Rice Bowls are amazingly versatile, easy, healthy (if you don’t go overboard) and super delicious.  The variety of ingredients that work in a rice bowl keeps them from getting boring and adding veggies to protein and rice can help keep you healthy and full!  Keep reading to see the types of rice bowls we make at Tin Box and the many varieties that work well with this great dish! 

Let’s start with the main ingredient:  Rice!  Now obviously rice is what the base of these bowls are, but does it have to be rice?  Not really!  We have used white rice, brown rice, quinoa and wild rice.  You could also use jasmine or sushi rice.  There are not only lots of types of rice, but there are also lots of ways to cook rice.  I’m a huge fan of instant pot rice making.  I add one cup of white rice to the slow cooker, followed by 2 cups of chicken stock and a drizzle of olive oil.  Simply hit the rice button and enjoy the goodness every single time.  You can also use a rice cooker or make rice on the stove.  I’ve never used a rice cooker, but for the stovetop method I tend to bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 cup of rice and cover.  Turn down the heat to a simmer and 30 minutes later it’s ready to be fluffed by fork.  Sounds weird, but forks are better than spoons..haha, yes I heard it.  Stovetop works great, but our Instantpot gives us amazing and consistent results, so we tend to use it.  We cook our rice with chicken broth and olive oil, but soy sauce, teriyaki and other sauces work great to bring more flavor to your rice bowls.  

Okay, let’s talk about protein.  There are SO MANY options for the protein to add to your bowls.  We tend to stick to ground beef, chicken or shrimp.  Shrimp is my favorite, but I could eat it everyday and be happy.  Jorge prefers ground beef.  Other options include tofu, beans, steak, pork, sausage, fish, and so much more.  It really just depends on your own preferences and dietary needs.

Veggies are my favorite part of rice bowls.  Bell peppers, onions and tomatoes are present almost every time, but we try to keep the ingredients all complimentary.  If we choose ground beef or shrimp, the veggies are usually onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, black beans and corn.  If it’s chicken we sub in mushrooms and spinach.  Try to cook some of the veggies for more hot ingredients, but keep some cold for a pop of flavor.  Avocado, chickpeas, carrots, zucchini and broccoli also make great additions to your bowls.  Add a little extra to your rice bowls by way of nuts, seeds and other toppings.  Fried onions, tortilla strips and herbs are all great additions to additions.  I add cheese to my bowls a lot of the time and pick what goes best with the protein. I don’t usually add any dressings or sauces to my rice bowls, but Jorge tends to add a hot sauce to bring everything together.  You could add hot sauce, sriracha, tahini, chimichurri or other flavorful sauces and dressings to add a little extra to your rice bowl. I

As you can see, the possibilities are endless when putting this meal together.  I like it because the ingredients can all be cut up, prepped and some even made earlier in the day to make dinner quick, easy and delicious.  Let us know in the comments your favorite way to make rice bowls at home. 

As always, thank you for reading and joining us on this journey.  Simply, Beth