If you want an easy vegetarian meal for meal prep, lunch, or dinner - I've got you covered. These easy Teriyaki Vegetable Brown Rice Bowls are easy to make, full of flavor, and packed with healthy ingredients. And if you must, you can always serve them with some Baked Teriyaki Chicken or Teriyaki Flank Steak.
Who out there is guilty of reading labels on lots of food but skips 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.
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.
- Not into rice? Try cooked quinoa instead!
- 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.
- 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.
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?
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables
- Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
- One Pan Teriyaki Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
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