Chickpea Buddha Bowl

This chickpea Buddha bowl is built to fill up bellies! This one-bowl meal includes lots of plant-based goodies, including brown rice, fresh veggies, crispy chickpeas, creamy avocado, and turmeric tahini dressing. It’s the perfect healthy lunch or light dinner!

Plant-based buddha bowls are a great way to take full advantage of fresh seasonal produce.

These chickpea buddha bowls feature carrots, kale, and radish paired with smooth avocado, brown rice, and crispy turmeric-spiced chickpeas.

But wait, there’s more!

You’ll top your bowl with spring onions, fiery sliced chilis, crisp greens, and sesame seeds.

Finished with a creamy turmeric tahini dressing as a welcome bonus! Before we break down the components of a vegan buddha bowl, let’s go over the basics.

Components of a Buddha Bowl

To make the most of this vegan buddha bowl recipe, include a serving from each of the five buddha bowl components.

The components are listed below, along with what you’ll need for this vegan bowl recipe:

• Veggies: I love the combination of carrots, kale, and radish. But what I love about Buddha bowls is that you can use any kind of vegetable. So feel free to use any fresh veggies you have around.
• Whole grains: I used brown rice, but you can use any other cooked whole grain. See below for variations.
• Protein: Golden chickpeas provide plant-based protein. The chickpeas are spiced with turmeric and crisped to perfection. You’ll need olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin seeds, chickpeas, turmeric powder, salt, and pepper. For extra heat, add chili powder.
• Toppings: Get creative! Spring onions, sliced chili, watercress (or any microgreens), and sesame seeds are a winning combo. I added avocado as well to boost the healthy fats and fiber.
• Dressing/sauce: Vegan chickpea buddha bowls aren’t complete without a creamy sauce drizzled over the top. Creamy turmeric tahini dressing is the perfect pairing.

How To Build a Chickpea Buddha Bowl

1. Chop the vegetables: With a mandoline or a very sharp knife, carefully slice the radish into thin rounds and cut the carrots into small batons (bite-size 1/2″ thick sticks).
2. Soften the leafy greens: Cut away the woody stalk from the kale and tenderize the leaves. You can do this by boiling the leaves in water for a few minutes or by massaging the leaves in a large bowl with olive oil and lemon juice until soft.
3. Prep avocado: Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Then peel away the skin and slice the flesh into wedges. To keep the avocado from browning, squeeze lemon juice onto the pieces.

Golden Chickpeas

4. Prepare the golden chickpeas: Warm extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until golden and fragrant. Then, add the cumin seeds and toast for 30 seconds. Next, add the turmeric powder and drained chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the chickpeas are golden with crispy edges.

5. Assemble individual Buddha bowls: In each bowl, add a serving of rice, chickpeas, kale, carrots, radish, and avocado. Top with sliced green onions, fresh chili slices, sesame seeds, and salad cress or microgreens.
6. Serve: Serve with turmeric tahini dressing and enjoy!

How to Store

Fridge: These bowls are best kept in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoyed within 4 to 5 days. Store the dressing in a separate container. You should store the avocado separately, but it will begin to brown quickly, so it’s best sliced fresh right before each meal.

Flavor Variations & Add-Ins

For more ways to build a vegan buddha bowl, check out these alternative ingredients:

• Veggies: Grape tomatoes, bell peppers, sliced jalapenos, lime wedges, bean sprouts, blanched green beans, regular broccoli, jicama sticks, or roasted veggies like sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are great healthy options.
• Whole grains: Any cooked whole grain works – quinoa, wild rice, whole-wheat couscous, farro, etc.
• Protein: You can sub protein-rich chickpeas for other legumes. Black beans, white beans, crispy tofu, edamame, and tempeh are great plant-based protein sources.
• Toppings: Cilantro, pickled red onion, lime juice, chopped peanuts, jalapenos, bean sprouts, pepitas, etc. You can also add seeds like pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds.
• Dressing/sauce: Keep it simple with an extra-virgin olive oil dressing or a Thai peanut sauce, or use your favorite creamy vegan dressing.

Why I Love This Recipe

• It’s a quick vegan lunch or easy dinner.
• Includes a nourishing balance of gluten-free, whole-grain ingredients.
• An infinite number of great ways to customize.
• Perfect for plant-based meal prep.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Butternut Squash Buddha Bowl
• Vegan Sushi Bowl
• Sesame Crusted Tofu
• Vegan Burrito Bowl
• 5 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas
• 6 Healthy Bento Box Ideas
• Vegan Poke Bowl
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Easy Hummus Bowl
• Vegan Meal Prep Bowls

And for more healthy recipes, check out these 100+ Vegan Meal Prep Ideas.

If you try this chickpea Buddha bowl recipe, please leave a comment and a rating and let me know how much you liked it!

Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it!