Rainbow Buddha Bowl With Quinoa (Printable Version)

Vibrant grain bowl with quinoa, fresh vegetables, chickpeas, and creamy tahini dressing. A complete nutritious meal ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Protein

04 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper, sliced
09 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
10 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach

→ Healthy Fats & Toppings

11 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
12 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
13 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

→ Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
17 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - While quinoa cooks, slice red cabbage, julienne carrots, halve cherry tomatoes, slice bell pepper and cucumber, and slice avocado just before assembly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, water, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange chickpeas, red cabbage, carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, spinach, and avocado in colorful sections over the quinoa base.
05 - Drizzle each bowl with tahini dressing. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • Each bite tastes completely different depending on how you mix the components, so it never gets boring.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble in minutes, making weeknight dinners feel manageable.
02 -
  • Avocado oxidizes quickly, so slice and add it within 15 minutes of eating, or the whole bowl starts looking sad and brown.
  • The dressing is thick and nutty because of tahini; if you make it ahead, whisk in a little water before serving since it tightens as it sits.
03 -
  • If your tahini dressing breaks or looks grainy, start fresh with a clean bowl and whisk in one tablespoon of water, then slowly add the broken mixture back in while whisking constantly.
  • Warm quinoa mixed with cool vegetables creates perfect temperature contrast; if you prefer everything the same temperature, let the quinoa cool completely before assembling.
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