15 Must-Try Whole Food Plant-Based Lunch and Dinner Bowls! – One Green Planet

Lunch and dinner bowls are such an easy way to have a filling and nutritious meal. You can prep them in advance or whip them up last minute so you’re not stuck settling for a less satisfying meal. These bowls keep in 100% whole food plant based so you can be confident you are starting off 2020 right! These lunch and dinner bowls are simple and straightforward so you don’t have to worry about complicated ingredients or getting your hands on mock meats. They utilize ingredients like tofu, beans, and quinoa for natural protein sources. Add in some grains, greens, nuts, seeds, top with a sauce, and there you have it!

(We also snuck in 5 extra noodle bowls for you at the end!)

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  –– with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! 

1. Fermented Beet Quinoa Bowl

Source: Fermented Beet Quinoa Bowl

If you are looking for a good post-workout meal with the right combination of macro-and micronutrients, then this Fermented Beet Quinoa Bowl by Nikki and Zuzana is what you need! It is rich in amino acids (protein) to help repair and build muscle, healthy carbs to replenish glycogen used during the exercise and just the right amount of good fats to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. You will want to ferment the beets for 24 hours prior to assembling the bowl. Hoverer, if you are short on time or haven’t accounted for this step you can omit the fermentation and prepare the dish with freshly grated beets instead. You can prepare this bowl in advance and use it as an easy y pack-to-go lunch.

2. Fried Rice Bowls with Baked Tofu

Source: Fried Rice Bowls with Baked Tofu

Throw away your carry-out menus and make this easy homemade Fried Rice Bowls with Baked Tofu by Jenn Sebestyen instead! It’s so much healthier than restaurant versions, but just as satisfying.

3. Mexican Quinoa Bowl

Source: Mexican Quinoa Bowl

4. Coconut Brown Rice Bowl With Avocado Cream Dressing

Source: Coconut Brown Rice Bowl With Avocado Cream Dressing

The flavors in this Coconut Brown Rice Bowl by Taryn Fitz-Gerald are quite complimenting. The coconut rice adds a cozy flavor, the roasted sweet potatoes add a delicious sweetness, the black beans add a subtle savoriness, and the celery adds a lovely crunch. The avocado a la creme dressing and pine nuts tie the dish together beautifully. While brown rice can sometimes taste a bit bland and husky, slowly cooking brown rice with half quantities of water and coconut cream makes all the difference. It infuses delicious coconutty flavor into each grain. This coconut brown rice bowl is not only tasty, but also really healthy! Brown rice is rich in manganese, iron, zinc, phosphorous, calcium, selenium, magnesium, potassium, and many vitamins. It is also a great  source of protein!

5. CauliRice Tabbouleh Bowl

Source: CauliRice Tabbouleh Bowl

This Tabbouleh Bowl by Taryn Fitz-Gerald is a grain and gluten-free take on traditional Tabbouleh. Cauliflower is such a versatile cruciferous vegetable. It’s great to use as rice in this dish and is super nutritious! The trick with this cauliflower rice tabbouleh, is to try to get the cauliflower as dry as possible because slight moisture will lead to a soggy result. After rinsing and processing, place into a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess water. Since cauliflower doesn’t really have that much flavor, the fresh herbs and hint of heat from the chili really rounds off the dish well. The lime also compliments all the unique flavors and the creamy avocado is the perfect subtle move to even out and tie all of the elements together. It’s the perfect healthy summer meal! Enjoy!

6. Quinoa Corn Bowl With Garlic Sauce

Source: Quinoa Corn Bowl With Garlic Sauce

Big bowls of goodness are a warming and hearty comfort food, especially when they are big bowls of plant-based goodness that are satisfying and nourishing at the same time. They warm your belly, but also feed your soul. High-protein grains, veggies, healthy fats, and herbs & spices are the key ingredients for creating a delicious bowl of goodness. This Quinoa Corn Bowl With Garlic Sauce by Kristina Humphreys contains just those ingredients with a variety of flavors.

7. Cleansing Buddha Bowl

Source: Cleansing Buddha Bowl

Here’s a flavorful, protein-packed lunch that is very satisfying. Freekeh is a supergrain made from green durum wheat. Turmeric is good at moving stagnation in the blood and reducing pathogenic bacteria. Serve this Cleansing Buddha Bowl by Kerry Harling with the dressing of your choice!

8. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowl

Source: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowl

This Mexican-inspired Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowl by Christina Bedetta incorporates various burrito classics, such as cilantro-lime rice, guacamole, salsa, and spiced beans. The addition of roasted sweet potato chunks provides extra flavor, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Enjoy!

9. Macrobiotic Miso Bowl

Source: Macrobiotic Miso Bowl

A nourishing macro bowl for all seasons! Try this Macrobiotic Miso Bowl by Claire Ragozzino with a variety of different seasonal vegetables.

10. Salad Bowl

Source: Salad Bowl

A zesty and fresh salad with varying textures and flavors! And bursting with delicious whole foods. Try this Salad Bowl by Judy Moosmueller!

11. Gaucho Grain Bowl

Source: Gaucho Grain Bowl

This Gaucho Grain Bowl by Quelcy Kogel is inspired by the smoky, meaty flavors of the countryside, of the traditions of the gaucho. It’s an oxymoron with smoky eggplant, meaty mushrooms and a variation on the traditional chimichurri sauce, which you’ll want to scoop onto everything.

12. Meal Prep Roasted Buddha Bowl

Source: Meal Prep Roasted Buddha Bowl

This Roasted Buddha Bowl by Caroline Doucet takes only 20 minutes of preparation and will offer you several meals. It’s full of vegetables, including roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas and fresh leafy greens. You can also add other vegetables, making this bowl easily adjustable to what you have on hand. Simply double the recipe to serve a family!

13. Deconstructed Sushi Bowl with Spicy Sriracha Dressing

Source: Deconstructed Sushi Bowl with Spicy Sriracha Dressing

This Sushi Bowl with Spicy Sriracha Dressing by Sapana Chandra is made from all the ingredients commonly used to make plant-based sushi, but it doesn’t require any nori-rolling skills. It contains fresh mango for a delicate, sweet flavor; cucumber, carrots, and cabbage for crunch; avocado for creamy, healthy fat; and a spicy dressing for balanced heat. If you’d like to incorporate even more vegetables, replace the white or brown rice with cauliflower rice.

14. Veggie Grain Bowls With Crispy Parm Roasted Chickpeas and Spicy Ranch

Source: Veggie Grain Bowls With Crispy Parm Roasted Chickpeas and Spicy Ranch

Simple meals are the best and the easier the better. These Veggie Grain Bowls by Tori Cooper are perfect combination of a few really easy components.

15. Vegetable Pilaf Bowl with Creamy Turmeric Dressing

Source: Vegetable Pilaf Bowl with Creamy Turmeric Dressing

Pilaf is the term used for rice cooked in seasoned broth. The rice is typically sautéed in oil before the spices and broth are added. The vegetables in this bowl give the pilaf texture, nutrients, and flavor. This Vegetable Pilaf Bowl by Sapana Chandra is a great potluck dish, as it tastes delicious both warm and at room temperature.

5 Bonus Noodle Bowls Because They May Not Technically Be A Whole Food But Boy Are They Tasty

Like the title says, noodles are not technically a whole food, but these bowls are still full of nourishing and nutrient dense ingredients! You can omit the noodles or replace them with a veggie version like zucchini noodles if you prefer. We just couldn’t leave out these awesome and delicious lunch and dinner bowls.

16. Sweet and Spicy Noodle Bowl

Source: Sweet and Spicy Noodle Bowl

This sauce is a very handy recipe to have when you don’t know what to do with tasteless fruit that you accidentally buy! It could be even peaches, apricots, mango, cantaloupe or papaya. You can put any veggies that you want in this sweet and spicy noodle bowl! It’s perfect for when you don’t have enough of each veggie to eat on its own. Try this Sweet and Spicy Noodle Bowl by Lena Novak! It’s delicious!

17. Asian Noodle Bowl with Yellow Curry Sauce

Source: Asian Noodle Bowl with Yellow Curry Sauce

Crunchy vegetables, hearty rice noodles, and a spicy, creamy sauce – this Asian Noodle Bowl by Melanie Jacobs takes less than 20 minutes to make and brings warmth and freshness at the same time to this cold winter season.

18. Miso Ramen Bowl With Tellicherry Black Pepper Tofu

Source: Miso Ramen Bowl With Tellicherry Black Pepper Tofu

What do you do if you’re craving something that is rich and bursts with umami? Make this vegan Miso Ramen Bowl by Anett Velsberg! The combination of miso, dried shiitakes and a tiny amount of soy milk does the trick. Plus, the Tellicherry black pepper tofu gives it a nice kick. Complete with miso-glazed bok choy and sautéed shimeij mushrooms, this vegan ramen will have you wanting more before you’ve even slurped the last noodle.

19. Green Thai Curry Bowls

Source: Green Thai Curry Bowls

These Green Thai Curry Bowls by Julie Zimmer make an amazing dinner. The broth is really the center of attention. It packs in flavor, but it’s much lighter than the typical curry broth.

20. Spicy Almond Butter Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls

Source: Spicy Almond Butter Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls

These Spicy Almond Butter Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls by Lauren Kirchmaier are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, and leftovers heat up well for a warm lunch.

If you can’t get enough of whole food plant based lunch and dinner bowls, try these 15 Grain and Veggie Bowls to Get You Back On Track from last year. And check out 15 Meal Bowls Packed With Seasonal Veggies, Grains, and Fantastic Flavors!

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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