Sauces for Rice Bowls: 15 EASY + Flavorful Recipes

In search of some tasty sauces for rice bowls? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide. From creamy sauces, to spicy sauces, and more!

First thing’s first…

How Do You Make A Rice Bowl?

• Start with a base of brown rice, white rice or quinoa. I love making my grains in the Instant Pot. Here’s my recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa and Instant Pot Rice.
• Add some beans. I generally heat up a can of drained and rinsed red beans, but you could also top these bowls with instant pot black beans or instant pot chickpeas. You could even add some sliced chicken.
• Pile on the toppings – Tomatoes, olives, avocado, cheese, etc.
• Drizzle on your favorite sauce from the list below. ↓↓↓
• Enjoy!

The BEST Rice Bowl Sauces

Learn how to make Yumm Sauce – inspired by Cafe Yumm. These vegetarian Yumm Bowls are loaded up with all the toppings and drizzled with a creamy curry & cumin spiced chickpea sauce.

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Peanut Sauce is delicious on rice bowls! Try it served with tofu on a bed of coconut-lime rice, with quick pickled red peppers.

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Creamy Wasabi Sauce is especially delicious on these sushi rice bowls that can be topped with shrimp or salmon.

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This Raita Recipe is a popular Indian dip that’s creamy, crunchy and a perfect pair for warming and spicy foods. Try it on Prawn Biryani rice bowls.

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Mojo Sauce is so delicious drizzled over a Buddha Bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, peppers and chickpeas.

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This naturally dairy-free and gluten-free Creamy Harissa Sauce is addictively delicious! Tahini, harissa paste, lemon, and maple syrup are whisked until smooth, leaving you with a bold and tangy sauce to drizzle over everything, from salads to eggs to meat.

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Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Sauce) is a popular Indonesian condiment you can use as rice bowl drizzle. So sweet and aromatic, this 3-ingredient sauce is easy to make and a must-have in your fridge!

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Add some smoke and spice to your favorite recipes with this Chipotle Crema. A Mexican-inspired sauce, this creamy mix is made with chipotles in adobo to give a boost to Mexican-style rice bowls.

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Tzatziki Sauce is delicious on rice bowls! Try it on these Greek Bowls for a healthy dinner that’s got the flavors of a gyro sandwich, all piled into one bowl.

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This Peruvian Green Sauce (or Aji Verde) is a spicy and versatile condiment. Made with jalapeno, cilantro, and fresh lime juice, plus Greek yogurt to give it a creamy texture. It's an amazing dipping sauce, spread or dressing.

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This super quick Gyoza Sauce is easy to make with 4 simple ingredients. It’s savory, tangy, and a little spicy. The perfect sauce for dumplings, but also delicious on savory rice bowls!

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This jalapeno sesame salsa recipe is totally unique and so addictive! It's the perfect topping for rice bowls, hummus, scrambled eggs, pizza and more! Or just use it as a dip.

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Maple Tahini Dressing is dreamy + creamy. Add it to a grain bowl with roasted butternut squash & chickpeas.

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With only four ingredients, you can make your own whipped, creamy and delicious Toum, a traditional Lebanese garlic sauce, at home!

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Elevate your everyday stir fry with a simple, homemade Easy Stir Fry Sauce. It’s a 5-minute sauce made from pantry-staple ingredients, like soy sauce, broth, garlic, and ginger. No cooking required!

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How to make ahead & store

Many of these sauce recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer. Simply check the individual recipes for full storing instructions and details on how to make ahead. 

More sauce recipes:

• Sauces for Noodles
• Sauces for Tofu
• Sauces for Hibachi
• Sauces for Buddha Bowls
• Sauces for Udon Noodles
• Sauces for Rice Noodles
• Sauces for Egg Rolls
• Dipping Sauces for Rice Paper Rolls
• Sauces for Korean BBQ

Healthy bowl recipes: 

• Quinoa Taco Bowls
• Shrimp Sushi Bowls
• Tuna Rice Bowl
• Chicken Gyro Bowls with Quinoa
• Poke Bowls
• Salmon Sushi Bowls
• Lemon Orzo Bowls with Lamb & Tzatziki
• Shrimp Spring Roll Noodle Bowls
• Fish Taco Bowls with Mango Salsa & Avocado Cream Sauce

Did you Make Any of These Sauces for Rice Bowls?

Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of rice bowl sauces. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? For more great Platings & Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

15+ Sauces for Rice Bowls: Easy Sauce Recipes

Learn how to make Yumm Sauce! These vegetarian rice bowls are loaded up with all the toppings and drizzled with a creamy curry & cumin spiced chickpea sauce.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

1x2x3x

Ingredients

Yumm Sauce:

• 3/4 cup canned garbanzo beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup water (plus additional as needed to thin)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
• 1/3 cup silken tofu
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)

Bowls:

• Rice or Quinoa
• Beans
• Avocado (sliced )
• Tomatoes (chopped )
• Black olives (sliced )
• Cheddar cheese (shredded )
• Cilantro
• Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
• Sesame Seeds (for topping)
• Jalapeno Sesame Salsa (for topping)

Instructions

• Add ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving.
• To assemble place about 1 cup rice in bowl, drizzle on Yumm Sauce, then top with 1/2 cup beans, avocado, tomatoes, olives, cheese, cilantro and top with greek yogurt or sour cream. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Notes

Yumm sauce will store in the fridge for up to one week. It can also be frozen, but may separate. Just give it a good stir, or pop it back into your blender or use an immersion blender to process again. 

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 5.6mg