Build Your Own Buddha Bowl with delicious fresh veggies that are roasted on a sheet pan. You’ll love the homemade tahini dressing!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado or canola oil.
Protein options
- Chickpeas – use another kind of bean such as kidney beans.
- Extra-firm tofu – if you want to avoid processed tofu, try some tempeh.
- Falafels – store-bought versions are easiest but you can try making your own falafels if you’re feeling fancy.
- Edamame – make sure to use shelled edamame, not pods.
Vegetable options
- Sweet potatoes – butternut squash would also be good.
- Mushrooms – swap out for some sliced zucchini instead.
- Broccoli florets – cauliflower florets are a good substitute.
- Cauliflower florets – use broccoli instead or another veggie of your choice.
- Red onion – white onion would also be good here.
Quinoa
- Quinoa – switch out the quinoa for rice, millet or barley instead.
- Olive oil – see substitution notes above.
Tahini dressing
- Tahini – smooth peanut butter or sunflower seed butter would also work.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed lemon juice is best but bottled lemon or even lime juice will work in a pinch.
- Garlic – freshly minced or jarred minced garlic can both be used.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Tofu marinade
- Soy sauce – tamari or coconut aminos are the best substitutes for soy sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – you can try using white wine vinegar but it’ll have a different flavour.
- Olive oil – see substitution notes above.
How to make a buddha bowl
- Roast the veggies.
- Make the tahini dressing.
- Prep your toppings.
- Cook the quinoa.
- Assemble your bowls.
- Drizzle the dressing over top and enjoy!
What is a buddha bowl?
A buddha bowl contains a plant-based combination of grains, proteins and vegetables. The goal is to have small amounts of many ingredients and to find balance between them.
Eating your meal this way helps to ensure it's nutritious and has varied vitamins and minerals. Being able to change it up prevents boredom and makes it easier to eat healthy. Plus, it helps that a buddha bowl is beautiful to look at!
Frequently Asked Questions
The five key components of a buddha bowl are whole grains, like quinoa or barley; veggies, like broccoli and mushrooms; protein, which can include plant-based protein like tofu; dressing, such as tahini dressing; and toppings, which includes nuts or seeds. Of course, there aren’t really any hard-and-fast rules when it comes to buddha bowls, so feel free to mix up the toppings and ingredients as you see fit.
While most people believe buddha bowls should always be vegan, there are plenty of vegetarian versions, and some people even add meat to theirs. If you decide to add meat, make sure to control the portion and maintain the balance between your ingredients.
Because they're minimally processed and often plant-based, yes, buddha bowls are very healthy. It's hard to go wrong when you have a bowl full of rainbow-coloured vegetables!
It’s up to you! If you want to eat your buddha bowl cold, that's okay! If you want them warm, that’s okay too! Eat your buddha bowl at whatever temperature your heart desires. The ingredients you add in to your customized bowl may determine whether or not you choose to reheat the bowl or eat it cold.
Storing and reheating
These buddha bowls work great for your weekly meal prep! Divide the portions among individual glass bowls and store the dressing in separate containers. The bowls will stay fresh in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, and the dressing will last in the fridge for up to a week.
You can eat the bowls cold or reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes – it’s totally up to you.
Freezing the quinoa
While you can’t freeze these buddha bowls, you can make a big batch of the quinoa and freeze some for later. After the quinoa has cooked, let it cool completely then pack it into freezer-safe Ziploc bags or glass containers. It will last in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to use your quinoa, let it defrost in the fridge overnight. From there, you can eat it cold or reheat it in the microwave for a couple minutes until warmed through. Use it to make fresh buddha bowls and a variety of other recipes!
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More healthy vegetarian bowls
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these bowls into your weekly lunches.
- A rice cooker is invaluable for saving time, and it cooks other grains like quinoa, too!
- Order some tahini here.
Build Your Own Buddha Bowl {Vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Protein options
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 block extra-firm tofu see optional marinade below
- 1 cup store bought falafels
- 1 cup edamame
Vegetable options
- 1 medium-sized sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced in half
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 cup red onion, sliced
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp olive oil
Extras
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Nuts and seeds
- Shredded coconut
Tahini dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch salt & pepper
- OPTIONAL ADD-INS TO DRESSING: cilantro, parsley, basil, turmeric or chili powder
BONUS: Marinated tofu
- 1 block extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Add parchment to a sheet pan, then drizzle sweet potato, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower and red onion with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, cook quinoa with water and olive oil in a rice cooker or on the stovetop, and stir dressing ingredients together (you may need to use a blender or an immersion blender if the tahini is hard to stir)
- During this time, you can also prepare the rest of the ingredients, including cutting tofu into cubes (if using tofu) and marinating in the ingredients listed above.
- Serve roasted vegetables over quinoa and alongside proteins and extras of choice. Drizzle with tahini dressing, then serve and enjoy!
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