Vegan Buddha Bowl Meal (Printable version)
Colorful plant-based bowl with roasted chickpeas, fresh veggies, quinoa, and creamy tahini dressing.
# What you need:
→ Grains
01 - 7 oz cooked quinoa (or brown rice)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 large carrot, grated or spiralized
04 - 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
05 - 1 avocado, sliced
06 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
07 - 3.5 oz baby spinach or mixed greens
→ Plant-Based Proteins
08 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - ½ tsp ground cumin
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tbsp tahini
14 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
16 - 1 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
17 - 1–2 tbsp water (to thin)
→ Toppings
18 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
19 - Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, mint)
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and crispy.
02 - While chickpeas roast, cook quinoa or brown rice according to package directions if not already prepared. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, grate or spiralize the carrot, steam the broccoli florets until tender-crisp, slice the avocado, and thinly slice the red cabbage. Wash and pat dry the baby spinach or mixed greens.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, soy sauce (or tamari), and water until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with additional water as needed.
05 - Divide the cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Arrange the prepared vegetables, greens, and roasted chickpeas in sections over each bed of grains. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and scatter fresh herbs over each bowl. Serve immediately while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- Every single component can be prepped ahead, which means weeknight dinner takes about six minutes of actual effort.
- The tahini dressing is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything, including things that are not food.
02 -
- Do not crowd the chickpeas on the baking sheet or they will steam instead of roast and you will be deeply disappointed.
- The dressing thickens as it sits, so always make a little extra and have warm water nearby to loosen it right before serving.
03 -
- Pat the chickpeas completely dry with a clean towel before seasoning them, because moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Adding a spoonful of nut butter to the dressing creates a richer, rounder flavor that makes the whole bowl feel more indulgent.