47 Must-Try Bowl Recipes
Updated: Oct. 18, 2021Leave your plates in the cupboard! Home cooks are sharing their sauciest, creamiest bowl recipes.
1 / 47
California Burger Bowls
Burgers are a weekly staple at our house year-round. Skip the fries, chips and bun—you won’t need them with these loaded burger bowls. To spice up the mayo, add 1/2 tsp. of chipotle powder. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
2 / 47
Quick and Easy Chicken Poke Bowl
This chicken poke bowl is a great alternative when sushi-grade fish isn’t in the budget. I love it because it’s quick, easy and inexpensive. While it’s not a traditional poke recipe, the chicken still rocks in this bowl. —Emily Cresta, Oxford, Ohio
3 / 47
Caribbean Shrimp Bowl
After switching to a paleo diet a few years ago, we have started eating tons of veggies for almost every meal—yes, even breakfast. We’ve gotten used to swapping in cauliflower, broccoli and kale in place of carbs like rice or potatoes. This bowl is literally chock-full of veggies and has tons of Caribbean-inspired flavor! Plus, it is so simple to make and uses one skillet! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas 4 / 47
Slow-Cooker Al Pastor Bowls
You’ll love this easy version of a traditional Mexican favorite. Serve this al pastor bowl over rice or in tortillas with your favorite toppings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 5 / 47
Cheesy Broccoli Soup in a Bread Bowl
This creamy, cheesy broccoli soup tastes just like the one served at Panera Bread! My family requests it all the time. You can even make your own homemade bread bowls with the recipe on my blog, Yammie's Noshery. —Rachel Preus, Marshall, Michigan 6 / 47
Butternut Squash Burrito Bowl
This butternut squash burrito bowl is an easy-to-prep dinner that combines fresh ingredients with wholesome convenience foods. It comes together in just minutes and can be customized with everyone’s favorite toppings. —Patricia Kukuc, Clearwater, Florida 7 / 47
Tacos in a Bowl
This easy skillet dish offers a delicious use for leftover taco meat. Garnish it with sour cream and salsa for southwestern flavor. —Sue Schoening, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 8 / 47
Mediterranean Bulgur Bowl
You can also transform this tasty bowl into an Italian version with mozzarella, pesto, tomatoes, spinach and basil. —Renata Smith, Brookline, Massachusetts 9 / 47
Caesar Salad in Peppered Parmesan Bowls
This cheese bowl salad looks impressive but is a cinch to make. I won't tell if you don't! —Melissa Wilkes, St. Augustine, Florida 10 / 47
East Coast Shrimp and Lentil Bowls
If you have frozen shrimp, a few seasoning ingredients, bagged spinach and lentils on hand in your pantry, you can make this bowl in no time. It’s so delicious, nobody needs to know that it’s healthy, too! —Mary Kay LaBrie, Clermont, Florida 11 / 47
Edamame and Soba Noodle Bowl
Toothsome soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. —Matthew Hass, Franklin, Wisconsin 12 / 47
Soup-Bowl Cabbage Rolls
This fabulous alternative to traditional stuffed cabbage rolls is so handy for busy weeknights. It warms you up from head to toe. —Terri Pearce, Houston, Texas 13 / 47
Easy Chicken Tamale Pie
All you need are some simple ingredients from the pantry to put this slow-cooker meal together. I love the fact that I can go fishing while it cooks. —Peter Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas 14 / 47
Shrimp 'n' Noodle Bowls
Here's a quick meal that feels as if it came from a restaurant. Cooked shrimp, bagged slaw and bottled dressing reduce the time needed to get it on the table. —Mary Bergfeld, Eugene, Oregon 15 / 47
Fajita in a Bowl
Pull out the skewers and take a stab at grilling peppers, onions and corn for an awesome steak salad that’s all summer and smoke. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 16 / 47
Egg Roll Noodle Bowl
We love Asian egg rolls, but they can be challenging to make. Simplify everything with this deconstructed egg roll made on the stovetop and served in a bowl. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas 17 / 47
BLT Quinoa Bowls
I absolutely love a BLT with sliced avocado and an egg. Recently, I've been trying out grain bowls, and I thought the flavors of my favorite sandwich would work really well. My family agreed! —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah 18 / 47
Chicken Rice Bowl
This chicken rice bowl recipe is so easy to toss together on a busy weeknight, and I usually have the ingredients already on hand. I start sauteing the onion and pepper first, then I prepare the instant rice. If you like, top it with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese. —Tammy Daniels, Batavia, Ohio 19 / 47
Tomato-Garlic Lentil Bowls
An Ethiopian recipe inspired this feel-good dinner that's tangy, creamy and packed with hearty comfort. —Rachael Cushing, Portland, Oregon 20 / 47
Mushroom & Bacon Spaghetti Squash Bowl
This spaghetti squash bowl has a light cream sauce, along with fresh sage and crispy bacon. I love spaghetti squash but get tired of having it with a tomato-based red sauce. This recipe will make you and your family excited about spaghetti squash again! — Emily Montgomery, Madison, Alabama 21 / 47
Tex-Mex Grain Bowl
This Tex-Mex grain bowl is special because it is not only healthy but also delicious. Oatmeal is one of those dishes often eaten sweetened. People rarely think about using it in a savory dish—and they really should! —Athena Russell, Greenville, South Carolina 22 / 47
Poached Egg Buddha Bowls
I love cooking for my husband and this is the first dish of the year that we enjoy out in our backyard. I often include fresh peas and cherry tomatoes, halved. —Amy McDonough, Carlton, Oregon 23 / 47
Greek Brown and Wild Rice Bowls
This fresh rice dish tastes like the Mediterranean in a bowl! It's short on ingredients, but packs in so much flavor. For a hand-held version, leave out the rice and tuck the rest of the ingredients in a pita pocket. —Darla Andrews, Schertz, Texas 24 / 47
Slow-Cooker Barbacoa
My husband adores this barbacoa, which is beef roast simmered in lime juice, chipotle and cumin. He would eat it one a week if I would make it that often! We have it over rice with cilantro and a spritz of lime. —Aundrea McCormick, Denver, Colorado 25 / 47
Carolina Shrimp & Cheddar Grits
Shrimp and grits were a house favorite—if only we could agree on how to make them. I stirred up a winner for the whole family with some cheddar and Cajun seasoning. —Charlotte Price, Raleigh, North Carolina 26 / 47
Tropical Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowls
This tropical bowl is a delicious and healthy dinner with tons of flavor! You can substitute regular rice for the cauliflower rice if desired. —Bethany DiCarlo, Harleysville, Pennsylvania 27 / 47
Curry Turkey Stir-Fry
Just open the fridge and go to town making this throw-together curry. We prefer turkey, but if you like chicken, shrimp, even bean sprouts and carrots, by all means, add them. —Lauren Rush, Clark, New Jersey 28 / 47
Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Dressing
I love this bowl recipe because its simplicity allows me to spend time with my family while not sacrificing taste or nutrition. Plus the fresh spring flavors really shine through! —Allyson Meyler, Greensboro, North Carolina 29 / 47
Israeli Couscous & Chicken Sausage Skillet
Our comfort food is a big plate of sausage with couscous. Add some onion, celery, a little heat and a sprinkle of feta. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida 30 / 47
Taco Bowls
We love this dish because of its super simple prep. And each serving is so easy to customize with toppings. —Hope Wasylenki, Gahanna, Ohio 31 / 47
Caribbean Shrimp & Rice Bowl
I had a similar rice bowl on vacation and re-created this lighter version at home. It takes me back to the islands every time I make it. Try grilling the shrimp for more beachy flavor. —Lauren Katz, Ashburn, Virginia 32 / 47
Risotto with Chicken and Mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms add an earthy flavor to this creamy classic, while shredded rotisserie chicken makes it a snap to prepare. You'll savor every bite. —Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida 33 / 47
Slow-Cooked Enchilada Casserole
Tortilla chips and a side salad turn this savory casserole into a fun and festive meal with very little effort. —Denise Waller, Omaha, Nebraska 34 / 47
Curry Pomegranate Protein Bowl
This bowl recipe is simple and beautiful. It uses a lot of unique flavors that, when blended together, create an out-of-this-world taste sensation. You can substitute other roasted, salted nuts for the soy nuts and can use warmed berry jam in place of the molasses. —Mary Baker, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 35 / 47
Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Quinoa
Help yourself to a plate full—generous servings are still lower in calories and big on protein. If you have company, you can add a salad and call it a day. —Keri Whitney, Castro Valley, California 36 / 47
Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Pork
Chinese food is a big temptation for us, so I lightened up a favorite takeout dish. As the pork cooks, the aroma is beyond mouthwatering. —Elyse Ellis, Layton, Utah 37 / 47
Quick Italian Veggie Skillet
When you don’t know what to serve, Italian flavors are a good starting point. We combine cannellini and garbanzo beans for this snappy rice dish. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California 38 / 47
Mean Green Smoothie Bowls
This delicious bright green smoothie bowl recipe contains powerful antioxidants. Top with cucumber slices and fresh parsley sprigs for a pretty presentation. —Laura Wilhelm, West Hollywood, California 39 / 47
Tomato & Garlic Butter Bean Dinner
On the days I get home late and just want a warm meal, I stir together tomatoes, garlic and butter beans. Ladle it over noodles if you're in the mood for pasta. —Jessica Meyers, Austin, Texas 40 / 47
Thai Salmon Brown Rice Bowls
This speedy salmon recipe couldn't be any easier. The store-bought sesame ginger dressing saves time and adds extra flavor to this healthy dish. — Naylet LaRochelle, Miami, Florida 41 / 47
Shortcut Sausage Jambalaya
Secret ingredient alert: A pinch of coffee crystals gives my jambalaya its roasty, toasty flavor. This quick and easy dinner is one of my husband’s top picks. —Betty Henagin, Medford, Oregon 42 / 47
Cran-Apple Turkey Skillet
You need only one skillet to pull off this delicious meal. Talk about simple! —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri 43 / 47
Spicy Tilapia Rice Bowl
I love healthy living and tilapia is a staple in my kitchen. Fresh vegetables are always good but take more prep time, so I use boil-in-bag rice for a shortcut. —Rosalin Johnson, Tupelo, Mississippi 44 / 47
Stir-Fry Rice Bowl
My meatless version of Korean bibimbap is tasty, pretty and easy to tweak for different spice levels. —Devon Delaney, Westport, Connecticut 45 / 47
Lime Coconut Smoothie Bowl
This Key lime and coconut smoothie bowl is the most refreshing thing on the planet! —Madeline Butler, Denver, Colorado 46 / 47
Moroccan Apple Beef Stew
I love the mix of sweet and savory flavors in this stew. It's the perfect blend of adventurous and comforting, and makes a fun dish to share with guests. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho 47 / 47
Korean Sausage Bowl
When we hosted a student from South Korea, she shared some of her favorite Korean dishes. We especially like bibimbap. I created a variation on the dish with Italian sausage. —Michal Riege, Cedarburg, Wisconsin Originally Published: August 07, 2019
CMU Unit
