I love a bowl-for-dinner situation, which is no secret around here. What makes a bowl great is how simple the formula is: a protein, a grain, and some veggies. You really can’t go wrong, and the combinations are endless.
My secret to taking it up a notch? A delicious sauce or dressing to drizzle over the top. Bowls are also a favorite of mine for meal prep: using the component prep method, instead of committing to full recipes on prep day, you’re just cooking individual components—like chicken meatballs and bone broth rice—and assembling them throughout the week. It’s less pressure, less waste, and a great low-stakes way to prep.
Today’s pesto chicken meatball bowls follow this formula. While the instructions might seem long, they’re actually broken up into digestible prep blocks: one for the sheet pan meatballs and veggies, the cashew pesto sauce, and the bone broth rice. Each component is easy to prep on its own and full of swaps and subs to make it your own. If you love today’s recipes, or just want more bowls in your life, check out my greek-style orzo bowls, sweet and spicy pork bowls, and copycat chipotle steak burrito bowls!
Today’s recipe is straight from this week’s dinner plan.
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The pesto meatball bowls are finished with a homemade cashew pesto sauce that ups the protein and creaminess. I highly recommend taking the time to make it—it’s very easy, and you can use any leftover drizzled on your avocado toast or pasta salad! The recipe calls for premade pesto (check out the recipe notes for my jarred recs), but making your own is always an option, especially with summer produce in full swing. Here’s a quick dairy-free (or not) pesto you can whip up in just about 5 minutes:
3 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1/3 cup walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, or cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or grated parmesan)
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Add the basil, nuts, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a food processor or blender and pulse or blend until very finely chopped. Scrape the sides, then slowly stream in the olive oil while pulsing until fully incorporated. Add more olive oil to thin to your preference.
Basil: Swap for 3 cups shredded kale (stems removed) for extra veggies, or a half basil, half kale mixture.
Freezing tip: Split servings of pesto in plastic snack bags. Seal, removing all the air to flatten, and freeze for up to three months.
Today’s free newsletter (and Copley and Cashew’s dinner) is sponsored by Rachael Ray® Nutrish™. Bowls are a mealtime staple in this house, and that goes for everyone, the dogs included. This week I’m building bowls for the whole family: pesto chicken meatball bowls for Brian and me, and surf ‘n turf bowls for the girls. Protein, a grain, and something fresh… the formula works for all of us! You may have spotted the dogs and me in the new Nutrish commercial on your TVs at home… let me know if you see it! If you’re a dog or cat parent, go check out their home chef-inspired bowls.
pesto chicken meatball bowls
serves 4 | prep time: 20 minutes | cook time: 40 minutes
gluten-free, dairy-free
INGREDIENTS
For the Cashew Pesto Sauce - yields about 1 cup
2/3 cup raw cashews (unsalted)
1/4 cup pesto of choice
juice of 1 small lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
For the Bone Broth Rice
16 ounces chicken bone broth
1 cup brown rice, thoroughly rinsed
For the Sweet Potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
For the Chicken Meatballs
1 small zucchini
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or blanched almond flour
zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For serving
5 ounces arugula (curly kale or baby spinach also works)
finely chopped basil leaves (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Add the cashews to a glass jar or bowl and cover with 1½ cups of boiling water. Let soak on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
Make the bone broth rice: Bring the bone broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 40 minutes. (See notes for white rice).
Prepare the sweet potatoes: Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and chili powder in a mixing bowl, then transfer to the sheet pan a single layer. Bake until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the meatball mix: Grate the zucchini with the large holes of a box grater and place it in the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather the 4 corners securely into one hand while squeezing out as much liquid as possible with the other hand (you should have about 1 cup of grated zucchini). Transfer it to a mixing bowl along with the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, dried basil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
Bake the meatballs: Push the sweet potatoes to one side of the sheet pan, still in a single layer, clearing room for the meatballs. Form the meatball mixture into about 20 meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each) and with lightly oiled hands, roll until smoothed and place on the sheet pan, evenly spaced apart. Bake until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F, 10 to 12 minutes. For extra color, broil on high for the last 2 to 3 minutes. (See notes for searing option).
Make the cashew sauce: Drain the water from the soaked cashews into a large bowl to reserve for blending. Transfer the cashews to a food processor or blender along with 3/4 cup of the reserved water (use 1/2 cup first if you prefer a thicker sauce), the pesto, lemon juice, and salt. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 45 seconds. Add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to blend smoothly. Salt to taste.
Assemble the bowls: Between 4 bowls, evenly divide the arugula, bone broth rice, chicken meatballs, and sweet potatoes. Top each bowl with a drizzle of cashew pesto sauce and sprinkle with finely chopped basil (if using).
STORE IT: Refrigerate the meatballs, sweet potatoes, and rice in separate sealed containers for up to 4 days. Freeze the meatballs and rice for up to 3 months. Refrigerate the Cashew Pesto in a sealed jar or container for up to 7 days.
REHEAT IT: Microwave the meatballs, potatoes, and rice until warm. Alternatively, return the meatballs and potatoes to a small sheet pan and bake or airfry at 350ºF until warm, about 10 minutes.
recipe notes
Save time: This is a recipe that includes multiple components, so it takes time to prep everything. I highly recommend prepping the cashew pesto sauce and bone broth rice ahead of time to make things much easier. If you want to save even more time, you can also prep the sweet potatoes and chicken meatballs ahead of time. The sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 7 days, and everything else can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Searing option: If you prefer to cook the meatballs in a skillet instead of the oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the meatballs until browned on all sides and at an internal temperature of 165F, about 15 minutes total.
Pre-made pestos I love: Trader Joe’s and Gotham Greens (both dairy-free!)
swaps and subs
Bone broth: Swap for chicken broth, vegetable broth or water.
Rice: To swap white rice for brown rice, adjust the cook time to 15 to 20 minutes.
Chicken meatballs: Swap for two 14-ounce blocks of extra firm tofu, seasoned the same and baked until crispy.
Cashews: Swap for pine nuts, or macadamia nuts (soaked), or add a splash of cream or canned coconut milk to maintain the creaminess.
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Hope you all have a great end to the week, I’ll be back on Friday with a new bonus recipe and dinner plan for the week! If you prep these meatball bowls, let me know and don’t forget to send pics in our chat.
Delicious pesto sauce! Added an egg to meatballs to bind a bit. Prob will double the rice next time for 4 people. Thank you!
Another winner, Jenn!! What a fantastic summer meal! 😋