CHICKPEA BUDDHA BOWL

This chickpea buddha bowl is packed with wholesome real food and finished with a golden honey turmeric sauce. 

Chickpea Buddha Bowl Recipe

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CHICKPEA BUDDHA BOWL

WHAT IS A BUDDHA BOWL?

According to Wikipedia, a Buddha bowl is “a vegetarian meal, served on a single bowl or high-rimmed plate, which consists of small portions of several foods, served cold. These may include whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice, plant proteins such as chickpeas or tofu, and vegetables.” Generally the finished bowls are arranged artfully rather than tossed like a salad. 

The name Buddha may have originated for several reasons:

due to the balanced nutrition of the bowl’s contents, 

because the Buddha himself gathering food donations from villagers in a big bowl,

or because the bowl rounded with ingredients resembles the belly of Budai, who was a Chinese monk often confused with the Buddha (I didn’t know this!) 

What is a Buddha bowl?

When I think of the first time I had something like a Buddha bowl, I think of the Harmony Bowl at a café called The Laughing Seed in Asheville, NC. It had brown rice, beans, tofu, and a delicious sauce. I remember it being so warming and delicious! And I loved that it was plant-based. 

Buddha Bowl sauce

PACKED WITH PLANT-BASED NUTRITION

You can get really creative with your Buddha bowl and feature any plant under the sun. Think about your macros when you build a bowl: a grain-based carbohydrate (rice, quinoa), a plant-based protein source (beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame) and lots of antioxidants to go with (greens, sweet potatoes, spices, radish, sprouts, peppers, cucumbers and more). While the general rule is to serve cold, and you can, I liked a mix of warm and chilled ingredients in my bowl! This bowl is gluten-free (and vegan if you use an alternative to honey). 

Serve your Buddha bowls for lunch (prep day is key!) or on Meatless Monday. Or any day when you need the power of plants in your lunch or dinner recipes!

Chickpea Buddha Bowl Recipe

CHICKPEA BUDDHA BOWL RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

The main ingredients in this bowl are as follows (plus the sauce!)

Quinoa – you can also use brown rice

Extra firm organic tofu – I like extra firm for easiest cutting.

Sweet potato

Chickpeas – canned or cooked from scratch

Cucumber – or other chilled vegetable, like carrot or zucchini ribbons

Arugula – or other green, sprouts are pretty to add too

Red bell pepper – sliced thin. Cabbage works well too. 

Sesame seeds – a mix of black and white

FOR THE SAUCE:

Tahini

Lemon juice

Warm water

Honey – to make this a vegan Buddha bowl, use an alternative sweetener

Turmeric

Garlic

INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe has a few steps to it, but they are all simple steps and are easy to do in advance on prep day or as you’re doing daily routine chores. Most of the recipe time is hands off. To save time, prepare quinoa in a rice cooker. And roast your potatoes, tofu, and beans the morning of.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 425 DEGREES.

PREPARE QUINOA IN A RICE COOKER OR ON THE STOVE TOP.

PREP AND MARINATE TOFU

Drain tofu and pat dry with a kitchen cloth. Press out as much liquid as you can without breaking the block. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes and toss in bowl with tamari and sesame oil. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

prep tofu