Here we go with another light, fresh meal to use up all of your farmer’s market veggies: it’s Brown Rice Veggie Bowls with Peanut Sauce! Read on to never mess up brown rice again, and don’t forget to make a double batch of the peanut sauce…
Why is brown rice so hard to cook on the stove?! For me, it always seems that after 45 minutes of cooking, it is simultaneously mushy and crunchy. I am very aware there are useful appliances that cook rice… but as someone with a tiny kitchen, I prefer to use my pots and pans and save the counter space for prepping!
There is a better way: cook brown rice in a large pot of water and strain it, like you are cooking pasta. I learned this technique from Cookie and Kate (linking her buddha bowl recipe here), and now I won’t prep it any other way. Look for short- or medium-grain brown rice, which holds its shape better when cooked.
This peanut sauce… is perfect. It’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and a little sweet. I want to lick the bowl clean! It’s also great as a sauce for lettuce wraps stuffed with veggies and grilled chicken. Peanut sauce tip: use extra-smooth peanut butter (the kind with oil added as an ingredient to emulsify it) for a sauce that’s silky and pourable.
This recipe for Brown Rice Veggie Bowls with Peanut Sauce is super versatile– use the veggies that you have. I love mini cucumbers, shaved carrot, chopped red cabbage, scallions, and flat-leaf kale. Other veggies that would be amazing: radishes, snap peas, lettuce, roasted sweet potatoes, beets, bell peppers, etc– the list is endless!
Make it kid-friendly: that is, eat it with a kid! 😉 Brown Rice Veggie Bowls are a great recipe to introduce/expose kids to new colors, textures, and of course, flavors. If your kiddo isn’t keen on tasting too many *new* veggies, play with them instead– make a rainbow with the vegetables and eat the rice plain. Have fun with it! Check out more about introducing veggies to your toddler here.
Try it out and let me know how you like it!
Brown Rice Veggie Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
- Whisk (for sauce)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup short-grain brown rice
- 1 cup shelled edamame, frozen
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- 2 mini cucumbers, sliced
- 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 cups kale, sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Limes, quartered
Peanut Sauce
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamari (or other soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Thai red curry paste such as Thai Kitchen
- 1/2-3/4 cup water
Instructions
Cook brown rice
- Bring a pot of water to boil and add salt. Rinse brown rice in a strainer until water runs clear. Cook brown rice in boiling water, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add 1 cup frozen edamame to water with rice and cook an additional 5 minutes. Strain water from rice and edamame, and return to pot to keep warm.
For the peanut sauce
- In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari, honey, garlic, and curry paste with a whisk. Add about 1/2 cup water and continue to whisk until combined. Add water 1-2 tbsp at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Assemble bowls
- Massage kale with lime juice for 30 seconds to break it down. Divide rice between bowls and top with kale.
- Top bowls with remaining ingredients: carrots, scallions, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and/or any other vegetable you wish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with peanut sauce and lime wedges.