Dig into this Vegan Power Bowl—a hearty and healthy meal brimming with fluffy quinoa, roasted vegetables, crispy chickpeas, and tahini sauce. Top it with your choice of healthy extras for a flavorful powerhouse of protein and fiber!
Grain bowls are a classic healthy meal prep option but have you heard of power bowls? These upgraded grain bowls are practically exploding with fiber and protein-packed toppings!
This Power Bowl Recipe walks you through every step of the process, from cooking perfectly fluffy quinoa to roasting the vegetables to choosing the best toppings. Tied together with a rich and creamy tahini dressing, every bite is incredibly nourishing and filling.
But here’s the best part: you can easily tailor this grain bowl recipe to fit your taste buds and health goals. The topping options are limitless, from creamy avocado to crunchy hemp seeds to leafy greens and more. Plus, it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free, making it an excellent choice for everyone!
Looking for more grain bowl recipes? You’ll love this Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl, Quinoa Burrito Bowl, Harissa Chicken Bowl and any of these 33+ Yummy Rice Bowl Recipes.
Table of Contents
What is a power bowl?
Power bowl recipes layer a bunch of wholesome ingredients in a bowl to create a nutritious and satisfying lunch or dinner. They’re typically made with a base of grains or greens, topped with a blend of vegetables and proteins, and then finished with a flavorful dressing.
A power bowl doesn’t have to be vegan, vegetarian, or even gluten-free. As long as your components of choice offer a well-balanced mix of protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in every bite, it falls under the ‘power bowl’ category!
Ingredients
- Quinoa – This fluffy, gluten-free, and protein-packed grain is the base of the power bowl.
- Water
- Vegetables – Sweet potatoes and cauliflower were my veggies of choice but the options are endless. Head to the Variations section below for more ideas.
- Chickpeas – These hearty white beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. When roasted in the oven, they become super crunchy and irresistible!
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – I used a mix of nutritional yeast, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to season the roasted vegetables. Go ahead and experiment with other seasonings to taste.
- Kale – Chopped kale adds bulk to the bowl, as well as more vitamins and minerals. The leaves are massaged with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to help soften them and add more flavor.
- Bowl toppings – I like topping these bowls with sliced avocado for creaminess and healthy fats, plus a sprinkle of hemp seeds for an additional protein boost.
- Tahini dressing – This 5-ingredient creamy, tangy, and nutty dressing rounds out every bite. Plus, it’s naturally nut-free!
How to make the best vegan power bowl
To cook the quinoa, add it to a medium pot, cover it with water, and add a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and heat to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy, soft, and tender. Take the pot off the heat.
Meanwhile, roast the vegetables. Toss the sweet potatoes with oil and the seasonings, then lay the pieces on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cauliflower to the baking sheet and toss with more oil. Continue roasting the vegetables until tender and slightly charred.
Drizzle bite-sized pieces of kale with oil, lemon juice, and salt, and use clean hands to massage the kale until it becomes tender and bright green.
To make the tahini sauce, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the power bowls by adding a generous scoop of cooked quinoa and roasted vegetables to a bowl. Top with the massaged kale and your toppings of choice, then drizzle tahini dressing over top. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Always rinse the quinoa under cold running water before cooking. This will wash away its natural coating, called saponin, which can make the quinoa taste bitter or soapy.
- Cook the quinoa in the Instant Pot using the instructions in my 1-Minute Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe. It’s a faster and hands-free method!
- If the dressing is too thick, stir in a little water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Either leave the dressing as-is or tweak the flavors by adding more lemon for tang, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt and pepper to round out the other flavors.
Variations
Now for the fun part—personalizing your vegan power bowl! Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new things. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Other grains – If quinoa isn’t your favorite, substitute it with brown rice, farro, bulgur, or even barley. Try cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.
- Roasted vegetables – Instead of roasted sweet potatoes, consider using butternut squash, carrots, or parsnips for a similar sweet and hearty component. Not crazy about the cauliflower? Try broccoli, brussels sprouts, or zucchini instead.
- Leafy greens – Bulk up the bowl with fresh spinach, arugula, or Swiss chard instead of kale.
- Plant-based protein – Swap the chickpeas with black beans, white beans, lentils, baked tofu, tempeh, or edamame.
- Tasty garnish ideas – Add roasted nuts or seeds (like almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds), dried fruits (such as cranberries or raisins), fresh herbs (like cilantro, parsley, or mint), or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for extra nutrients and flavor.
- Sauces and dressings – Switch up your power bowl sauce with this creamy poppyseed dressing, tzatziki sauce, a simple balsamic vinaigrette, or any of these 15 Healthy and Flavorful Sauces for Buddha Bowls.
Can I add meat to this?
While this power bowel recipe is designed to be vegan, you can certainly add your favorite cooked meats if you’re not strictly plant-based. Grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp would complement the flavors nicely, or try adding slices of steak or pork tenderloin for a heartier dish.
Meal prep and storing
This power bowl recipe is excellent for meal prep! You can cook the quinoa, roast the vegetables, massage the kale, and prepare the dressing 3 to 4 days in advance. Refrigerate each component separately in airtight containers and assemble your bowls when it’s time to eat!
Store any leftover bowl ingredients in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More healthy bowl recipes
Did you make this healthy power bowl recipe?
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Full Recipe
Power Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups))
- 1 medium head cauliflower (cut into small florets)
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Tahini Dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1-2 Tablespoons water (if needed)
Massaged Kale:
- 1 bunch curly kale
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
For Topping:
- Avocado
- Hemp seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Rinse quinoa and add to pot with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the sweet potatoes with 3 Tablespoons olive oil, nutritional yeast, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
- Add cauliflower and chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss with remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender and cauliflower is slightly charred.
- Remove from the oven and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare the massaged kale and tahini dressing.
Massaged Kale
- Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Wash and dry the leaves then tear into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Add oil, lemon juice, and salt. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to work in the flavoring and soften. The volume of the leaves should reduce by about half. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper.
Tahini Dressing
- Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup. Add extra water if needed to thin. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To Serve
- Combine sweet potato-cauliflower mixture with cooked quinoa. Top with the massaged kale, avocado and hemp seeds, if desired. Drizzle with tahini dressing and toss gently to combine. Enjoy!
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