Rainbow Buddha Bowl With Quinoa (Printable Version)

Vibrant grain bowl with quinoa, fresh vegetables, chickpeas, and tahini dressing for a nourishing meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

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

→ Protein

04 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas or canned 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 and 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 fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed 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, slice cucumber, and slice avocado. Arrange on cutting board for easy assembly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons water, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange chickpeas, red cabbage, carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, spinach, and avocado in colorful sections on top of quinoa.
05 - Drizzle each bowl generously with tahini dressing. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds over top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that tastes indulgent while being genuinely nourishing, so you feel good afterward instead of sluggish.
  • The prep is forgiving and meditative—no fancy knife skills required, just honest vegetable slicing.
  • Leftovers work beautifully (pack the dressing and avocado separately), making it perfect for meal prep or when you need lunch ready to go.
02 -
  • Rinse your quinoa thoroughly or it tastes slightly soapy—this is the one non-negotiable step I learned the hard way.
  • The tahini dressing will thicken as it sits, so make it slightly thinner than you want it to be; add water gradually and taste constantly because too-thick dressing is harder to fix than too-thin.
03 -
  • If your tahini dressing breaks or looks separated, it's not ruined—just whisk in a tablespoon of water and it'll come back together smoothly.
  • Toast your own pumpkin and sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before sprinkling them on; they'll taste exponentially more flavorful and add better crunch than pre-toasted versions.
Go Back