These Vegetarian Buddha Bowls are fresh, delicious and packed with goodness. Roasted vegetables nestle up with crisp cabbage, chickpeas, broccoli and more - all smothered in an addictive peanut sauce.
Lauren Daniel, our newest contributor, is here for a rescue in the form of the a Vegetarian Buddha Bowl! She's a freelance graphic designer by day and a self-taught home cook by night.
After health issues turned her to gluten-free living, she decided to teach herself to adapt recipes she loves and now she's going to be sharing those with us here, twice a month and I couldn't be more excited! I'll let her take it from here for now, but just know that I've seen her plans for the coming few posts and we are all in for a delicious treat!
How To Make These Vegetarian Buddha Bowls - Step by Step
- Set oven to 400 degrees.
- Chop all vegetables and place evenly on a lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl combine spices and mix until well blended. Evenly sprinkle over the pan of veggies; spice to your liking. If you end up with extra, add this to your quinoa or chickpeas for extra flavor.
- Place sheet pan in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- If your cashews begin to brown, pull them off the sheet early, and allow vegetables to continue cooking.
- Cook quinoa according to instructions, add salt, pepper and garlic to taste.
- Optional: In a small bowl whisk together peanut sauce ingredients, pour into an airtight container for storage.
- Once vegetables are roasted, allow to cool on the sheet pan. After fully cooled, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Prepare a Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl now whenever the craving hits!
Vegetarian Buddha Bowls - Great For Meal Prep
When it comes to meal planning, I would consider myself a pretty big nerd. I haven't always been one of these people, but I’ve learned if you're on a budget, hate food waste, and don't want to make frequent visits to the grocery store, it's essential.
I work from home and I think the hardest thing is planning my lunches, dinner is no problem but working from your living room can sometimes encourage eating an entire bag of chips or box of cereal--snacking feels so necessary! Since becoming pregnant, though, I have really made it a goal to eat healthy filling foods for lunch so that I snack on an apple or nuts in the afternoon rather than 4 bowls of cereal.
And these Vegetarian Buddha Bowls are just awesome to fit into your weekly meal prep rota, so easy to make.
What Are Buddha Bowls?
I'm sure many of you have seen a ‘Buddha Bowl’ recipe or two come across your Instagram or Pinterest feeds. These eye-catching meals are trending hard right now and for a good reason. Also known as ‘power bowls’, these babies are overflowing with macronutrients that will keep you energized throughout the day (take that, afternoon slump) and they can be customized to fit your dietary lifestyle, covering everyone from vegans to paleo peeps.
They get their name because they resemble the round tummy of Buddha. They are most often loaded with healthy grains like quinoa or brown rice, vegetables from all over the color spectrum, and protein, like tofu, chickpeas or chicken, and finally are topped with nuts, seeds and/or dressing or sauce.
There are no strict guidelines when defining a Buddha Bowl—the proteins, vegetables, grains and dressing can vary. Which is why these are such a great option for easy lunch prep for the week, you can customize your bowl to meet whatever you're craving.
A Versatile Recipe
Now before you dive in, don't feel overly attached to this recipe. If you don't like an ingredient swap it for something you love! Don't have time to make the sauce? A splash of soy sauce and siracha will do just fine. The chickpeas can be roasted too for some extra crunch and richness. I couldn't fit them on my pan, so I opted for keeping them as is.
Thai Inspired Vegetarian Buddha Bowl
I've come to love these delicious filling bowls and have created a number of different varieties. Today, I am sharing one of my favorites. Inspired by Thai flavors, I am obsessed with the crunchy texture of the cashews, rich flavors of the roasted vegetables and the sweet touch of peanut sauce. It's easy to prepare, store, and will provide you not only a weeks worth of delicious lunches but one that gives you energy and actually keeps you full.
Top Tips For These Vegetarian Buddha Bowls
- When it comes to the Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl, mix it up! Try one of these substitutes. (This is also a good way to add variety if you're a little tired of the same thing mid-week.) They can be added as a cold ingredient no need to roast: Black beans, Spinach, Edamame, Avocado. Have a need for more protein? Add Chicken, Tofu, or Shrimp.
- The peanut sauce is optional, it tastes great on its own.
- Use full fat coconut milk if you want your peanut sauce extra creamy.
- You can spice your veggies as much or as little as you like.
Check Out These Other Delicious Recipes
- Vegan Buddha Bowl with Roasted Cauliflower and Lentils
- The Best Pumpkin Recipes You'll Want to Make
- Creamy Prosciutto,Tomato & Artichoke Penne Pasta Recipe (Gluten + Dairy Free)
- Whole30 Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
Have you tried this Vegetarian Buddha Bowl? Feel free to leave a star rating and I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
Thai Inspired Roasted Vegetarian Buddha Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chopped purple cabbage
- 1 ½ cups chopped broccoli
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 small sliced sweet potatoes or one large
- ¾ cup of cooked chickpeas or 1 can
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
Seasoning mix:
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Garlic
- ¼ teaspoon Chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Easy peanut sauce (optional):
- ½ cup coconut milk full fat for extra creaminess
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- Dash of garlic
Instructions
- Set oven to 400 degrees.
- Chop all vegetables and place evenly on a lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl combine spices and mix until well blended. Evenly sprinkle over the pan of veggies; spice to your liking.
- If you end up with extra, add this to your quinoa or chickpeas for extra flavor.
- Place sheet pan in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- If your cashews begin to brown, pull them off the sheet early, and allow vegetables to continue cooking.
- Cook quinoa according to instructions, add salt, pepper and garlic to taste.
- Optional: In a small bowl whisk together peanut sauce ingredients, pour into an airtight container for storage.
- Once vegetables are roasted, allow to cool on the sheet pan. After fully cooled, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Prepare a Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl now whenever the craving hits!
Nutrition
Photography by Chase Daniel
Jessica says
Wow that looks so good!
Jennifer says
This looks delicious!
Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated
kelsey says
I agree - lunch is DEFINITELY the hardest meal of the week to plan. This looks delicious, and could totally last for several meals throughout the week!