Italian Grain Bowls

{originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024}

We have loved grain bowls for a long time. The customization and variety make these really great meals for us. I go for a carb base (orzo, or swap for risotto or rice or beans) + a protein (meatballs, or chicken or rosemary white beans, and cheese) + raw veggie (tomatoes or arugula) + a cooked veggie (parmesan broccoli, or swap for roasted asparagus or zucchini or mushrooms) + drizzle (pesto, or tomato sauce, or alfredo)!

The kids mostly ate everything separate to dip in pesto – their dreams come true.

Italian Grain Bowl
Ingredients (for 4)

1/2 pound orzo (half a box, or use grain of choice)
1-2 heads of broccoli
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
meatballs
1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato sauce
1 cup fresh mozzarella
2/3 cup pesto sauce
1 cup tomatoes

Directions:
Roast the broccoli in the oven (375-degrees) or air fryer until roasted and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parmesan.
Cook the orzo (or any grain).
While veggie and grains are cooking, warm the meatballs and chop the raw veggies.
Drizzle with pesto and enjoy!


One kid let me know they like orzo better with just butter and parmesan – I mean, they still ate it, but this is only a slight deviation for pasta-obsessed kids and it is true we most often have orzo pretty plain. I’m always laying the groundwork for them to see foods all different ways. The same one remembered how much they like roasted broccoli while the other only likes it raw.

The leftovers are great, or let this be the use for leftovers. I love build-your-own situations for groups so people can customize and hit all the dietary needs.


We love all the grain bowls – take your fav flavors and serve it in this grain bowl format (chicken parm! burrito bowls! Egg roll bowls!) and everyone will be glad they can make it their own.

Chicken Parmesan Rice Bowls

Will. It. Rice bowl? Of course! Anything can become a rice bowl! I took a few of our favorite flavors and turned them into a very quick rice bowl. Rice bowls are filling from the rice, with protein from the chicken, and a big veggie serving.

Chicken Parm Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

This would be great with risotto or orzo but I had leftover brown rice so I went with that. If by chance you don’t love arugula as much as I do, sautéed veggies or roasted broccoli or any veg!

Chicken Parmesan Rice Bowls
Ingredients: (for 2)

1 1/2 cups prepared rice (or other grain)
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
4 chicken tenders or ~8 chicken chunks
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella

Directions:
Cook or warm the rice and stir in 1/2 the parmesan.
Cook the chicken (mine was airfried).

Top the chicken with sauce and shredded mozzarella. Return to the oven/airfryer/toaster oven to melt the cheese.
Toss the arugula with Italian dressing or oil & vinegar.
Assemble the bowls with rice in the bottom and top with chicken, fresh mozzarella, arugula, and sprinkle remaining parmesan on top.
Enjoy!

Chicken Parm Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

This is really good and nicely filling. I love the melty cheese with the chicken, and the fresh arugula with a little bit of dressing adds brightness.

Some of our other fav grain bowls are:
Pineapple Coconut Rice Bowls
Winter Veggie Grain Bowls
Chicken, Bacon, & Avocado with Honey Mustard

Chicken Cordon Bleu Grain Bowl

The classic crispy thin chicken rolled around ham and swiss gets a weeknight makeover in this grain bowl. I included all the usuals but in a very assemble your own rice bowl. This was a hit for everyone, and the kids can go either way on rice lately. Cordon bleu translates to blue ribbon so let’s all agree these flavors are winners.

Of course, pounded/breaded/fried chicken cutlets made at home would be better, and a subtle and from scratch sauce would be lovely, but this is the speedy way!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Grain Bowls
Ingredients: (for ~4)

1 1/2 cups arborio rice (or any grain you like)
2 cups chicken broth (as needed for your rice/grain)
~3 cups breaded chicken – chopped or popcorn style
~4 slices of deli ham
~4 slices of swiss cheese
~1 cup arugula (or green beans or broccoli or other veg as you like)
2 teaspoons mayo
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon water
salt & pepper

Directions:
Cook the rice/grain. My risotto takes 7 minutes in the pressure cooker.
Cook the chicken, again according to the package if fully cooked or not.
Chop the ham, cheese, and arugula.
Mix together the mayo, dijon, and water to a dressing consistency and sprinkle in salt & pepper.

Assemble the bowls with rice as the base with rice, ham, cheese, greens, chicken and finish with a drizzle of the mustardy sauce.
Enjoy!

I was pretty jazzed that everyone was into it. I don’t think either kid opted for any of the mustard sauce but it always means something for everyone – each kid ate some of everything and one kid was very into the chicken and the other was all about the ham and cheese. I’ll take it.

Grain bowls are such the perfect meal for me and I have more in mind! Some other favorites are veggie burger ones & a chicken BLT one & a chipotle shrimp one & others. That reminds me, this winter veggie grain bowl needs to be added to my meal plan ASAP!

Lasagna Bowls

I make lasagnas often for Lasagna Love so this idea came to me as the easiest way for those flavors – and in a customized way without a lot of servings OR to use any leftovers! There’s no one way to make a lasagna so treat this bowl the same that you can use what you have or what you love. My fam does not love mushrooms so these would be my addition!

Lasagna Bowls
Ingredients: (for 2-3 servings)

~4 lasagna noodles OR ~3/4 cup orzo
2 tablespoons Parmesan
1 zucchini
1 pint mushrooms
1 cup tomato sauce OR meat sauce 
~3 meatballs (optional)
1/2 cup ricotta (or blended cottage cheese, or skip all together)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 

Directions: 
Boil salted water for the lasagna noodles or orzo and cook accordingly. 
Chop the zucchini and mushrooms. In a large skillet, sautee the zucchini until getting soft through the center (~4 minutes) and add in the mushrooms for the last two minutes. 
Warm the tomato sauce (or the meat sauce or the tomato sauce + meatballs. I used tomato sauce with chopped-up meatballs to be a meat sauce).  
Warm the ricotta/cheese mixture. 

Assemble with noodles (lasagna noodles chopped if using those!) tossed with parmesan, and top as you like – with ricotta, tomato/meat sauce, veggies, and shredded cheese. 
Enjoy! 

I loved this. I always have a partial box of lasagna noodles but orzo also seemed so useful too so I did both and packed another portion to be a work lunch. My ricotta was vegan “ricotta” I had leftover but I’d normally go with regular or a drizzle of leftover alfredo would also feel fitting.  

Swap any veggies you like! I love warm and cold for a bowl so I secretly wanted to dump a handful of arugula dressed in Italian dressing on top. The noodles + sauce + maybe a meatball and some tomato/mozzarella salad on top would also be great with ricotta on the bottom of the bowl. Next time!

Egg roll Bowl

This dinner was a fun once since I don’t cook a ton of Chinese inspired food- I leave that to the professionals. I do always order an egg roll with takeout so that idea led me here and the format of rice bowls work well for us. The kids were amusing – each eating different elements. T was all about the rice and just some of the rest, C was very into the meat and less-so into the other parts, thus, the beauty of letting them surprise us and having enough things that everyone can find something.  

The Three Bite Rule - Eggroll Bowl

Egg roll Bowls have a rice base, a ground meat mixture (could be pork, chicken, or beef) and a cooked cabbage slaw with crispy wonton strips on top. Some or all could be prepped in advance to warm & serve! 

Egg roll Bowl

Ingredients: (serves 4) 
1 1/2 cup white rice
2 cups water + 1 cup broth (or liquid quantities according to your rice)
1/2 – 3/4 pound of ground pork
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1 clove)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bag shredded cabbage
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger 
2 green onions
wonton strips
duck sauce 

Directions:
Prepare the rice – mine went into the pressure cooker for 4 minutes. 
In a large skillet, cook the ground pork over medium heat. When mostly cooked through (~5 minutes) drain out grease, and add in the garlic and soy sauce for the remaining ~5 minutes and sprinkle with green onions.

The Three Bite Rule - Eggroll Bowl

While the ground meat is cooking, heat another large skillet to medium heat and add in the cabbage, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced ginger. Toss well and cook for 5-7 minutes until cooked through and softened, or with a crunch if you prefer!

The Three Bite Rule - Eggroll Bowl

Spoon the rice into bowls, top with meat mixture, and sprinkle on wonton strips. Drizzle with duck sauce. 
Enjoy! 

The Three Bite Rule - Eggroll Bowl

We had edamame pods with these and the kids love quiz one another if the pod is full or empty. They ate theirs disassembled and us grown up ate it as a rice bowl. 

We keep rice vinegar & sesame oil & soy sauce on hand for Peanut Sesame Noodles (a fan fav at home) and a few times we’ve had these Asian inspired burgers or this bowl reminded me we were overdue for some pad thai which uses a few too.