco Bowls with Fried Eggs
This vegetarian taco bowl features nutty, protein-packed quinoa as its base, which is cooked with aromatics and chipotle in adobo sauce to give it a rich and smoky flavor.
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13 / 17
Spicy Thai Chicken and Brown Rice Bowls
These vibrant Thai chicken and brown rice bowls are topped with a rainbow of crunchy vegetables and drizzled with curried peanut sauce.
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14 / 17
Beef and Broccoli Buddha Bowls
Inspired by beef and broccoli stir-fry, these grain-free bowl are packed with vegetables and greens and drizzled with creamy miso-ginger sauce.
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15 / 17
Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl with Crispy Tofu
The very best part of this warm, saucy noodle bowl are the squares of perfectly crisped tofu.
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16 / 17
Cauliflower Rice Lunch Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas
This is the cheap and easy lunch bowl you'll want to meal prep all month.
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17 / 17
Crispy Tofu Bowl with Caramelized Fall Veggies
In this hearty vegetarian grain bowl, crispy caramelized butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and protein-packed tofu are tossed in a savory-sweet glaze and piled onto warm brown rice.
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