Vegan Buddha Bowl with Quinoa (Print Page)
A nourishing plant-based bowl packed with quinoa, roasted chickpeas, fresh veggies and creamy tahini dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1⅔ cups water
03 - Pinch of salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 medium carrots, julienned
05 - 1 avocado, sliced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
08 - 3.5 oz red cabbage, finely shredded
09 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
→ Protein
10 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 tbsp olive oil
12 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp ground cumin
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Dressing
15 - 3 tbsp tahini
16 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
17 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
18 - 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
19 - 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
→ Toppings
20 - 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
21 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork.
02 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat drained chickpeas dry and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking tray in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through, until golden and crispy.
03 - While the quinoa and chickpeas cook, wash and prep all vegetables. Julienne the carrots, slice the avocado and cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely shred the red cabbage. Set aside.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, gluten-free soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth and creamy. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
05 - Divide the fluffed quinoa among four bowls. Arrange julienned carrots, sliced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, shredded red cabbage, and baby spinach in sections over each bed of quinoa. Top with crispy roasted chickpeas.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with tahini dressing. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tahini dressing alone is worth making this bowl, and you will want to put it on everything from salads to roasted potatoes.
- It is endlessly adaptable based on what is wilting in your crisper drawer, which makes it the most forgiving recipe you will ever keep in your back pocket.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the quinoa, because that bitter residue called saponin will haunt every bite and no amount of dressing can fix it.
- Let the chickpeas cool for a few minutes on the tray before adding them to the bowl, because they crisp up further as they sit and soggy chickpeas are genuinely disappointing.
03 -
- Shake the chickpeas on the baking tray rather than stirring them, because tossing gently keeps the crispy skin intact while still rotating them for even browning.
- Warm the tahini jar in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before measuring, because cold tahini seizes and clumps when you try to whisk it into dressing.