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These nutrient-packed bowls have flavor and texture galore! They feature chewy brown rice, tender broccoli, creamy white beans, crunchy almonds, and a nutty almond butter dressing. Enjoy them warm, room temperature, or cold. These Broccoli Bowls are great for meal prep and easily customizable to what you have on hand!
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This is one of my go-to recipes for a quick lunch when I’m working from home. They also pack well in a lunchbox for office or school lunch. They make a great weeknight dinner, too!
These bowls are vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Rice ~ I prefer brown rice for this recipe. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a tender chewy texture. Leftover rice or quick-cook rice works great! You can use white rice if you prefer. Or try quinoa, couscous, farro, or spelt.
- Broccoli ~ I like my broccoli to be just tender still having a bit of a crunch. I steam it for just a few minutes until bright green. You can roast it if you prefer.
- Beans ~ I like creamy white beans, like cannellini beans or navy beans, but you can use chickpeas or black beans if you prefer. Other good protein options are baked tofu, tempeh, lentils, or edamame, which you could use instead of or in addition to the beans.
- Nuts ~ Chopped almonds are my go-to for these broccoli bowls. I like the chunky texture of chopping whole almonds myself. Feel free to use store-bought sliced almonds if you like. Lightly toasting them will bring out the best flavor. You can use chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios. For a nut-free option, try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Sauce ~ The sauce is an almond butter based sauce. The flavors pair perfectly with the other ingredients. Other sauce options: tahini goddess dressing, easy peanut sauce, southwest vegan ranch, or creamy sesame dressing.
- Extras ~ I think these bowls are pretty perfect as is, but you can certainly add more vegetables or garnishes. Sliced cucumbers, quick pickled red onions, sliced green onions, fresh chopped cilantro, etc. I always encourage adding some leafy greens, like massaged kale or fresh spinach. If you like a spicy kick, a few dashes of hot sauce is tasty.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces and place in a steamer basket.
- Step 2: Steam for a few minutes until just tender and bright green.
- Step 3: Chop the raw almonds and place in a dry skillet.
- Step 4: Toast over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring them frequently, until fragrant and the color is a shade darker. Don’t walk away – they can and will burn quickly!
- Step 5: Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
- Step 6: Assemble the bowls.
Serving suggestions
These hearty broccoli bowls are a meal by themselves. If you want to serve them with a little something extra, try one of these options:
- Light soups: vegan carrot soup, creamy tomato soup, cold cucumber soup
- Salad: butter lettuce salad, kale apple slaw, cucumber chickpea salad
- Bread: vegan garlic bread, jalapeño cornbread, a slice of toasted oatmeal bread
- Garnishes: seasoned roasted chickpeas, quick pickled red onions, dollop of spicy hummus
- Extra protein: baked tofu, smoky tempeh bacon, edamame, or lentils
These bowls are delicious served hot, room temperature, or even cold straight from the fridge!
Storage and freezing
Make ahead: All of the components of these broccoli bowls can be made ahead of time. This is a great meal prep lunch or dinner.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. While the ingredients can be stored after they’re mixed all together, it’s better to store them separately if possible.
Freezer: The rice, beans, and sauce can all be frozen if you have leftovers. Store them separately. I don’t recommend freezing cooked broccoli – once thawed the texture will be less than ideal.
Pro tips and tricks
- Steam the broccoli until it’s bright green and just tender. It only takes about 5 minutes.
- Use leftover rice or quick-cooking rice to make these broccoli bowls super fast.
- Drain and rinse the canned white beans before adding them to the bowls.
- Toast the almonds for a deeper, nuttier flavor. It makes a huge difference!
- If you like things saucy, double the sauce!
- If you like things spicy, add a few dashes of hot sauce to individual bowls right before serving.
FAQs
Of course! We love roasted broccoli and use it in these popular Roasted Veggie Rice Bowls. I prefer the steamed broccoli in this recipe, but feel free to use your preferred cooking method.
Yes, these bowls can be made nut-free. Swap out the almonds for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds or leave them out entirely. In the sauce, swap out the almond butter for tahini or sunflower seed butter or use a dollop of hummus instead.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Nutty Brown Rice Broccoli Bowls
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup chopped raw almonds
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce
- ¼ cup creamy almond butter
- 3 tablespoons tamari or liquid aminos
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- few dashes of hot sauce optional
- warm water as needed to thin
Instructions
- Steam the broccoli florets for 5 to 6 minutes, until bright green and just tender.
- While the broccoli is steaming, add the chopped almonds to a small dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until the almonds are fragrant and a shade darker in color. Don't walk away as they can burn quickly! Set aside to cool.
- Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients except the water. Once the dressing is smooth, whisk in the warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. It should be easy to drizzle, but not too thin. How much water is needed will depend on the thickness of your almond butter. Sometimes I don't need to add any water.
- Add the rice, steamed broccoli, white beans, and toasted almonds to a large bowl. Drizzle the sauce over the top toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper, as necessary.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
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- Steam the broccoli until it’s bright green and just tender. It only takes about 5 minutes.
-
- Use leftover rice or quick-cooking rice to make these broccoli bowls super fast.
-
- Drain and rinse the canned white beans before adding them to the bowls.
-
- Toast the almonds for a deeper, nuttier flavor. It makes a huge difference!
-
- If you like things saucy, double the sauce!
-
- If you like things spicy, add a few dashes of hot sauce to individual bowls right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Jenn Sebestyen
I hope you love these bowls as much as we do!