Ridiculously simple, but a bowl filled with goodness is the right way to describe this vegan Buddha bowl. Sometimes the most simple ingredients make the best meal. If you want to have your lunch prepped without much active effort, this is a great way to have a healthy meal. There are multiple parts coming together to make this bowl – veggie(s), protein, grain, leafy greens, fruit(s) and a sauce.
You will love this bowl because:
✔ Vegan and gluten-free ✔ Quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes. ✔ You don’t need to work for hours in the kitchen; it can be prepped ahead as part of your weekday meal plan. ✔ Healthy and high protein ✔ Delicious, as multiple ingredients will create a flavorful combination.
What are Buddha Bowls?
Buddha bowls have become a very popular part of the vegan diet. The origin of the term “Buddha Bowl” is not known, but according to the Urban dictionary, it is a vegetarian one-bowl meal. It is a mix of whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice along with vegetables, and plant-based protein such as chickpeas or tofu. There are two theories as to how these bowls originated. The first theory is that Gautam Buddha collected alms in a big bowl that the residents of the village filled with the food they had at home. The second theory is that the Buddha Bowl is healthy and colorful but an overloaded bowl of plant goodness that looks like a laughing Buddha’s overflowing belly. But, I personally think that these bowls are an easy way to have a healthy and well-rounded meal. Buddha bowls are even known as macro bowls, grain bowls, hippie bowls, and power bowls.
Ingredients
To make this delicious vegan bowl, I have used the following ingredients:
Quinoa: Also known as the superfood, quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is rich in fiber and plant protein. It is the base for this delicious bowl. Sweet Potato: They are an excellent source of beta-carotene and anti-oxidants and are the carb portion of the bowl Chickpeas: A popular plant-based protein that adds crunch to your bowl Kale: Filled with vitamins and fiber, this leafy vegetable adds the color green to the bowl. I usually chop them and massage them a bit with olive oil to soften their texture. Avocado: Also known as butter fruit, it is the fruity part of this buddha bowl. I have also used sliced orange in this bowl. Lemon Tahini Sauce: A creamy sauce that does not need a blender and it goes well with almost everything. Seasonings: I use garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to increase the flavor quotient. Sprinkles: I added everything, including bagel seasoning, on top of the avocado for some extra color and flavor.
One of the best things about all these ingredients is that they can be prepped and stored in the refrigerator as part of your weekly meal prep.
How to Make?
Prep the sweet potatoes and chickpeas
First, we will start with roasting the veggies. You can roast them in the oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven at 425°F. Take a large baking tray and line it with parchment paper. Slice the sweet potatoes into small cubes and place them on one side of the tray. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and add the seasonings of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix them well with the sweet potatoes until they are completely coated with the spice and oil mix. Then, add the chickpeas to the other side of the baking tray and coat them with the same mix of olive oil and seasonings. Bake them for 30-35 minutes or until they are roasted and cooked through.
Note: you can also roast sweet potatoes in the air fryer.
Cook the Quinoa
Now, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. You can also follow my recipe for cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot.
Prep the kale
Then, wash and de-stem the kale leaves and chop them into smaller portions. Massage the chopped leaves with olive oil to soften them.
Mix the Sauce
Take a small mason jar and add some tahini paste, freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and a little bit of water, not more than 2 tablespoons. Mix well until you get a creamy, pourable sauce. Add more water if needed.
Assembling the Buddha Bowl:
Divide the kale into two bowls, place them on the side, and don’t overcrowd the kale. Next, divide the cooked quinoa (the photos below show a quinoa and brown rice blend), roasted sweet potatoes, and chickpeas into each bowl.
Then add the sliced orange slices and avocado to the top of the bowl. I also added some everything bagel seasoning on top of the avocado. Drizzle a generous amount of lemon tahini sauce and dig in.
Variations
You can try this recipe as I have detailed above or use a mix of favorite veggies, protein, and grain to create your version of this vegan buddha bowl.
Choose your favorite veggie: You can use roasted broccoli, butternut squash, zucchini, or mushrooms in place of sweet potato. You can also add sliced baby tomatoes, shredded purple cabbage, peeled cucumbers, and carrots to this bowl. You can steam, saute, or grill them as per your taste.
Vary the Grains: If you regularly have red or brown rice as part of your diet, you can substitute them in place of quinoa. Even couscous, bulgur, sorghum or farro will go well with this bowl. e.g. Vegan Sorghum Grain Bowl.
Switch the Protein: Even though I have used roasted chickpeas for this recipe, you can replace the same with black beans or white kidney beans.
Change up the sauce: You can vary the ingredients added to the basic tahini or use a completely different sauce such as garlic yogurt sauce, green mint cilantro sauce, avocado cilantro sauce, or my peanut chutney.
Common Questions
Hope you enjoy this delicious vegan sweet potato chickpea quinoa buddha bowl. Some more easy lunch recipes for you:
Quinoa Khichdi Quinoa Chili Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad Spinach Lentil Curry Butternut Squash Curry Mujadara (Lentils & Rice) Vegetable Khichdi
