Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowls

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Teriyaki Vegetable Bowls with homemade sauce over a bed of nutty brown rice with crunchy peanuts is your new favorite meatless meal.

357 CAL 60g CARBS 10g FAT 11g PROTEIN
1 Comment

If you want an easy vegetarian meal for meal prep, lunch, or dinner - I've got you covered. These easy Teriyaki Vegetable Rice Bowls are easy to make, full of flavor, and packed with healthy ingredients.

Want to add some protein? You can always serve them with some Baked Teriyaki Chicken or Teriyaki Flank Steak. Or try these Asian Rice Bowls.

Who out there is guilty of reading labels on lots of food but skipping over the condiments? It's easy to think that ketchup and mustard don't count, or barbecue sauce and the like. But in reality, there are calories and sugar and sodium in lots of condiments, so it's worth the read.

All that is to say that I, too, admit I love the sweet, sticky, store-bought condiments, especially teriyaki sauce. But when I look at the label, I always cringe when I see that the second ingredient is sugar or corn syrup. Corn syrup?

Who knew right? (Really makes you wonder what else is lurking on those nutrition labels in your fridge right now...)

Luckily after doing some research, it turns out it isn't too hard to make your own teriyaki sauce at home and thereby eliminate a lot of the sugar by using pure maple syrup instead.

From there you can use it to make almost any teriyaki dish, but one of our favorites is this simple Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowl. You can use any mix of veggies you have on hand or a store-bought Asian vegetable mix and you could add tofu, chicken, shrimp, or steak for protein. 

Vegetable and brown rice bowl with teriyaki sauce and peanuts on a white plate.

How do you make Teriyaki Sauce?

As I mentioned, it's easy to stir together some common ingredients to make your own teriyaki sauce. Do it once and cook with it, and you'll be hard-pressed to buy store-bought ever again.

Ready? Here goes: In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger together. I like to use a whisk to make sure it gets good and combined. Store in a mason jar with a tight lid or another container with a tight seal. I store mine in the fridge.

How can you customize Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowls?

The most wonderful thing about these grain bowls is that you can customize them in so many different ways!

  • If you don't have brown rice, you can use white, Basmati, wild, or any rice you enjoy. It's a; so great with sushi rice like in these build-your-own sushi bowls.
  • Not into rice? Try cooked quinoa or farro like in these easy Broccoli Bowls.
  • Swap out these veggies for any of your own favorites. Some good ones include: bell peppers, red cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, napa cabbage, snow peas, sugar snap peas, eggplant, and radish.
  • If you'd prefer to have some extra protein in your veggie bowl, you can add diced chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, or tofu. Black beans (like in these black bean bowls) or chickpeas are two more good options.
  • Substitute another kind of high-temperature oil for coconut oil if you don't like the flavor or don't have it on hand.
  • There's no shame in buying store-bought teriyaki if you can't make your own. Just look at the nutrition label and make sure the ingredients are as pure as you can find them and also lower in sodium.
  • Skip the peanuts if you'd prefer not to have that texture or are allergic.

Is a Teriyaki Bowl healthy?

Well, that depends. If you get one at an Asian restaurant or another spot where the veggie bowls are cooked in a lot of oils and added sugars, they aren't so healthy. But, if you make them yourself like I did here, then you can control what goes into it and make them as healthy as you like.

Teriyaki Veggie Bowls can be a good source of protein and the vitamins and minerals provided by the vegetables make a great source of nutrition for sure. Make sure you check all your ingredients, make your own sauces whenever possible, and use healthier cooking techniques (not fried, battered, cooked in tons of oil, etc.) and any of your dishes can be healthy!

Is teriyaki sauce vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. In fact, teriyaki sauce is vegan. Made with low-sodium soy sauce, pure maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger, it's a great sauce to use in a lot of Asian dishes if you are a vegetarian or vegan.

Teriyaki veggie bowls with bok choy, carrots, broccoli, and cabbage on a bed of brown rice.

What's the difference between teriyaki and soy sauce?

Soy sauce is a saltier sauce made out of a paste of fermented soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and Aspergillus molds.

Teriyaki sauce uses soy sauce as a base. It's generally sweeter than soy sauce.

No matter how you make these Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowls, I think you'll agree that they are worth the effort! Bonus points if you try your hand at making your own teriyaki sauce. I promise you'll never go back to buying it again, it's so easy!

Looking for more healthy teriyaki recipes?

The Recipe
Teriyaki vegetable bowl with brown rice, bok choy, corn, edamame, carrots, and peanuts.

Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowls

357 CAL 60g CARBS 10g FAT 11g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
1 Comment
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 cups bok choy, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 summer squash, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup broccoli, chopped
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup canned baby corn
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (GF or coconut aminos if needed)
  • 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsp. ginger, minced
  • 1/4 cup peanuts

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Instructions

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1

Cook the brown rice according to package directions.

2

Stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger to make the teriyaki sauce.

3

Add the coconut oil to a wok or large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 5-7 minutes until tender. Try to use a large skillet so the vegetables don't steam but instead are sauteed at high heat.

4

Stir in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes until veggies are well coated and sauce thickens a bit. Top with peanuts.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 357
Calories from Fat 89
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g
16%
Saturated Fat 4g
19%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 799mg
35%
Total Carbohydrate 60g
19%
Dietary Fiber 7g
29%
Sugars 13g
Protein 11g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
1 Comment
On Teriyaki Veggie Brown Rice Bowls
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Megan Eaton
February 27, 2016 - 13:56
Add a Rating:
5
Loved the sauce and the combo of veggies! Yummy and super filling!
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