grain bowl

noun

plural grain bowls

: a dish typically consisting of an individual portion of a cooked grain (such as rice, quinoa, or farro) served in a bowl with accompaniments such as vegetables, beans, meat or fish, and sauce

Like many cooks I know, I don't always follow recipes for grain bowls at home. Instead, I tend to use up what I have in the fridge and pantry, mixing and matching, figuring out how to make odds and ends delicious.

—Tejal Rao

Arrange, don't mix. Part of a grain bowl's appeal is the visual distinctiveness of its various parts—toss it all together, and it's no longer eye candy.

—Carrie Dennett

Examples of grain bowl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Planned as a casual, airy café, Canopy from the owners of Oak Park aims to serve thoughtful morning and midday dishes such as grain bowls, scrambles, sandwiches, salads and seasonal baked goods. —Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 5 Mar. 2026

Oats are ideal for breakfast and added to baked goods and smoothies, while quinoa works well in grain bowls, salads, soups, and savory side dishes. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 25 Feb. 2026

Fudd grew up near the very first Cava store in Bethesda, Md., and is known to be a legit fan of its Mediterranean fast casual fare, Greek salads and grain bowls. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026

From topping tacos and chips to upgrading burgers and grain bowls, the mealtime opportunities are endless. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grain bowl

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol