Vegan Buddha Bowl with Tahini (Printer-friendly)
A nourishing bowl of roasted vegetables, fluffy quinoa, fresh greens and creamy tahini dressing for a satisfying plant-based meal.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - Pinch of salt
→ Roasted Vegetables
04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
05 - 1 cup broccoli florets
06 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Fresh Vegetables & Extras
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
12 - 1 large avocado, sliced
13 - 1 cup baby spinach
14 - 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
→ Tahini Dressing
15 - 1/4 cup tahini
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
17 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
18 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed for consistency
19 - 1 clove garlic, minced
20 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the cubed sweet potato, broccoli florets, and cauliflower florets with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized at the edges.
03 - While the vegetables roast, combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of water, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add additional water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired drizzling consistency.
05 - Divide the fluffed quinoa among four bowls. Arrange the roasted vegetables, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red cabbage, baby spinach, and sliced avocado over each portion of quinoa. Drizzle generously with the tahini dressing and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
06 - Serve immediately while the roasted vegetables are still warm. Enjoy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tahini dressing alone is worth making this, tangy and smooth with a hint of maple that pulls every vegetable together.
- It adapts to whatever is sitting in your fridge, so you never have to shop specifically if you keep grains and a few staples around.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the quinoa, that bitter soapy residue will linger through every bite no matter how much dressing you pile on.
- The tahini dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge, so always whisk in a splash of warm water when using leftovers to bring back that perfect pourable consistency.
03 -
- Crowd the baking sheet and your vegetables will steam instead of roast, give them breathing room on two sheets if necessary.
- Warm the tahini jar in a bowl of hot water before measuring, cold tahini seizes and clumps making the dressing far harder to whisk smooth.