Vegan Buddha Bowl (Printable)
Colorful grain bowl with roasted sweet potato, crispy chickpeas, and creamy tahini dressing for a wholesome meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice
→ Protein
02 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables
07 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
12 - 1 cup baby spinach or kale
→ Tahini Dressing
13 - 3 tbsp tahini
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
16 - 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed
17 - 1 tsp pure maple syrup
18 - Salt, to taste
→ Toppings
19 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
20 - 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
21 - Fresh cilantro leaves
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cubed sweet potato with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and lightly golden at the edges.
02 - Toss the drained chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread on a separate baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes until crispy, tossing once halfway through.
03 - Prepare quinoa or brown rice according to package directions until fluffy and tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, water, maple syrup, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add additional water one teaspoon at a time to reach your preferred drizzling consistency.
05 - Thinly slice the red cabbage, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the avocado, and rinse the baby spinach or kale. Pat greens dry and set everything aside.
06 - Divide the cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Arrange the spinach, roasted sweet potato, crispy chickpeas, sliced cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and avocado over the grains in each bowl.
07 - Drizzle the tahini dressing generously over each assembled bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It is the easiest way to use up whatever vegetables are sitting in your fridge without feeling like you are eating leftovers.
- The tahini dressing alone is worth making this recipe because you will want to put it on everything for the rest of the week.
02 -
- Do not crowd the chickpeas on the pan or they will steam instead of roast and you will miss out on that satisfying crunch entirely.
- The tahini dressing thickens as it sits so whisk in a little water right before drizzling if you made it ahead of time.
03 -
- Pat the chickpeas completely dry with a clean towel after rinsing because any leftover moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Double the dressing recipe and keep the extra in the fridge because you will want it on salads roasted vegetables and even as a dip for raw carrots.