Summer Vegetable Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant bowl with sautéed seasonal vegetables over fluffy rice, topped with fresh basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
02 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

→ Base

06 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice

→ Aromatics & Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Optional

13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Cook the rice according to package instructions and keep warm until assembly.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and corn to the skillet. Season with salt and black pepper. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender-crisp.
04 - Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften.
05 - Drizzle with lemon juice if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
06 - Divide the warm rice equally among four serving bowls. Top each portion with the sautéed vegetable mixture.
07 - Crown each bowl generously with torn fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, leaving your kitchen calm instead of chaotic.
  • The vegetables stay tender but never mushy, which is harder than it sounds but worth learning.
  • You can prep everything in advance and sauté in under ten minutes when hunger hits.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when sautéing or the vegetables steam instead of sauté, which sounds small but changes everything about texture and flavor.
  • Cherry tomatoes added too early will burst into nothing, so really do wait until the end or you'll have sad, watery vegetables on top of your rice.
03 -
  • Prep all your vegetables before you start cooking because there's no time to chop once the pan is hot and something is already wilting.
  • A squeeze of lemon juice at the very end is the difference between tasting like something and tasting like everything, so don't skip it even though it seems small.
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