Ready to feel at one with the universe? Whip up an infinitely versatile Buddha Bowl to turn whatever you have on hand into a tasty (and photo-worthy) dinner. What exactly is a Buddha Bowl? Packed with whole grains, plant proteins, and vegetables, it's the ideal vegetarian one-bowl dish.  

The best part is that you can swap out different ingredients to suit your taste - meaning there isn’t one single recipe. Think of a Buddha Bowl recipe as a general guideline rather than a precise science. A recipe without a recipe - how very Zen. 

BASIC INGREDIENTS

GRAINS

Pick one: Good options are jasmine rice, quinoa, rice or soba noodles, even zucchini ‘zoodles’ or cauliflower ‘rice’ if you are grain-free.

VEGETABLES

Pick three or four that are easily steamed or roasted: Good options include asparagus, green beans, sweet potato, butternut squash, edamame, spinach, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or cauliflower.

PLANT PROTIEN

Pick one: Baked or sautéed tofu, roasted chickpeas, white beans, or roasted mushrooms are great here. You can even (*gasp*) make your bowl non-vegetarian and add some roasted chicken, sautéed shrimp, or smoked salmon. 

GARNISH

Pick two or three: Fresh vegetables or fruits that you enjoy to accent the overall flavor. My go-to garnishes usually include green onions, limes, chives, lettuce, thinly sliced cucumber, avocado, or sesame seeds. 

DRESSING

A light dressing or sauce will help tie everything together and harmonize your flavors. Think homemade sesame oil vinaigrette, gluten-free teriyaki sauce, or a ginger-honey dressing. 

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

• Stainless steel baking sheet (if you are roasting vegetables)

• 9 Cup food processor (if you are ricing cauliflower or chopping/shredding vegetables)

• Stainless Steel Vegetable Steamer

• 3qt Stainless Steel Pot with lid (for cooking rice)

• Large stainless steel mixing bowl

• 15” Cast Iron Skillet

• Chef’s knife and cutting board

• Wooden spoon and Stainless steel spatula

• Parchment paper

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER 

My current favorite is a sautéed spinach bowl with asparagus and green beans over rice. Here is how I put it all together for 2 servings:  

1. 1 cup of rice, cooked per package directions. If you want to step it up a notch, follow my recipe for crunchy rice HERE. When rice is cooked, divide evenly between two bowls.

2. Add 2TBS coconut oil, 1TSP fresh ginger, and 5 drops sesame seed oil to a large skillet. Sauté 2 cups baby spinach with 1 cup shredded carrots over med-high heat until spinach is slightly wilted and carrots are browned. Divide into 2 servings and add to the rice bowl. Do not clean skillet out.

3. At the same time you are sautéing the spinach and carrots, steam 1 cup of asparagus (chopped into 1 inch pieces) and 1 cup green beans (ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces). Lightly steam until veggies are tender-crisp.

4. Once asparagus and green beans are lightly steamed, pour these vegetables into the same skillet used to sauté spinach and carrots. Flash-sautee the green beans and asparagus over high heat until lightly browned, but still tender-crisp. Don’t overcook! Add to rice bowl.

5. Top each bowl with 1/2 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce, 1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber, 1/4 sliced avocado, and 1 lime wedge. Recently, I’ve been making a non-vegan version and adding a fried egg on top as well.

6. Lightly dress each bowl with gluten-free teriyaki sauce.

Bliss out, become one with the universe, and enjoy your Buddha Bowl! 

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