MAD GENIUS TIP
Roasting the meatballs alongside the carrots makes for easy cleanup.
AGOOD BOWL isn’t just a deconstructed meal; it’s a smart and satisfying way to reimagine your favorite dishes. Here, a trio of recipes—Buffalo chicken wings, California sushi rolls, and Italian wedding soup—are rebuilt from the bottom of the bowl up. Although there are no strict rules for achieving bowl-building success, there is a method to the madness. Start with a hearty base, like pasta or rice, and layer on two to three distinct toppers. Add a sprinkle of seasoning or a drizzle of dressing, and you’re set. Hot sauce–covered chicken and blue cheese pair perfectly with steamed quinoa (recipe p. 38), while a bright parsley salad adds freshness to meatballs and creamy pastina (recipe below). There is only one rule: Everything in the bowl should be good on its own and even better together so that the final mix is cohesive and flavorful no matter how you eat it.
Italian Wedding Pasta Bowls
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 55 MIN; SERVES 4
This hearty and comforting meal takes a cue from Italian wedding soup but reimagines it as an all-in-one pasta bowl. Tender meatballs and roasted carrots are served atop pasta that’s flavored with chicken stock and Parmesan cheese. A mix of pork and beef gives the meatballs extra richness, but opting for all pork would also be delicious.
¼ cup water
1 large egg
½ cup panko
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, plus ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, divided
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz.), divided, plus more for garnish
2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
1½ tsp. black pepper, divided
½ lb. ground pork
½ lb. 85% lean ground beef
4 carrots, scrubbed and sliced on an angle into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing
3 cups chicken stock
1½ cups pastina or orzo
1 (4-oz.) pkg. fresh baby spinach
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in top third position. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Whisk together ¼ cup water and egg in a large bowl until combined. Stir in panko, garlic, ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, ¼ cup Parmesan, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper until just combined. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add pork and beef, and mix gently until just combined.
2. Shape meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 1 heaping tablespoon each); arrange on 1 side of prepared baking sheet. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper on opposite side of baking sheet. Bake until a thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers 165°F and carrots are tender, 20 to 22 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add pastina; cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until pastina is tender and stock is mostly absorbed, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Fold in spinach until just wilted, about 1 minute.
4. Toss together lemon juice, shallot, remaining 1 cup parsley leaves, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Divide pastina evenly among 4 bowls; top with meatballs, carrots, and parsley salad. Garnish with additional Parmesan, and serve immediately. —JUSTIN CHAPPLE
MAKE AHEAD Uncooked meatballs can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day; bake as directed in step 2.
WINE A light-bodied Italian red: 2023 COS Frappato
MAD GENIUS TIP
Drizzling the hot sauce over the chicken during the last 10 minutes of roasting allows it to reduce, which intensifies the flavor and helps it adhere to the meat.
Buffalo Chicken Bowls
ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR; SERVES 4
Buffalo wings meet grain bowls in this vibrant spin on a classic. Roasted chicken thigh pieces are tossed in hot sauce and served over a bed of quinoa with buttermilk ranch. Carrot-celery salad delivers crunch while blue cheese brings bold, tangy flavor.
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh chives plus 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives, divided
¼ cup fresh dill fronds plus 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, divided
1 Tbsp. garlic powder, divided
1 Tbsp. onion powder, divided
1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
1½ tsp. black pepper, divided
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs), cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings hot sauce
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
2 carrots, halved crosswise and shaved into ribbons (about 2 cups)
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on an angle (about ¾ cup), plus ⅓ cup celery leaves
4 cups cooked quinoa
Crumbled blue cheese, for serving
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with Reynolds Wrap® Nonstick Foil; set aside. Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate buttermilk ranch until ready to serve.
2. Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon pepper, remaining 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, remaining 1½ teaspoons onion powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, and toss until evenly coated. Spread chicken in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake chicken until firm and lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven; drizzle hot sauce evenly over chicken, and scatter butter over top. Return to oven; bake until sauce is reduced slightly and chicken is cooked through and crisp around edges, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
4. Toss together carrot ribbons, celery slices and leaves, remaining ¼ cup roughly chopped chives, remaining ¼ cup dill fronds, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 bowls; top with chicken, carrot mixture, and blue cheese. Serve with buttermilk ranch. —JUSTIN CHAPPLE
MAKE AHEAD Buttermilk ranch can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
BEER A tangy, hoppy IPA: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Hazy Little Thing
MAD GENIUS TIP
Swap out the kani (imitation crab) for poached shrimp or lobster, smashed chickpeas, or even cubed watermelon.
Spicy California Roll Bowls
ACTIVE 20 MIN; TOTAL 55 MIN; SERVES 4
This bowl contains all the cool and crunchy joy of a California roll but with no rolling required. Warm, lightly seasoned sushi rice anchors spicy kani (imitation crab) salad speckled with briny fish roe, while avocado, cucumber, and scallions bring creamy and crisp freshness. Add a finishing sprinkle of furikake and serve with roasted seaweed (nori) sheets to deepen the umami.
2 cups water
1½ cups short-grain sushi rice, rinsed well and drained
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¾ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
¼ cup plus 1½ Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar, divided
1 lb. flake-style kani (imitation crab) (see Note), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. masago (optional) (see Note)
1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Furikake and thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Roasted seaweed (nori) snack sheets, for serving
1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Stir in rice and ½ teaspoon salt, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook, undisturbed, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let steam, covered, for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Transfer ½ cup mayonnaise mixture to a small bowl; set aside. Add kani to remaining mayonnaise mixture in large bowl, and toss to combine. Stir in masago (if using); set aside. Stir together cucumber and ½ tablespoon rice vinegar in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Fluff rice using a fork. Drizzle remaining ¼ cup vinegar over rice; using a wooden spoon, gently fold to incorporate vinegar. Divide rice mixture among 4 bowls; top with evenly divided kani mixture, cucumber, and avocado. Garnish with furikake and scallions; serve with roasted seaweed snack sheets and reserved mayonnaise mixture. —JUSTIN CHAPPLE
MAKE AHEAD Kani mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
SAKE A full-bodied, richer-style sake: Bōken Ringo Junmai Ginjo
NOTE Flake-style kani (imitation crab) is available in the seafood section of most grocery stores or online at wildforkfoods.com. Masago, or smelt roe, are tiny fish eggs with a briny, sweet flavor. Find masago at specialty seafood markets or online at catalinaop.com.