Save Bold Sauce Drizzle Bowls are vibrant, customizable grain bowls inspired by flavors from around the world. With colorful roasted vegetables, crisp chickpeas, and two bold sauces, they make an exciting main dish for lunch or dinner.
I first tried a sauce drizzle bowl on a rainy weeknight, and was amazed at how much flavor and color came together so quickly. Since then, it's become my go-to for effortless fusion meals with family or friends.
Ingredients
- Grains: 1 cup brown rice or quinoa, uncooked; 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- Roasted Vegetables: 2 cups broccoli florets; 1 large sweet potato, diced; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Protein: 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp salt
- Miso-Butter Sauce: 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or vegan butter); 1 tbsp white miso paste; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tsp maple syrup; 1 tsp sesame oil
- Gochujang-Maple Sauce: 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Toppings: 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 1/2 cup pickled red onions (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven:
- Set oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Cook the grains:
- Rinse rice or quinoa and cook with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce to 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 with one or both sauces. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pickled red onions if desired.
Save Sharing these sauce drizzle bowls with my family inspired everyone to build their own combinations. The variety of sauces made each bowl special, and laughter always seemed to follow the first bold taste.
Required Tools
Saucepan with lid, baking sheets, mixing bowls, whisk, chefs knife, cutting board.
Allergen Information
Contains soy (miso, soy sauce, gochujang), gluten (soy sauce, some gochujang), and milk (butter—substitute with vegan butter if needed). Always check ingredient labels for allergies.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 420 calories, 13 g total fat, 65 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein.
Save Serve immediately for best texture, and let everyone drizzle the sauces to their liking. Enjoy your fusion creation!
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → What grains can I use for the base?
Brown rice and quinoa both provide excellent, hearty bases. You can substitute with farro, barley, or couscous if desired.
- → How do I make the meal vegan?
Simply swap in vegan butter for the miso-butter sauce and ensure all other ingredients, like gochujang, are vegan-friendly.
- → Can I use other vegetables or proteins?
Absolutely, try swapping in seasonal vegetables or proteins like tofu, tempeh, grilled chicken, or shrimp for variety.
- → How spicy are these bowls?
The gochujang-maple sauce adds mild to moderate heat. Adjust gochujang quantity to match your spice preference.
- → Are these bowls suitable for meal prep?
Yes, components can be made ahead and stored separately in the fridge. Leftover sauces keep for up to 5 days.
- → How can I make the dish gluten-free?
Substitute gluten-free tamari for soy sauce and confirm your gochujang is gluten-free. Always check labels.