Vibrant Buddha Bowl Mix (Printable)

A balanced bowl with grains, vibrant vegetables, protein options, and creamy tahini dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water

→ Proteins (choose one)

03 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
04 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.5 oz), sliced

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup shredded carrots
07 - 1 cup baby spinach
08 - 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
09 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
10 - 2 radishes, thinly sliced
11 - 2 tbsp pickled red onions (optional)

→ Dressing

12 - 3 tbsp tahini
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
16 - 2 tbsp water (to thin)
17 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Toppings

19 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
20 - Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Prepare quinoa or brown rice according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - For tofu: Toss cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, turning halfway until golden. For chicken: Season slices with salt and pepper and sauté in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil for 6–8 minutes until cooked through.
03 - Halve cherry tomatoes, shred carrots, steam broccoli florets, slice avocado and radishes.
04 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, water, minced garlic, salt, and pepper together until smooth.
05 - Distribute cooked grains evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange prepared vegetables and protein on top in sections. Drizzle with tahini dressing.
06 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs over each bowl. Add pickled red onions if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • You can build it however you want—it's flexible enough for dietary preferences but structured enough to feel intentional.
  • The tahini dressing is so good you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything else you cook all week.
02 -
  • The tahini dressing separates if it sits too long, but a quick whisk or a splash of water brings it right back to life, so don't panic if it looks broken.
  • Pressing your tofu properly makes all the difference in texture—if you skip this step, it stays waterlogged and won't get crispy no matter how long you bake it.
  • The avocado is the last thing that goes in; add it too early and it darkens and gets soft, which defeats the whole purpose of having it there.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for just a minute or two before adding them; it releases their oils and makes them taste infinitely better than if you use them straight from the jar.
  • Cook your grains the day before if you have time—the bowl comes together even faster, and cold grains actually work beautifully with warm roasted vegetables.
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