Rainbow Buddha Bowl with Tahini Dressing (Plant-Based)

There’s something magical about creating a rainbow of colors on your plate that just makes your soul happy. I discovered this combo during my first month of plant-based eating, when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the “what can I eat?” questions. Turns out, the answer was everything beautiful nature had to offer, all in one gorgeous bowl. This became my go-to confidence booster—proving that vegan food could be both nourishing and absolutely stunning.

Ingredients

For the Bowl

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed
• 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, spiralized or julienned
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• ½ cup edamame, shelled
• ¼ cup hemp hearts
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• Fresh cilantro for garnish
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the Tahini Dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons warm water
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Roast the sweet potato: Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cubed sweet potato with avocado oil, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
3. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Gradually add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
4. Prep the vegetables: While sweet potato roasts, slice the cabbage, spiralize the carrot, dice the cucumber, and slice the avocado. Arrange everything in separate prep bowls.
5. Assemble the bowls: Divide quinoa between 4 bowls. Arrange roasted sweet potato, purple cabbage, carrot, cucumber, avocado, and edamame in colorful sections around the bowl.
6. Finish and serve: Drizzle with tahini dressing, sprinkle with hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately while sweet potato is still warm.

Tips

• Make extra quinoa and roasted sweet potatoes for easy meal prep throughout the week.
• If you can’t find tahini, you can substitute with almond butter for a different but delicious flavor.
• Add a handful of sprouts or microgreens for extra nutrition and crunch.
• The dressing keeps in the fridge for up to a week—make a double batch!