Busy weekdays call for quick and easy meals. And if you’re like me, you prefer to make a little extra to have meals for a few days instead of just one. That’s why I love all of the recipes on this list. They’re perfect for a crazy weekday dinner and will quickly become your go-to choice for bowls meal prep.
17 Quick Bowl Meal Prep Recipes for Busy Weekdays
1. Ground Turkey Korean Rice Bowls
Flavorful and easy to make, this rice bowl is topped with ground turkey, healthy vegetables and a spicy cucumber salad that is worth every effort to make. Ground turkey is lean and rich in protein, which makes this bowl satisfying. The fish sauce, garlic and ginger add so much flavor, and it pairs so well with the cabbage, carrots, spinach and other veggies in this dish.
The cucumber salad only needs to marinate for 15 minutes before adding it to your bowl.
2. Spicy Pork Brussels Bowls
A spicy, low-carb dish that you can enjoy for dinner, lunch or even breakfast (it’s served with an egg on top).
While the recipe calls for using ground pork, you can use ground turkey or chicken instead. I’ve even made this with beans and tofu and it was excellent.
The spices are what make this dish so over-the-top. You’ll blend garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, oregano and cumin when cooking your meat (or meat substitute).
If you can’t find pre-shredded Brussels sprouts, you can use a handheld shredder, but it will add a few minutes of work.
Related: These Lunch Bowls Are So Good, You’ll Meal Prep Them All Week
3. Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
One of my favorite bowls meal prep is this teriyaki chicken rice bowl. Why? It takes less than 30 minutes to make, and you can easily customize it however you want.
The base has a few main ingredients: chicken breast, broccoli and bell peppers. A simple sauce of soy sauce and brown sugar tops the whole dish. You can use cooked rice or quinoa for this dish, or you can simply skip the grains entirely if you want to keep it low-carb.
Feel free to use any veggies you want and the protein you prefer.
4. Firecracker Beef Meal Prep Bowls
A firecracker dish that you’ll look forward to eating. The red pepper flakes and sriracha give the beef a little kick of heat and spice, while the honey adds a touch of sweetness.
The recipe calls for broccoli and carrots, but I’ve made this with red peppers and onions and other veggies (like green beans).
The best part of this recipe? It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish to prepare.
5. 5-Minute Mediterranean Bowl
If you have five minutes, you can whip up this bowl and make enough servings to last a few days. I love making this with leftover grains, but if you don’t have any on hand and don’t have time to cook something fresh, you can find pre-cooked quinoa or rice in the store.
On top of your quinoa or rice, you’ll add olives, chickpeas, hummus, tzatziki, cucumber, tomatoes, and onions.
6. Healthy Chicken Burrito Bowl
Ready in just 30 minutes, this burrito bowl is high-protein and quick to assemble. The ingredients are flexible, and you can easily prep this meal for 2-3 days.
The chicken recipe just calls for salt and pepper, but you can shake things up. I love to add cumin, garlic powder and chili pepper for a kick of Mexican flavor.
The rest is easy. Start with a bed of spiced rice (or you can use any grain you want) ,and top with the chicken, arugula, tomatoes, corn and black beans. The recipe calls for Caesar dressing, but I prefer to add shredded cheese and a spoonful of salsa instead.
7. Korean Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Asian-inspired bowls like this one are perfect for meal prepping because the rich flavors keep the dish tasting fresh and delicious. For this dish, you’ll quickly marinate chicken thighs in a honey-soy sauce with garlic and ginger (yum!).
You’ll pair your chicken with a slaw salad and rice. Skip the rice if you want or use another grain instead.
Pro tip: Grill your chicken thighs if you can. The smoky, charred flavor really brings out the rest of the ingredients.
8. Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls
Pulled pork paired with avocado, black beans, corn, spicy jalapenos, tomatoes and rice. The pork is cooked in a slow cooker. I just pop everything in my cooker before I head out to work, and it’s ready once I walk through the door.
Once the pork is ready, it’s just a matter of assembling your bowl and topping with cheese.
Not a fan of pork? Use shredded chicken or just skip the meat and use more black beans.
9. Dorothy Lynch Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Here’s a unique bowls meal prep idea that features Dorothy Lynch Homestyle Dressing. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy, which makes it perfect for a chicken bowl.
I love that this dish uses cooked farro as a base, which has more of a bite and is loaded with nutrients. Tomatoes, corn, cucumber, avocado and blue cheese top off this dish, which is perfect when you want something a little lighter for dinner.
Related: 30-Minute Teriyaki Salmon Bowl with Rice
10. Easy Mediterranean Bowl
Prep this Mediterranean bowl for lunch or dinner and enjoy it for 2-3 days. You’ll need just a few things to bring this dish to life: cooked quinoa, arugula, cucumber, roasted red peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, hummus, parsley and chicken.
Assemble all of your ingredients in your bowl and enjoy!
The simple homemade dressing is the perfect topper for this dish. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice (not the kind from a bottle).
If you’re looking for a meat-free version, use chickpeas instead of chicken.
11. Loaded Burger Bowls
Everything you love about burgers, minus the bun. This bowl starts with a bed of romaine lettuce and is topped with delicious ground beef, cherry tomatoes, pickle chips, bacon, onions and guacamole. Top with a homemade special sauce made with ketchup, mayonnaise, maple syrup, relish and spices.
Feel free to swap out any of the ingredients you don’t like for ones you do. Instead of beef, you could use ground turkey or chicken or even Impossible beef.
12. Peanut Butter Chicken & Rice Bowls
A Thai-inspired bowl that’s so fun to make and even more fun to eat! It pairs juicy chicken breast with white rice, shredded cabbage, peanuts and a spicy peanut butter sauce.
This recipe cooks chicken breast in a Sous Vide for 3 hours, but I recommend either roasting or boiling the chicken to save time.
Once the chicken is ready, preparing the rest is quick and easy. For the sauce, you’ll need sweet chili sauce, peanut butter powder, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha.
Whenever I prep this dish, I always add a lime wedge to my bowl to refresh the flavors.
13. Harissa Chicken Bowls
A Cava copycat recipe that the whole family will love. This bowl is loaded with harissa-marinated chicken, veggies, steamed rice and a tangy vinaigrette.
The cook time for this dish is quick (just 20 minutes), but for best results, I recommend marinating your chicken overnight.
Along with chicken and rice, this dish also has pickled onions, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, fresh corn and lettuce.
The harissa dressing is amazing and will have you looking forward to this meal.
14. Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
I love comfort food, and this bowls meal prep idea satisfies that craving every time. It pairs a homemade mac and cheese with sweet and spicy chicken. What more could you want?
The chicken marinates for just a few minutes in a sauce of pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and spices. Then, it cooks in an air fryer for a crispy yet tender base for your dish.
The homemade mac and cheese is so quick and simple. This recipe uses so many different types of cheeses and is worth every minute of prep and cook time.
15. Buffalo Chicken Bowls with Cauliflower Garlic Rice
Tangy buffalo chicken served on a bed of low-carb cauliflower rice and paired with a fresh cucumber salad. This bowl is so simple, but the flavor pairings make it a go-to choice for lunch or dinner.
You can use any type of hot sauce you want to make the buffalo sauce, but Frank’s RedHot is a classic choice.
If you don’t care about being low-carb, you could use regular rice or any grain you want.
16. Spring Roll Bowl
Spring rolls are deceptively delicious. You can put this entire bowl together in 30 minutes or less, and the “secret” behind the taste is the peanut sauce made from:
- Creamy peanut butter
- Hoisin sauce
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Garlic
You’ll need to cook your dry rice noodles and chicken, but the rest is chopping basil, mint leaves, cilantro, peppers, carrots, avocado, cucumber and tons of other veggies.
17. Burger Bowl with Special Sauce
Ground beef, leafy greens, delish potato wedges and all of the toppings that you love come together with burger bowls. Curious about the special sauce? It’s made from mayo, ketchup, pickles, Dijon, white vinegar, onion powder and black pepper.
You can use frozen French fries if you like, or you can cook them on a baking sheet while making your sauce and cooking the ground beef in a skillet.
Combine, add your dressing and any extras you like. I recommend bacon for added flavor.
Related: Lazy Girl-Approved: These 30-Minute Dinner Bowls Have Your Back
18. Chickpea Salad
Minimal bowls meal prep is necessary for this chickpea salad that is filled with Mediterranean flavors. “Refreshing” is an understatement with this salad thanks to its inclusion of chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning and spices.
Offering just 256 calories a serving, this bowl is quick to put together and flavorful.
You can “make it your own” by adding feta, tuna, avocado, quinoa or even a few olives.
