Apricot Harissa Grains Bowl — a plant-based British recipe by BOSH!
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Apricot Harissa Grains Bowl

This one's a proper weeknight hero in our kitchen. The combination of smoky harissa and sweet apricot sounds a bit unexpected, but trust us, it just works. That balance of heat and fruity sweetness over a hearty grain base is genuinely addictive. The tofu crumbles down beautifully and soaks up all those bold flavours, and the savoy cabbage adds this lovely bit of texture that keeps every bite interesting. It's colourful, it's packed with plants, and it comes together faster than you'd think. Make it tonight and you'll be very glad you did.

Cook: 15 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Large frying pan or wok
  • 250g bag mixed grains (pre-cooked)
  • 100g smoked tofu

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp apricot Harissa Paste
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 100g smoked tofu
  • 1 250g bag mixed grains
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • ½ small savoy cabbage
  • ½ Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 portion of hummus - optional
  • Sprouted seeds

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Trim and finely slice the spring onions
  • Core and dice the red pepper
  • Quarter the cherry tomatoes
  • Core the savoy cabbage and cut into fine shreds
2

Time to cook

  • Warm the olive oil in the pan over medium heat, crumble in the tofu and stir for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the red pepper and cherry tomatoes and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the spring onions and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the harissa and water and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the savoy cabbage and mixed grains to the pan and fold until the cabbage is well wilted and the grains are warmed through
  • Squeeze over the juice of half a lemon
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper
3

Time to serve

  • Spoon the contents of the pan into serving bowls and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Swap the tofu: We love it with chickpeas too if you want something even heartier. Just drain and rinse a tin, crumble them in roughly, and cook the same way.
  • Adjust the heat: Harissa varies a lot in spice level depending on the brand. Start with a little less than the recipe says, taste it, and add more if you want that extra kick.
  • Grain options: This works with pretty much any cooked grains you've got going. Brown rice, farro, bulgur wheat, even quinoa all do the job brilliantly here.

Why This Works

The trick here is building the pan in stages; getting the tofu nicely golden before adding the veg means everything keeps its texture rather than going soggy. And the harissa and apricot combo is the real star. The sweetness cuts through the heat in a way that makes the whole bowl feel really rounded and satisfying. We find this works brilliantly over whatever grains you've got in the cupboard, so it's a great one for using things up.