One might assume by calling this a “Buddha Bowl” I’m making some kind of political or religious statement, when in fact, I am not. I just like giant bowls of food.
A “Buddha Bowl,” as defined by urban dictionary, is “a bowl which is packed so full that it has a rounded ‘belly’ appearance on the top much like the belly of a buddha.”
That’s my kind of dinner. Let’s do this!
Origins of The Buddha Bowl
It’s not clear where the term Buddha Bowl originated, and there doesn’t seem to be any strict set of rules for how to make one. But it seems to be roughly defined as a bowl with an assortment of small portions of different foods (especially veggies).
Some say the concept is thought to emulate the way Buddhist monks would walk around with a bowl, accepting small portions from other people (source). While others claim that Buddha Bowls refer to a healthy, balanced, but overloaded bowl resembling the rounded belly of the Laughing Buddha (source).
I first heard of Buddha Bowls somewhere within the vegan community and personally understand them as a big bowl of plant-based goodness, which is precisely what this recipe is!
What started off as a mission to make a chickpea breakfast skillet turned into a sweet and savory dish that would satisfy vegans and meat-eaters alike.
Plus, it’s simple – requiring just 30 minutes. And it’s ridiculously healthy – loaded with four kinds of vegetables, fiber- and protein-rich chickpeas, and a maple-tahini sauce that’s so good you’ll want to put it on everything.
It all starts by roasting your vegetables in the oven. While those are baking away, simply sauté your chickpeas to crispy perfection and whisk up your 3-ingredient tahini sauce.
All that’s left to do is put it all together and take your taste buds to flavor town.
This bowl is literally all I’ve been craving since perfecting this recipe. It’s:
Savory + Sweet
Subtly spiced
Warm
Comforting
Incredibly satisfying
Seriously healthy
& Packed with flavor
If you give this recipe a try, let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, share it, and rate it – it’s super helpful for us and other readers.
And as always, don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing what you cook up. Cheers!
Want More Bowl Ideas?
Servings 3
Prevent your screen from going dark
VEGETABLES
- 2 Tbsp olive, melted coconut, or avocado oil
- 1/2 medium red onion (sliced in wedges)
- 2 small sweet potatoes (halved)
- 1 bundle broccolini (large stems removed // chopped)
- 2 big handfuls kale (larger stems removed)
- 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
CHICKPEAS
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (drained, rinsed + patted dry)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
- 1/2 tsp tsp oregano (optional)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
TAHINI SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 medium lemon (juiced)
- 2-4 Tbsp hot water (to thin)
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and arrange sweet potatoes and onions on a bare baking sheet. Drizzle both with a bit of oil, making sure the flesh of the sweet potatoes are well coated and placed skin side down on the sheet.
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Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven flip sweet potatoes and add broccolini. Drizzle broccolini with a bit of oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper.
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Bake for another 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and add kale. Drizzle kale with a touch more oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Bake for another 4-5 minutes then set aside.
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While vegetables are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with seasonings.
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Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil (amount as original recipe is written // use half of total amount if altering batch size) and chickpeas and sauté, stirring frequently. If they’re browning too quickly, turn down heat. If there isn’t much browning going on, increase heat. I found 10 minutes total at slightly over medium heat was perfect.
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Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside.
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Prepare sauce by adding tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Add hot water until a pourable sauce is formed. Set aside.
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To serve: slice sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Divide vegetables between 3 serving bowls and top with chickpeas + tahini sauce.
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Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with sauce.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 474 Carbohydrates: 62 g Protein: 13.2 g Fat: 21 g Saturated Fat: 2.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 563 mg Fiber: 11.4 g Sugar: 7.2 g
