Save Vibrant grain bowls featuring bold, globally inspired sauces create a customizable, highly satisfying meal. Drizzle miso-butter or gochujang-maple over roasted vegetables and protein for an easy dinner with flair.
Ever since I began experimenting with sauce-forward grain bowls, they've become a staple for weeknight dinners. Mixing both miso-butter and gochujang-maple sauces keeps things interesting, especially paired with crisp veggies and chickpeas.
Ingredients
- Brown rice or quinoa: 1 cup, uncooked
- Water or vegetable broth: 2 cups
- Broccoli florets: 2 cups
- Sweet potato: 1 large, diced
- Red bell pepper: 1, sliced
- Olive oil: 2 tbsp (vegetables), 1 tbsp (chickpeas)
- Salt: 1/2 tsp (vegetables), 1/4 tsp (chickpeas)
- Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
- Chickpeas: 1 (15 oz) can, drained and rinsed
- Smoked paprika: 1/2 tsp
- Garlic powder: 1/2 tsp
- Unsalted butter (or vegan butter): 2 tbsp
- White miso paste: 1 tbsp
- Rice vinegar: 1 tbsp (miso sauce), 1 tbsp (gochujang sauce)
- Maple syrup: 2 tsp (miso sauce), 1 1/2 tbsp (gochujang sauce)
- Sesame oil: 1 tsp (miso sauce), 2 tsp (gochujang sauce)
- Gochujang: 2 tbsp
- Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
- Green onions: 2, thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
- Pickled red onions (optional): 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven:
- Set oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Cook the grains:
- Rinse brown rice or quinoa and combine with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender (about 20–25 minutes for rice, 15 minutes for quinoa). Fluff with a fork.
- Roast the vegetables:
- Toss broccoli, sweet potato, and bell pepper with olive oil, salt, and black pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender.
- Prepare the chickpeas:
- Toss chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Spread on a separate baking sheet and roast for 15–20 minutes until crisp.
- Make the miso-butter sauce:
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in miso paste, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil until smooth.
- Make the gochujang-maple sauce:
- In a bowl, whisk together gochujang, maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until fully combined.
- Assemble bowls:
- Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables and chickpeas. Drizzle generously with one or both sauces. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pickled red onions if desired.
Save Building these bowls together has turned dinner into a fun and healthy family ritual. Each person loves swirling their favorite sauce and customizing their toppings.
Required Tools
Saucepan with lid, baking sheets, mixing bowls, whisk, chefs knife, cutting board
Allergen Information
Contains soy, gluten, and milk. Swap butter for vegan alternative and use gluten-free soy sauce/tamari as needed. Always check labels for allergens.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 420 calories, 13 g total fat, 65 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein.
Save These bowls are the perfect way to brighten any evening. Enjoy experimenting with sauce combinations for a truly bold meal experience.
Recipe FAQ
- → Can I use other grains besides rice or quinoa?
Yes, feel free to substitute with farro, barley, or cauliflower rice for varied texture and flavor.
- → How do I make this dish vegan?
Simply swap vegan butter for regular butter in the miso-butter sauce and verify all sauce ingredients are plant-based.
- → Are there gluten-free options?
Use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) and check gochujang labels for gluten-free certification.
- → Can I prepare sauce ahead of time?
Yes, both miso-butter and gochujang-maple sauces keep refrigerated for up to five days for easy meal prep.
- → What other vegetables work well?
Try carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, or mushrooms to customize your roasted vegetable blend.
- → Is this dish suitable for meal prep?
Absolutely. Cook grains, roasted veggies, and protein in advance; refrigerate and assemble bowls when ready to serve.