Buddha Bowl (Protein Bowl)

Prepare for a protein–packed Buddha bowl with colorful vegetables, nourishing whole grains, and plenty of plant-based protein.

It is an excellent way to pack nourishing ingredients into one flavorful and gorgeous dish.

Get more inspiration with these vegetarian protein meals and vegan protein recipes.

This protein Buddha bowl is an easy and practical way to eat a nutrient-dense and balanced meal in one – well – bowl.

They are like grain bowls and very similar to poke bowls, except they don’t contain fish or meat and favor plant-based protein.

There are three main components to Buddha bowls:

1. Vegetables and fruits: you can add them raw, steam them, grill them, or roast them in the oven.
2. Whole grains: farro, barley, whole grain rice, buckwheat, amaranth, and even quinoa; you can pick your favorite.
3. Plant-based protein: tofu recipes, edamame beans, chickpeas, or tempeh.
4. Sauce: peanut sauce is our current favorite, but tahini sauce and chipotle sauce also work wonderfully.

Here are a couple of tips to remember when making Buddha bowls:

1. Eat the rainbow: the more color you add, the more nutrients you eat. Louise and I try to include something purple, orange, and dark green because they are packed with good stuff.
2. Keep things balanced: eat a little of everything, including grains, veggies, protein, and sauce.
3. Go for whole grains like brown rice, barley, and farro. They are more nourishing and keep you full longer.

Grains

We use whole-grain rice to add additional protein to this Buddha bowl.

Substitute farro, barley, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, and couscous for rice.

For a low-carb diet, you can substitute cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for rice.

Protein

Our favorite protein is quick-grilled tofu. Substitute grilled tofu with a variety of plant-based protein options:

Marinated tofu, pan-fried crispy tofu, air-fryer tofu, chickpeas, crispy roasted chickpeas, hummus, falafel, edamame beans, black beans or other beans, and even tempeh.

Buddha bowls are generally vegan or vegetarian (like the diet of Buddhist monks) and don’t include chicken or fish.

Vegetables and Fruit

Add your favorite vegetables and fruit, such as raw, grilled, steamed, or oven-baked.

Think about the colors of the rainbow, and add three to seven vegetables:

• RED: We add thinly sliced red onion pickled in lemon juice and salt for 10 minutes.
  
  Substitute tomatoes, red bell pepper, radish, red chili pepper, or red leaf lettuce for red onion.
  
• ORANGE: We add carrot ribbons sliced with a vegetable peeler. Substitute orange bell pepper, roasted butternut squash, microwaved sweet potato or roasted sweet potatoes, kabocha squash, pumpkin, and even cantaloupe melon for carrots.
  
• YELLOW: We add juicy mango. Substitute pineapple, yellow bell pepper, corn, cauliflower, golden tomatoes, yellow carrots, and yellow squash for mango.
  
• GREEN: We add spinach, cucumber, and avocado. Substitute kale, arugula, collard greens, green cabbage, watercress, romaine lettuce, zucchini, broccoli, shaved or roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed artichokes, green beans, steamed asparagus, roasted asparagus, and green peas for spinach and cucumber.
  
• PURPLE: We add thinly sliced red cabbage. Substitute roasted eggplant, beets, purple sweet potatoes, purple cauliflower, radicchio, and purple carrots for red cabbage.

If you are using tofu, then we recommend peanut sauce, which we make with:

• Peanut butter: smooth or chunky; both work. Substitute almond butter or other nut butter.
• Tahini: optional; substitute more peanut butter or other nut butter.
• Sesame oil: keep out if you don’t have it.
• Rice vinegar: substitute with fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar.
• Brown sugar: substitute maple syrup, agave syrup, palm sugar, or coconut sugar.
• Soy sauce: substitute tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free.
• Garlic and ginger: substitute garlic and ginger paste.
• Sriracha sauce: substitute red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or another spicy ingredient.

You can substitute cilantro lime dressing, green goddess dressing, tahini sauce, carrot ginger dressing, and chipotle sauce for the sesame peanut sauce.

Boil the rice

Add the rice to a sift and rinse with water. Add it to a pot with plenty of salted boiling water and cook as per package instructions or until al dente (whole grain rice can take 30 to 45 minutes).

Spread the cooked rice on a baking sheet to cool down without overcooking.

Tip: Avoid rinsing rice under cold water to cool it down.

Prep quick pickled red onions

Thinly slice the red onion and add it to a bowl with freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.

Grill the tofu

Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper and slice it into 1/4 inch (0.7 cm) slices. Toss tofu slices in olive oil, salt, and black pepper until well coated in oil.

Warm up your grill pan, add the tofu slices, and grill for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Turn around with the help of a flat spatula and grill for three more minutes.

Make the peanut sauce

Whisk or blend peanut butter, tahini, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, grated ginger, grated garlic, and sriracha sauce.

Chop the vegetables

Cut mango and cucumber into dice. Thinly slice the carrot with a vegetable peeler. Thinly chop the red cabbage.

Build the Buddha Bowl

Add boiled rice, spinach, diced mango, carrot ribbons, sliced cabbage, cucumber, sliced avocado, and grilled tofu to a large serving bowl.

Top with pickled red onions and a generous drizzle of peanut sauce.

Optionally, sprinkle with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.

Mediterranean Protein Bowl

Get transported to the shores of the Mediterranean with this nourishing Mediterranean grain bowl.

We make it with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, parsley, feta cheese, falafel, hummus, warm pita bread, lemon wedges, and a delicious tahini sauce as dressing.

Choose a different dressing

Tahini sauce

A creamy, nutty, and delicious sauce with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water, and salt.

It’s delicious with all veggies, rice, and tofu and an excellent choice for Buddha bowls.

Cilantro lime dressing

A Mexican-inspired dressing with fresh and zesty flavors. You can make it with fresh cilantro, lime juice, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, garlic, and ginger.

Green goddess dressing

You can make green goddess sauce with vegan mayo, yogurt, garlic, olive oil, parsley, basil, dill, chives, mint, capers, salt, and pepper.

This protein-rich Buddha bowl is fulfilling and tastes delicious without anything on the side.

We usually make one giant bowl and share it among the two of us, and we keep the leftovers for the next day.

You can have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It’s also excellent for meal prep since you can grill the tofu, pickle the onions, make the sauce, and boil the rice up to 3-4 days in advance.

Make ahead: this Buddha bowl is an excellent recipe for meal prep.

You can boil the rice, make the peanut sauce, pickle the onions, and grill the tofu up to 4 days in advance and keep it in separate containers in the fridge.

Refrigerator: keep the bowl in the fridge, covered with plastic, for a day or two. The components can last up to 4 days if stored in separate airtight containers.

Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

GRAIN BOWL RECIPES: Mediterranean barley salad, Mediterranean bowl, Rice salad, Couscous salad, 25 best grain bowl recipes.

TOFU RECIPES: Fried tofu, Tofu salad, Marinated tofu, Air fryer tofu.

Salads

Barley Salad

Mains

Mediterranean Bowl

Salads

Rice Salad

Salads

Quinoa Salad

For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.