Ultimate Guide To Making A Buddha Bowl

Ultimate Guide To Making A Buddha Bowl

Everyone wants to eat healthier, but the complexity of making healthier dishes often put a damper on things. Poach instead of fry. Grind this exotic spice and sprinkle on top of this fruit named after the magical mountain ranges in a Southern Pacific island from whence it came.  Maybe we’ll save that level of “healthy living” for special occasions. For an everyday meal, you need not look beyond your local farmers’ market to make a tasty, healthy, and vegetarian meal.   

What is a Buddha Bowl?

The Buddha Bowl is the perfect all-in-one dish for busy professionals who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle despite the demands of work or school. It is a vegetarian or vegan meal served in a bowl or any high-rimmed plate.  It has all the ingredients of a balanced diet — whole grains like quinoa or brown rice, vegetarian proteins like chickpeas or tofu, and a variety of vegetables. Whichever ones you like! Now tell me these ingredients aren’t easy to find.  What’s more, you can simply prepare the bowl before leaving the house, and mix and eat during lunchtime. There’s no need to reheat or cook anything as Buddha bowls are often served cold.  Just a fun fact: there are still some disputes as to where the dish got its name. Some say that the Buddha himself carried a food bowl filled with the vegetarian food the villagers offered him. Another story said it came from Budai’s bowl-like belly. He was a 10th-century Chinese monk often confused with the Buddha.   

How to make a Buddha Bowl

1. Prepare your whole grains You can literally use any grain of your choice — quinoa, brown rice, corn, barley. Just listen to your body and test which grain will keep you full for the longest. Remember: we’re going for the easiest to prepare with the most reward for your health and energy.  You can batch prepare these grains so making your Buddha bowls for the rest of the week will be a breeze.    2. Pile on the veggiesBuddha bowl with broccoli, roasted carrots, cashews, tofu, avocado and other greens are piled in a wooden bowl. Craving for a veggie dish but too tired of making a complex meal? Just get the take out whatever vegetables are in your fridge, blanch them, add a little seasoning, and save for later to add to your Buddha bowl.  Have a rest at making those weekly frittatas. Instead, toss the weekly leftover vegetables in some olive oil and spices. If you’re feeling a bit fancy, you can even roast them for a richer, earthier taste.  Pile them on in your dish to make it healthier and prettier. Your veggie arrangement will be the difference between an office lunch and an Instagram-worthy fitness post.    3. Add a bit of protein for that extra energy boost To add a bit of crunch to your bowl, roast or bake some chickpeas, tofu, or other vegetarian protein. Nailing your protein preparation will be a great way to balance the taste and texture of your dish.    4. A drizzle of dressing to taste No need to use the run-of-the-mill store-bought dressings for this dish. You can simply use the ingredients already in your pantry. The simplest and tastiest dressing is only made of the simplest ingredients — apple cider vinegar, honey, and olive oil.    5. Sprinkle some seeds Add a pinch of sesame, sunflower, or chia seeds to your bowl to garnish and to add more texture, as well. They’re also a great source of Omega-3 which is good for your heart.    6. Need extra richness to your bowl? Another tip to make your bowl more filling is to add a few slices of avocado or drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. This will add that velvety texture to every bite and will keep you full for longer.   

Buddha Bowl Ingredients

Here are some of the simplest ingredients you can put in your Buddha bowl: Grains
  • Brown riceIndividual ingredients needed for a buddha bowl recipe, such as chicpeas, avocado, carrots, cucumber, asparagus, beats, grains, and broccoli, are plated separately in individual bowls.
  • Bulgur barley
  • Quinoa 
  • Polenta
  • Corn
  Vegetables
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Cucumber
  • Butternut squash
  • Avocado kernels
  • Beets
  • Green peas
  Plant-based protein   Dressing and Garnish
  • Pesto
  • Peanut sauce
  • Miso sauce
  • Vinaigrette 
  • Tahini
  • Pickled onion
  There’s no excuse for eating healthier with this easy on-the-go Buddha bowl recipe. Whenever you’re stump for a healthy vegetarian food idea, just open your fridge, take out these ingredients, and start mixing!