Wild Rice Bowl

Name: Wild Rice Bowl
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup wild rice or wild rice blend (rinsed); 4 medium beets; 2 1/2 tsp olive oil (divided); salt and pepper; 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced); 1/4 cup vinegar; 2 cups corn; 1 can chickpeas (19 oz) (drained and rinsed); 4-6 cups baby spinach; 4 tbsp raw sunflower seeds (optional); 1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley; 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tsp maple syrup; salt and pepper

By Deryn Macey

5 from 1 vote

on Aug 21, 2024, Updated Mar 14, 2025

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This vegan wild rice bowl features chickpeas, corn, pickled red onions and roasted beets, topped with a zesty herb lemon yogurt sauce.

Wild rice bowl with chickpeas, spinach, pickled onion, corn and chickpeas on a marble cutting board. A second bowl is shown in the background.

About the Recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to Make Wild Rice Bowls
FAQs
More Rice Bowls
Wild Rice Bowl Recipe

About the Recipe

Wild rice has a satisfying chewy texture and nutty flavor that makes the perfect base for these wild rice bowls. Combined with fresh spinach, roasted beets, tangy pickled onion and yogurt sauce, these bowls deliver plenty of flavour and nutrition.

Here’s what’s to know about the recipe:

Vegan and gluten-free.
Enjoy in 45 minutes.
Bold flavors.
Good for meal prep.
Can be enjoyed chilled or warm.
23 grams of protein per bowl.
15 grams of fiber per bowl.

You can also try wild rice in this Harvest Bowl Recipe. If you’re ready for more bowls, some of my favourites are these Vegan Farro Bowls, Cauliflower Chickpea Potato Bowls, Veggie Power Bowls and Vegan Quinoa Power Bowls.

Ingredients

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

Here’s what you’ll need to make these and any substitutions you can make:

Rice: Use any wild rice or wild rice blend. This can be substituted with any other whole grain such as quinoa or farro. If you have extra wild rice, try it in this Wild Rice Salad or Creamy Cauliflower Wild Rice Soup.
Lemon: You can substitute white or red wine vinegar for a variation.
Fresh Herbs: I used half parsley and half cilantro. Mix and match with other fresh herbs like dill, basil or mint. You want about 1 big handful or roughly 1 cup in total.
Beet: Beets can be substituted with other root vegetables like sweet potatoes or carrot or you could use a combination. The recipe calls for roasting the beets but you could also add them raw and grated.
Yogurt: Use any plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt. Just make sure the taste is ok for you as it will come through the dressing if it’s strong. You can substitute any thick plain yogurt.
Spinach: Substitute arugula or kale massaged with a little olive oil to soften.
Maple Syrup: Substitute honey or agave syrup. Sugar would also work in a pinch.

Variations

Bowls are easy to customize by swapping different sauces or adding extra veggies or proteins. Here are some ideas for customizing your bowls:

Alternative Dressing Recipes: Cilantro Tahini Dressing, Miso Tahini Dressing or Maple Dijon Dressing.
For fresh ingredients, try cherry or grape tomatoes, shredded red cabbage, avocado or cucumber.
Sunflower seeds are an optional ingredient but chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds would also work.
Cranberries or raisins would make a yummy addition too! You can sprinkle them over the bowls or even add them to the rice at the end of cooking if you prefer them softer.
For extra protein, add Crispy Baked Tofu or the tempeh from this Vegan Tempeh Buddha Bowl.
You can skip roasting the corn and chickpeas and just add to the bowl as if you like.

How to Make Wild Rice Bowls

There’s a few steps to making these but overall they’re quite simple to put together. Here’s a visual reference to help you get started. Once you’re ready to make the recipe, use the recipe card at the end of the post.

Cooked wild rice in a pot on a marble cutting board.

Step 1: Cook the wild rice according to package instructions.

Thinly sliced red onion in water in a bowl.

Step 2: Add the thinly sliced red onion and vinegar to any bowl or container with a pinch of salt. Cover with boiling water and set aside.

Step 3: Add the thinly sliced beet to a large baking sheet with 2 tsp oil, salt and pepper. Mix with a spatula and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender.

Step 4: Add the corn and chickpeas to another baking sheet with 1/2 tsp oil, salt and pepper. Add to oven once the beets have been in about 15-20 minutes. Roast for 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Divide all of the ingredients between 4 bowls. Sprinkle with the optional sunflower seeds if desired.

FAQs

How long do wild rice bowls keep?

Assembled bowls can be stored in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 4 days. If you’ll be reheating the bowls, store the dressing and pickled onion separately and add after reheating. If you’ll be eating them cold, you can add everything before storing though I still recommend storing the dressing separately.

Are wild rice bowls gluten-free?

Yes. This recipe is gluten-free as written.

Can I use brown rice instead of wild rice?

For sure! You can substitute brown rice, white rice or any other rice or grain you enjoy. Farro would work well too.