Quick Take
Although people have been making one bowl vegetarian meals cross-culturally for centuries, they gained popularity in the United States in 2013 when the term “Buddha Bowl” was coined. Buddha Bowls often consist of grains and vegetables aesthetically arranged in one bowl, drizzled with a sauce or dressing. Here's how to make the perfect buddha bowl recipe at home (pro tip: start with the MamaSezz Buddha Bowl base).
On this page
The Buddha Bowl base
The plant-based protein
The veggies
The Buddha Bowl sauce (oil-free)
Bonus vegan Buddha Bowl toppings
1. The Buddha Bowl base
Use 1-2 cups of 1 or more of any of the following grains or starch:
Rice:
- Brown Rice
- Red Rice
- Wild Rice
- Black Rice
Quinoa
- White Quinoa
- Red Quinoa
- Black Quinoa
Grain-free raw buddha bowl base options:
- Riced Cauliflower
- Leafy Greens
Pre-cooked Buddha Bowl grain base options:
Or make things really simple and choose one of these MamaSezz ready-made Buddha Bowl base options!
2. The plant-based protein
Your plant-based protein will make up about 1/4 of your total Buddha Bowl.
Beans and legumes
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
- White beans
- Black beans
- Lentils
- Edamame beans
- Lima beans
Other plant-based protein options
- Diced, seasoned, and baked tofu
- Baked tempeh
3. The veggies
Choose as many veggies as you like! Traditionally there are 3-5 different veggies, including plant-based protein sources like beans or tofu (listed above).
Raw veggies
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded cabbage
- Shredded or small diced beets
- Sliced or diced cucumber
- Sliced cherry tomatoes
- Sliced or diced red pepper
- Thinly sliced or diced red onion
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Chopped celery
- Shaved fennel
- Shaved radishes
- Greens
- Snow peas
Roasted veggies
Splash any of the below roasted veggie options with a little Tamari and garlic powder, or lemon juice and garlic powder. Roast on a nonstick pan or parchment paper in a preheated oven at 400 degrees until soft. Feel free to roast any of the veggies listed under “raw” as well, except for greens, shaved radishes, cucumber, or avocado.
- Sliced mushrooms
- Diced onions
- Diced sweet potatoes
- Sliced or diced zucchini
- Diced squash
- Chopped leeks
- Fiddleheads
- Sliced brussel sprouts
- Asparagus
- Eggplant
- Falafel
4. The Buddha Bowl sauce
The sauce is by far the most important aspect to a perfect vegan Buddha Bowl.
Keep it simple
- Tahini
- Tahini mixed with lemon juice, garlic powder and date syrup (or maple syrup)
- MamaSezz Ranch Dressing (vegan and oil-free!)
- MamaSezz Pecan Balsamic Dressing (vegan and oil-free!)
Oil-free dressing and sauce recipes:
Lemon Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon of lemon rind
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 a cup of soaked cashews
a dash of black pepper
2 teaspoons of mustard
2 dates
1 teaspoon of parsley water for blending
1 Tablespoon of chia seeds
Instructions
1. Blend All ingredients except for chia seeds until creamy.
2. Stir in the chia seeds and set aside for 10 minutes
3. Pour over your salad and enjoy
Green Goddess Dressing
Ingredients
1/4 cup of water
3 TBSP of tahini
2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar
2 dates
1 clove of garlic
1 small pinch of sea salt
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
1/2 cup of arugula
Instructions
Blend together until smooth
Sesame Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
2 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP of water
½ a lemon
2 TBSP of tahini
1 TBSP Dijon
1 TBS of honey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
A few TBSP of fresh parsley
A dash of sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Blend ingredients until smooth
Creamy Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
1 teaspoon tahini
1 clove of garlic
1 lemon (juice)
½ avocado
½ teaspoon of maple syrup or agave or date syrup
½ cup water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Blend together until smooth.
Cilantro Lime Aioli
Ingredients
½ cup of soaked and drained cashews
the juice from 1 lime
1 tsp of maple or date syrup
1 tsp of chopped shallots
1/3 clove of garlic a dash of sea salt
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
A little less than a cup of water
Instructions
Blend together until creamy
Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients
1 cup of raw, soaked cashews*
½ cup water
1 chipotle pepper (large for more heat, small for less heat)
½ lime (juice)
½ lemon (juice)
1 TBSP of maple syrup or agave
½ tsp garlic powder
Sea salt, and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Blend ingredients until smooth
Bonus vegan Buddha Bowl toppings
Add texture and additional nutrients with these delicious vegan toppings.
- Roasted or raw seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds…)
- Roasted or raw nuts (cashews, peanuts, almond slices, walnuts, pecans…)
- Chia seeds
- Poppy seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Chopped green onions
- Small diced red onion
- Shaved radish
- Pomegranate seeds
- Chopped fresh herbs
- Sprouts
Key Takeaways
A Buddha Bowl is a healthy vegan lunch that will fill you up until dinner time. Make the perfect Buddha Bowl by following these steps.
- Start with a base of fiber packed grains, like the ready-made MamaSezz Buddha Bowl base.
- Add your plant-based protein: beans, tofu, tempeh, etc.
- Load on the veggies - raw or roasted both work great!
- Drizzle on your favorite oil-free sauce. We love MamaSezz vegan ranch dressing.
- Add texture and extra flavor with fun plant-based toppings like sprouts, fresh herbs, chopped seeds or nuts, green onions, and more!
By The MamaSezz Team