Maria Zizka - One-Bowl Meals: Simple, Nourishing, Delicious

Maria Zizka

Photographs by Erin Scott

Artisan | New York

For Graham

yogurt base + broiled pineapple + honey-lime syrup + gluten-free granola

chia seed pudding base + tropical fruit + toasted coconut flakes

toasted steel-cut oats base + sugared apples + crme frache + lemon zest

toasted steel-cut oats base + frizzled shallots + soft-cooked eggs + herbs

tortilla chips base + ancho chile sauce + soft-scrambled eggs + pinto beans + avocado + cotija

spiced tomato cream and baked eggs base + zaatar-sumac drizzle + feta + warm pita bread

steamed white rice base + gochujang squash rings + mizuna + seven-minute eggs + rice cracker crunch

steamed white rice base + panko-crusted baked tofu + gingery bok choy + katsu sauce

kimchi fried rice base + sunny-side-up egg + green onions + radish roots

steamed white rice base + sashimi + wasabi-gomasio cucumber salad + soy sauce + nori

holy trinity brown rice base + smoked andouille sausage + sauted kale

spiced basmati rice base + gem-colored dried fruits + toasted pistachios and almonds + roasted chicken

French green lentils base + crispy mustard chicken + spinach + watercress sauce

quinoa base + roasted salmon + caramelized fennel and lemon wheels + lemon-shallot dressing

barley base + baby spinach + roasted rainbow vegetables + creamy tahini sauce + seven-minute eggs

farro cooked in coconut milk base + spicy sole + chile crisp + cilantro + green onion

bulgur and crispy chickpea base + pomegranate seeds + radish + feta + mint + pomegranate molasses vinaigrette

rye berries base + smoked salmon + creamy dill-juniper sauce

soba noodle base + crispy salt-and-pepper tofu + broccolini + black sesame seeds + sesame seed sauce

buttered egg noodle base + saucy chicken + sour cream + parsley

rice noodle base + shrimp + egg + bean sprouts + toasted peanuts + lime + tamarind sauce

ziti pasta base + caponata-style tomato sauce + ricotta salata + toasted pine nuts + parsley

ramen noodle base + misoshiitake mushroom broth + enoki mushrooms + pea shoots + watermelon radish + shichimi togarashi + nori

pappardelle pasta and green peas base + pea shoot salad + crispy pancetta crumbs + Parmigiano

thinly sliced fennel base + anchovy croutons + seven-minute eggs + garlicky dressing

arugula base + tarragon cream sauce + smoked trout + pickled pink onions

chicories base + haricots verts + tuna + Nioise olives + new potatoes + Dijon vinaigrette

romaine lettuce base + cured meats + cheese + pickled vegetables + Italian-style dressing

mixed baby greens base + tomatoes + torn croutons + mozzarella + basil

green cabbage base + tomato rice + chipotle shrimp + tortilla chips + crispy pepitas + avocado + lime

In recent years, the one-bowl meal has become a staple of contemporary eating, but the idea of a complete meal in a bowl is not new: think of Korean bibimbap, a sizzling hot stone bowl of rice served with a colorful array of pickles, spicy chile sauce, and an egg; or traditional Japanese donburi rice bowls topped with vegetables and meat or seafood; porridge with flavorful toppings is a classic bowl both in the United Kingdom and across Southeast Asia. In many cuisines, the nutritional power couple of beans and rice unite in one bowl. Whether its savory or sweet, Mediterranean or Scandinavian, a bowl offers a nourishing, personalized, and delicious meal in one.

But what exactly is a bowl? Lets go with an easy answer! In this book, a bowl is defined by the following equation:

bowl = base + topping + topping + sauce (sometimes)

Are you wondering about that sometimes? Well get there, but first lets start with the foundation of every good bowlthe base. The chapters in this book are organized around their base ingredient: rice, other grains and legumes, noodles, or greens. (The Breakfast chapter has recipes with a variety of bases, including yogurt, oatmeal, and eggs.) Greens can be rinsed, dried, and stored in the refrigerator until youre ready to use them. Noodles are generally best cooked the day you eat them, but rice and other grain bases can be cooked ahead, and you might even consider making a double or triple batch for a week of meals. Most of these recipes make two generous servings, and they all scale easily. Yield is a little tricky to determine with a one-bowl meal. The amount that you'd like to eat varies from day to day, not to mention from person to person. These recipes err on the side of having plenty of base ingredient in each bowl. That way, you're sure to cook enough to fill you up on your hungriest day, and if you prefer to save some for leftovers, then that's great, too.

A bowl needs at least a couple of toppings. However, quality is much more important than quantitytwo delicious toppings are better than four that are just so-so. The best bowls have a variety of flavors, textures, and colors.

Protein plays a valuable role, contributing nutritious and filling qualities. Most recipes in this book include a protein, and all the recipes can be adapted to suit your tastes. In some cases, the base is a protein (like in ). Feel free to improvise by including protein in the form of dairy, eggs, tofu, beans, meat, or seafood. If youre looking to eat vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, youll find plenty of options and endless variations on the recipes.

Eggs are super-quick-cooking and affordable sources of protein. When you top a bowl with a soft-boiled egg, the runny yolk acts like a built-in sauce, cloaking the other ingredients with its rich flavor. Heres a foolproof recipe to turn to anytime you want to put an egg on it: