Butternut Squash & Miso Brussels Sprouts Nourish Bowl

Say hello to the best thing to hit your taste buds this fall! But no, seriously. Hello, incredibly flavorful nourish bowl!

The best news? When you use already-cooked grains, this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes! 

When contemplating the flavors for this fall-themed Buddha bowl concept, I couldn’t shake the idea of grains topped with roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with tahini sauce. I mean, how could you go wrong with that combo?

The first attempt was a good start but lacked cohesiveness and memorable flavor.

They add caramelized flavor and umami-style depth to the dish that makes you want seconds and thirds (what can’t miso do?). 

Next, I upgraded plain cooked grains for stir-fried grains with slivered almonds, a dash of coconut aminos, and spinach. Friends, the crispy texture and salty flavor here deserve a slow clap. Go ahead, we’ll wait.

Bonus? This means you can use leftover grains that have already been cooked to save you time!

And last but not least, a sauce with one of our all-time favorite ingredients: tahini.

We have many tahini-based sauces, but this one is new and worth trying (trust us, it’s a total flavor bomb). Creamy tahini is blended with zesty garlic, coconut aminos, maple syrup, and water — that’s it! Somehow the alchemy results in a nutty, savory-sweet, nuanced, garlicky sauce you’ll want to put on everything.

We hope you LOVE this nourish bowl! It’s:

Savory
Comforting
Complex
Satisfying
Delicious
& Versatile!

With 16 grams fiber, 14 grams protein, and 6 mg iron per serving, it’s the ultimate plant-based dish! Plus, it’s weeknight-friendly, especially when prepping some of the components in advance (tahini sauce, miso glaze, chopping veggies, cooking grains).

Butternut Squash & Miso Brussels Sprouts Nourish Bowl

A vibrant and versatile nourish bowl with roasted butternut squash, caramelized miso Brussels sprouts, and stir-fried grains and greens. Top it off with our rich and complex garlicky tahini sauce for the ultimate plant-based meal. Just 30 minutes required!

PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME 30 minutes
Servings (Bowls)
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Japanese-Inspired, Mediterranean-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

GRAIN + GREENS

• 2 cups cooked cooled grains (e.g. quinoa, millet, or brown rice // or sub cauliflower rice)
• 2 Tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 cups baby spinach (or other leafy green)

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

• 1/2 batch Roasted Butternut Squash (no curry powder // as recipe is written, ~3.5 cups cubed butternut squash)

MISO-GLAZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

• 2 ½ cups Brussels sprouts, browned outer leaves removed, large stalks trimmed off, halved (quartered if very large in size)
• 1 tsp avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored cooking fat that can withstand high heat)
• 1 healthy pinch sea salt and black pepper
• 3 medium cloves garlic, skin removed and smashed or roughly chopped
• 1 ½ tsp miso paste (we like chickpea miso for a soy-free option — Miso Master is a great brand // always ensure gluten-free friendly as needed)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or sub apple cider or white wine vinegar)
• 1 ½ tsp maple syrup

TAHINI SAUCE

• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1-2 tsp maple syrup
• 2 cloves garlic (use less for less intense garlic flavor)
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp coconut aminos

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• GRAINS: If you haven’t yet prepared your grains, do so now (this is not included in overall cook / prep time, so allot extra time as needed). Find instructions on how to cook millet, quinoa, and brown rice. Cauliflower rice could also work here. NOTE: Allow your grains time to cool (at least slightly) before stir-frying for best texture.
• BUTTERNUT SQUASH: Once cubed, add to a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss with oil, maple syrup, and seasonings of choice (we kept it simple with salt and pepper). Once tossed to coat, roast until tender (~20-25 minutes).
• MISO-GLAZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Add trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts to a medium mixing bowl (reserve garlic cloves for later use) and season with oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
• To a separate small mixing bowl, add the miso glaze ingredients (miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup) and stir / whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more miso for saltiness / umami, vinegar for acidity, or maple syrup for sweetness. It should be equal parts tangy, salty, and sweet. Set aside for use after the Brussels sprouts are roasted.
• Heat a large oven-safe skillet (we prefer cast iron) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add cooking oil (it should coat the bottom of the pan, so add more as needed).
• Wait 1 minute for the oil to heat, then add Brussels sprouts (NOT THE GLAZE — we’ll use that later). Make sure the pan is not crowded — all sprouts should have room to lie face down and they shouldn’t be piled on top of each other. If it’s crowded, remove a few to cook in a separate batch.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes cut side down to get a sear. Once golden brown, add garlic to the pan, toss, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F (204 C), removing from the oven every 5 minutes to toss and inspect the sprouts. You want them crispy and deep golden brown but not burnt. Remove from the oven and immediately add the miso glaze and toss. Set aside.
• TAHINI SAUCE: To a small blender or food processor add tahini, maple syrup, garlic, water, and coconut aminos and blend on high until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for zing, coconut aminos for saltiness / depth of flavor, or maple syrup for sweetness. If it’s too thin, add more tahini and blend again. (NOTE: If you don’t have a blender or food processor, be sure to mince your garlic and simply whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.) Set aside for serving.
• GRAINS & GREENS: Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add slivered almonds and dry toast for several minutes, stirring frequently, being careful not to burn. Then add cooked, cooled grains and coconut aminos. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly browned, stirring occasionally. Then add spinach (or other greens) and continue cooking until just wilted. Turn off heat and set aside.
• To serve, divide the grains and greens between serving bowls and top with roasted butternut squash and miso-glazed Brussels sprouts. Serve with tahini sauce.
• STORAGE: Best when fresh. Store leftovers separately in the refrigerator. Sauce will keep for 4-5 days, and the vegetables and grains will keep for 2-3 days.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Cook time does not include cooking the grains. We recommend using leftover grains that have been cooked and cooled for quickest and best results. Quinoa and millet are our preferred, but rice will also work.

Nutrition (1 of 3 servings)

Serving: 1 bowl Calories: 498 Carbohydrates: 74.3 g Protein: 14.3 g Fat: 19.1 g Saturated Fat: 2.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.73 g Monounsaturated Fat: 10.26 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 730 mg Potassium: 1419 mg Fiber: 16.4 g Sugar: 17.7 g Vitamin A: 29121 IU Vitamin C: 105.98 mg Calcium: 245.75 mg Iron: 6.26 mg