Autumn Grain Bowl with Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Jump to Recipe

This vegetarian bowl is packed with all of your favorite seasonal flavors and then pulled together with the creamiest cinnamon-spiced apple cider dressing!

autumn rice bowl with a jar of creamy dressing on the side

It was only a matter of time before I shared my favorite grain bowl! I am not exaggerating when I say I would eat some version of this for lunch 75% of the time if I could.

Grain bowls are such a perfect meal for so many reasons: they’re satisfying and nutritionally balanced if you follow my formula, a great way to use odds and ends from the fridge, highlights seasonal produce, and present so beautifully. What’s not to love?

Here are the ingredients you need to make this one.

Ingredients for an Autumn Grain Bowl

Brown rice. Any grain will work, but I love fluffy, slightly chewy brown rice in this particular bowl. Feel free to sub in farro, quinoa or couscous.
Pre-cooked lentils. I’m a huge fan of the refrigerated steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s because you can eat them straight out of the package and the flavor is great. If you don’t have access to a TJ’s, look for a canned version in the grocery store or online.
Arugula (or other mixed greens). For ease of eating, I like to roughly chop it up. Charred kale or wilted spinach would also work great.
Butternut squash – cubed and roasted! Microwave some frozen squash if you’re really short on time.
Apple, thinly sliced. Any sweet, crunchy variety works.
Purple cabbage shredded or thinly sliced using a mandoline is my preference
Pecans for crunch and heart-healthy fats (plus they are just so “fall”)
Dried cherries. My go-to dried fruit, for a touch of sweetness.
Bleu cheese. If you don’t like bleu, swap in feta, parmesan or even extra-sharp cheddar. Bleu cheese pairs really well with the cherries and apples. I love using big flavor cheeses in small amounts.

ingredients laid out on a wood cutting board

The nice thing about bowls, is once you have everything prepped, it’s basically an assembly line. Start with the rice, lentils and greens as your base, then add the toppings per your personal preference. Using a shallow bowl really helps with the presentation because you can see everything.

Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

Let’s talk about this dressing for a minute. It is SO GOOD you guys.

When I started dreaming up this bowl, I knew I wanted a creamy dressing that involved seasonal flavors like apple, maple and cinnamon. Tahini is a great way to make dressings creamy while bringing a deep, nutty flavor to the mix.

Pro tip: when you’re making a creamy dressing, use the stick blender and large mouth mason jar to get everything fully incorporated. It works really well and is easier to clean than a food processor or blender.

creamy apple cider vinaigrette in a small jar

creamy apple cider vinaigrette overhead shot

The key to getting the perfect, pourable consistency is to blend all of the ingredients and then gradually add in hot water (adding a bit, blending, tasting… adding a bit more, blending again). I ended up using 1/2 cup of water.

Drizzle the dressing over the top of the bowl to finish. If you’re anything like me, once you get the photo you’ll immediately mix everything up to get it all coated.

Dig in!

closeup of autumn grain bowl with apples and squash

FAQs

Is it possible to meal prep a grain bowl like this?

This is one of my favorite parts of this dish! Make all of the separate components (roast squash, cook rice, chop veggies, make dressing) and store in separate containers. Then just layer it all when you’re ready to eat.

Can I sub a different protein for the lentils?

Absolutely! I think rotisserie chicken, blackened salmon or even tofu would work great here.

If I don’t have a stick blender, can I still make the dressing?

Yep. You can use a regular blender but the amount is fairly small so you may want to double it. Mixing by hand is also totally fine (use a whisk), you just won’t get that super creamy almost frothy vibe going on.