Vegan Buddha Bowl with Tahini (Printable Version)
A vibrant plant-powered bowl with roasted chickpeas, colorful veggies, quinoa, and creamy tahini dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 7 oz cooked quinoa (about 1 ½ cups, or substitute brown rice)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 large carrot, grated or spiralized
04 - 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
05 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
06 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
07 - 3.5 oz baby spinach or mixed greens (about 3 cups loosely packed)
→ Plant-Based Proteins
08 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Tahini Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons tahini
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
16 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
17 - 1 to 2 tablespoons water, to thin dressing to desired consistency
→ Toppings
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
19 - Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the 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 the chickpeas roast, cook the 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. Arrange the baby spinach or mixed greens in bowls.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, soy sauce or tamari, and water until smooth and creamy. Add more water as needed to reach a pourable consistency.
05 - Divide the cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Arrange the prepared vegetables and roasted chickpeas on top in sections. Drizzle generously with the tahini dressing.
06 - Sprinkle each bowl with toasted sesame seeds and scatter with fresh herbs. Serve immediately while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The roasted chickpeas alone are worth making this recipe, and they vanish like popcorn before they even reach the bowl.
- Everything can be prepped ahead, making it the ultimate throw together meal when your brain is fried after a long day.
02 -
- Wet chickpeas will never get crispy, so pat them thoroughly dry with a clean towel before tossing with oil and spices.
- The tahini dressing will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so whisk in a splash of water to bring it back to life the next day.
03 -
- Let the chickpeas cool for five minutes after roasting before adding them to the bowl, because they actually get crispier as they rest.
- Massaging the kale or tough greens with a drop of olive oil for thirty seconds transforms them from chewy to tender.