Quinoa Buddha Bowl Healthy (Printer View)

Fluffy quinoa paired with roasted veggies, legumes, and tahini dressing offers a nourishing, flavorful bowl.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
07 - 1 cup broccoli florets
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Legumes

11 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Tahini Dressing

12 - 1/3 cup tahini
13 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
15 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt, to taste

→ Toppings (optional)

18 - 1 avocado, sliced
19 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange sweet potato, red bell pepper, zucchini, and broccoli on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast the vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and slightly caramelized.
04 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, maple syrup, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
06 - Divide quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables and chickpeas. Drizzle with tahini dressing and optionally garnish with avocado slices, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes better than takeout bowls that cost three times as much.
  • One bowl is genuinely filling—the combination of whole grains, roasted vegetables, and protein keeps you satisfied for hours.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble in minutes, making it perfect for meal prep Sunday or feeding a crowd with minimal last-minute stress.
02 -
  • Rinsing the quinoa is non-negotiable—skip this step and you'll taste a bitter film on every bite, which I discovered during my first attempt and will never forget.
  • Don't skip the step of spreading vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet; overcrowding them means they steam instead of roast, and you lose all that caramelized magic.
  • The dressing consistency matters more than you'd think; too thick and it sits in clumps, too thin and it runs off, so taste and adjust as you go.
03 -
  • Prep your ingredients the night before and you can assemble an entire bowl in five minutes, making this genuinely realistic for busy weeknights.
  • If tahini dressing sits in the fridge, it thickens—just whisk in a little water before serving and it loosens right back up.
  • Roast your chickpeas along with the vegetables instead of adding them raw; they get slightly crispy on the outside and taste so much more interesting.
Return