This bowl came together on Nantucket with farm-fresh produce from Bartlett’s farm — crisp broccoli, tender zucchini, and sweet red peppers — all roasted and layered over fluffy rice. The whole dish is tied together with a creamy lemon-tahini dressing that’s as bright as a summer evening by the harbor. It’s one of those meals that’s both nourishing and full of flavor, and it feels like peak island cooking: simple ingredients, lots of herbs, and a drizzle of something tangy to make it sing.

🛒 Ingredients

For the Rice
🍚 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
💧 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
🫒 1 tsp olive oil
🧂 ½ tsp salt

For the Veggies
🥦 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
🥒 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
🌶️ 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
🫒 1–2 tbsp olive oil
🧄 1 tsp garlic powder
🌶️ ½ tsp smoked paprika
🧂 Salt & black pepper, to taste

For the Lemon Tahini Dressing
🥄 ¼ cup tahini
🍋 Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
🧄 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
💧 2–3 tbsp warm water (to thin)
🍁 1 tsp maple syrup (optional, for balance)
🧂 Pinch of salt

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Cook the rice: Rinse rice well. In a saucepan, add rice, broth, olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit 5 minutes, then fluff.
Roast the veggies: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss zucchini, red pepper, and broccoli with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast 18–20 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and golden.
Whisk the dressing: In a small bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and maple syrup. Add warm water gradually until pourable. Season with salt.
Assemble: Spoon rice into bowls, top with roasted Bartlett’s Farm vegetables, and drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing. Finish with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or dill.

✨ Serving Notes

⭐ Add crispy chickpeas for extra protein.
⭐ Swap zucchini for asparagus in spring, or roasted squash in fall.
⭐ Delicious warm for dinner or chilled the next day as a picnic-style grain bowl.

Made on Nantucket with Bartlett’s Farm veggies, this rice bowl captures the best of late summer: simple, fresh, and full of flavor. The lemon tahini dressing ties everything together — zesty, creamy, and just the thing to brighten roasted vegetables. It’s the kind of dish that makes me want to linger at the table a little longer, savoring every bite of the season.