Vegan Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Why’ll You’ll Love this Sweet Potato Buddah Bowl Recipe

A few years ago I made my Warm Ancient Grain Bowl with Lemon Tahini Sauce and it quickly became one of my most popular recipes. I’ve been loving grain bowls this winter, so I thought it was about time for a new recipe!

And let me tell you… this nutritious and flavorful vegan Buddha bowl has quickly become my go-to for quick weeknight dinners. Here are a few reasons why we love this recipe and you will too:

• Flavorful Homemade Green Goddess Dressing: This recipe is topped with a creamy dairy-free dressing made with avocado, cashews, and lots of fresh herbs, which packs a whole lot of flavor!

• Lots of Plant-Based Protein with Crispy Tofu & Chickpeas: This bowl has baked tofu and chickpeas which provide a satisfying, crispy crunch.

• Dinner Under an Hour: This recipe would also be great for meal prep as the tofu, roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes store well in the fridge.

• Fresh, Vibrant, Herby Flavor: The combination of spices, greens, avocado, and chickpeas creates a bright, aromatic plant-based Buddha bowl.

• An Almost Sheet Pan Dinner: Everything except for the farro (or rice) can be made on a couple of sheet pans in the oven!

• Customizable Ingredients and Whole Grains: I used farro, sweet potatoes, chickpeas and kale but you can swap in your favorite beans, grains and veggies. Use brown rice instead of farro or black beans instead of chickpeas based on your preferences and pantry!

Ingredients

This vegan Buddha bowl recipe comes together with lots of whole foods, plant-based ingredients including lots of fresh vegetables! To season everything, this recipe uses a simple spice blend and a homemade green goddess dressing.

To make it even easier to pull together on a weeknight, you could swap in your favorite store-bought green goddess dressing instead.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Farro or Brown Rice: Nutty, chewy grains that hold up well when mixed with veggies and dressing. For gluten-free, use quinoa or brown rice instead of the farro.

• Vegetable Broth: Gives the farro or rices lots of flavor while cooking.

• Sweet Potato: When roasted, the sweet potatoes become tender and caramelized, bringing out their natural sweetness.

• Red Onion: Adds crunchy texture and savory depth of flavor.

• Chickpeas: These add some nice plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates. And they’re perfect for roasting until crispy!

• Extra Firm Tofu: Bakes up golden and crisp and boosts the amount of protein in this nourish bowl.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Binds the spice blend to the veggies and helps add flavor when roasting.

• Tuscan Kale: Sturdy greens like fresh kale soften nicely when massaged with the dressing. I prefer dark kale or Tuscan Kale in this recipe, but you can use your favorite dark leafy greens.

• Ripe Avocado: Offers creaminess as well as healthy fats when sliced on top.

• Spice Blend: A mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne provides big flavor.

• Green Goddess Dressing: This tangy, herby dressing pulls everything together!

Substitutions & Add-Ins

The great thing about Buddha bowls is how customizable they are. Feel free to swap out ingredients to suit your preferences and what you have on hand.

Here are some easy substitutions and add-ins:

• Chili Powder: Use in place of the cayenne and paprika for a milder spice blend.

• Fresh Veggies: Mix in diced red peppers, baby spinach, shredded carrots or red cabbage. You could also use some of these healthy veggies- zucchini, Brussel sprouts or other leafy greens like arugula.

• Lemon Juice or Lime Juice: A squeeze of either of these brightens up the bowl with some acidity.

• Flavorful Sauce Ideas: Feel free to use this Creamy Tahini Dressing or the Peanut Sauce in this recipe instead of the Avocado Green Goddess Dressing. 

• Vegan Protein Options: Sub in tempeh, diced veggie burgers, homemade vegan TVP beef crumbles or seitan for the tofu. 

• Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle on top for crunch and nuttiness.

• Different Healthy Grains: Try swapping in your favorite grains like brown rice, wheat berries, barley, millet, or sorghum. You can also make it a vegan quinoa bowl by subbing in your favorite type of cooked, fluffy quinoa for the farro! Brown rice or quinoa would make this vegan Buddha bowl gluten-free.

Helpful Equipment

• Large baking sheets: For evenly roasting the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and tofu.
• Parchment paper: Lines the baking sheet for easy cleanup.
• High speed blender: Useful for smoothly blending the dressing. A regular blender works too.
• Airtight container or mason jar: For storing leftovers and dressing.
• Serving bowl: To assemble and enjoy the sweet potato Buddha bowls!

Step By Step Instructions

* Below are the simple steps to make this vegan sweet potato buddha bowl recipe! Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Chickpeas & Tofu

STEP 1: Mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika and cayenne.

STEP 2: Add the farro and veggie broth to a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook the farro, covered, over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes before draining and excess broth as needed.

STEP 3: Cut tofu into cubes, coat in the oil and spice mixture. Spread out onto one of the baking sheets and bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.

STEP 4: Make the roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potato into cubes. Spread on a baking sheet with chickpeas and onion, and toss in the spices/oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Toss them halfway through cooking.

How to Build Your Own Buddha Bowl

STEP 5: Make the avocado green goddess dressing according to this recipe. Just add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until creamy!

STEP 6: Toss kale with dressing to massage and slightly wilted and tender.

STEP 7: Now the fun part! Assemble bowls with farro, sweet potato, chickpeas, onion, kale, tofu and dressing. Top with sliced avocado.

Serving Suggestions

This nourishing Buddha bowl is especially tasty during the colder months when sweet potatoes and Tuscan kale are in season, but it can be enjoyed year-round.

To make this recipe even easier, try prepping a few components in advance. The baked sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tofu and dressing can all be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored separately. When ready to eat, simply cook the farro, massage the kale with dressing and assemble the bowls. Preparing a few elements ahead of time transforms this into a quick weeknight dinner.

For even easier cooking, try using an air fryer. The chickpeas, sweet potato cubes and tofu can all be air fried at 380F until crispy and golden brown. The air fryer gives you hands-free cooking and perfectly roasted veggies and protein without needing to turn on the oven.

Helpful Tips

• Bake the Tofu First: Start by baking the tofu first since it takes the longest to crisp up.

• Don’t Crowd the Baking Pans: Be sure not to crowd the baking sheet too much or the tofu will steam instead of getting crispy.

• Use Parchment Paper: Roast the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and onions on parchment paper lined baking sheets for easy cleanup. Parchment paper also helps promote even crisping.

• Massage the Kale: Don’t skip massaging the kale with the dressing. This helps soften the greens and mellow out any bitterness.

• Adjust the Seasonings to Taste: Feel free to adjust the spice quantities to your taste. Add more smoked paprika and cumin for a deeper, smokier flavor.

• Make the Sauce Thinner as Needed: Thin with a splash more almond milk or water if the dressing is too thick.