Veggie Poke Bowls
These simple 15-minute Veggie Polk Bowls are perfect for a quick lunch or dinner in a hurry. Different variations can even be prepared ahead of time to eat throughout the week when you don’t have time to meal plan.
I don’t really think of this dish as a recipe, because it’s so customizable. Definitely not a one-size-fits-all kind of meal. There are so many different custom options and plenty of poke bowl sauces to choose from like our miso-ginger dressing, this oil-free teriyaki sauce, or my vegan Asian sauce. There are so many possibilities!
Reasons I love veggie poke bowls
- Fresh and Flavorful: These veggie poke bowls are packed with fresh, colorful vegetables and a delicious blend of seasonings, making every bite a burst of flavor.
- Nutrient-Rich: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant-based protein, these bowls offer a healthy and balanced meal that’s both satisfying and nourishing.
- Easy to Prepare: With simple ingredients and quick assembly, these veggie bowls are perfect for busy days when you need a nutritious meal in minutes.
- Customizable: Highly versatile, you can easily customize these veggie grain bowls with your favorite veggies, grains, and sauces to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.
Veggie Bowl Ingredients
Most of the time, I like to make my bowls super simple with things like brown rice, steamed broccoli, broccoli slaw, shredded carrots, chickpeas, crushed peanuts, and a simple tahini sauce. However, this vegan bowl recipe can have any number of variations according to what’s in the refrigerator at any given moment.
- Grains: Rice, bulgur, quinoa, farro, buckwheat, millet, or other grain. This article Cooking Healthy Grains might be helpful.
- Beans: Chickpeas, edamame, peas, lentils, black beans, or others
- Greens: Broccoli, kale, spinach, arugula, etc.
- Vegetables: Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, asparagus, radishes, pea pods, carrots, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, peppers, tomato, you get the picture.
- Protein: Tofu, tempeh, soy curls, hummus, nuts, seeds, cilantro, avocado, others. We all know that plant foods have protein, right?
- Dressings: Tahini sauce, peanut sauce, miso dressing, ginger dressing, tzatziki sauce, endless possibilities.
Vegan Protein Options
Most of us know by now that protein is in all plants and not just specific ones. Think of Popeye the Sailor Man. Spinach is where it got all this protein and yes, it’s loaded with it. For even more protein and flavor, you might try adding some of our vegan bacon bits made from soy curls, this air fryer crispy tofu, or my smoked tempeh bacon. Tofu, tempeh, seitan, and soy curls are great protein-rich plant foods.
Grain Options
There are lots of different grains to choose from, but most of the time I make mine with brown rice or bulgur.
Although bulgur is not as well known as other grains like rice, barley, and quinoa, it is by far my favorite due to its versatility. I’ve written an entire article about why I love this particular grain so much. How to Cook Bulgur & Recipes.
Grains help control our weight by keeping us full for longer, so adding a little rice, bulgur, quinoa, or other grain to your veggie bowl is an excellent idea.
Sauce Options
I like all kinds of dressings for vegan rice bowls. The main thing I’m concerned about is how easy they are to make. These are some of my favorite simple sauces to use.
- Tahini Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Creamy Peanut Sauce
- Chipotle Sauce
- Orange Miso Dressing
- Sweet Sesame Ginger Sauce
- Oil-Free Tangy Vinegar Sauce
- Simple Miso Sauce
For these veggie bowls, I’ve included this super simple Tahini Sauce, but you really can choose any of the ones listed above that you prefer.
How to make veggie grain bowls
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Cook grain according to package instructions. I love to use leftover rice or bulgur that is already in my refrigerator. Another option is to buy the brown rice in boil-in bags that can be cooked on the stovetop for about 10 minutes.
STEP #2: Steam broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop. I steam mine in the microwave by placing florets in a microwave microwave-safe bowl, adding approximately 4 tablespoons of water, and cooking on high for 3 minutes.
STEP #3: To assemble, place cooked rice or other grain in a medium serving bowl with cooked broccoli or other vegetables of choice. Roasted cauliflower or sweet potatoes work well too.
STEP #4: Add cooked beans if using. Normally, I use chickpeas in my veggie bowl, but any beans you have on hand will be fine. Some favorites are edamame, peas, lentils, black beans, and others.
STEP #5: Add shredded broccoli, carrots, other vegetables, and crushed peanuts. Drizzle tahini sauce over top and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
A veggie poke bowl usually includes a base of rice or greens, topped with a variety of fresh vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and edamame, along with tofu or tempeh for extra protein. It’s often finished with a flavorful dressing and garnished with sesame seeds, avocado, and seaweed.
To make a veggie poke bowl at home, start with a base of cooked rice or salad greens. Add a selection of fresh, chopped vegetables, such as bell peppers, radishes, and edamame. Top with marinated tofu or tempeh, then drizzle with a homemade or store-bought poke sauce. Garnish with avocado, sesame seeds, and nori strips for added flavor and texture.
Yes, veggie poke bowls are healthy as they are packed with fresh vegetables, plant-based proteins, and nutrient-dense toppings. They provide a balanced meal with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making them a great option for a nutritious diet.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
Veggie Poke Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked brown rice or other grain bulgur, quinoa, etc
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup shredded broccoli
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas or other bean
- crushed peanuts or other seeds or nuts, optional
- 1 cup tahini sauce ingredients below
Tahini Sauce
- 1/3 cup tahini paste
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener optional
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic optional
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric optional
- sriracha sauce or other hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Cook grain according to package instructions. I love to use leftover rice or bulgur that is already in my refrigerator. Another option is to buy the brown rice in boil-in bags that can be cooked on the stovetop in about 10 minutes.
- Steam broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop. I steam mine in the microwave by placing florets in a microwave microwave-safe bowl, adding approximately 4 tablespoons of water, and cooking on high for 3 minutes.
- To assemble, place cooked rice or other grain in a medium serving bowl with cooked broccoli or other vegetables of choice. Roasted cauliflower or sweet potatoes work well too.
- Add cooked beans if using. Normally, I used chickpeas in my veggie bowl, but any beans you have onhand will be fine. Some favorites are edamame, peas, lentils, black beans, or others.
- Add shredded broccoli, carrots, other vegetables, crushed peanuts.
- Drizzle tahini sauce over top and serve!
Tahini Sauce
- Add all ingredients except the water to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.
- Slowly add in water and whisk until creamy and pourable. If the mixture seems stiff at first, continue to whisk and add small amounts of water at a time until smooth and creamy.
- Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Video
Notes
- Grains: rice, bulgur, quinoa, farro, buckwheat, millet, or other grain. This article Cooking Healthy Grains might be helpful.
- Beans: chickpeas, edamame, peas, lentils, black beans, or others
- Greens: broccoli, kale, spinach, arugula, etc
- Vegetables: cauliflower, sweet potatoes, asparagus, radishes, pea pods, carrots, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, peppers, tomato, you get the picture.
- Protein: tofu, tempeh, soy curls, hummus, nuts, seeds, cilantro, avocado, others.
- Dressings: tahini sauce, peanut sauce, miso dressing, ginger dressing, tzatziki sauce, endless possibilities.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
On sundays I do my meal prep for lunch and a few for supper. Going to try this one tomorrow. I have so many of your recipes that I keep in a binder note book with little notes. Thank you for all your great recipes.
This is just my kind of meal 🙂 I have a tahini sauce I love really much as well – tahini, apple cider vinegar, tamari, water, ground coriander and ginger, garlic powder, and a pinch each of white pepper and cayenne pepper! So yummy. I love it over potatoes too :3 Thank you for sharing, I’m always up for more inspiration 🙂 Have a lovely day <3