This vegan sweet potato buddha bowl recipe features roasted sweet potatoes, red peppers and chickpeas. It’s drizzled with a tangy green mojo sauce. Makes a healthy (vegetarian) dinner or lunch.
Table of Contents
First thing’s first:
What is a buddha bowl?
- A Buddha bowl is a vegetarian, one dish meal served from a large bowl or plate that consists of small portions of several foods – usually a grain, vegetable, protein and dressing.
Here’s what I’ve got going on in these bowls:
- Grain – Quinoa. I make my quinoa in the Instant Pot or in my rice cooker.
- Vegetable – Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Red Peppers
- Protein – Chickpeas (I love making chickpeas in the Instant Pot too!)
- Buddha Bowl Sauce – Mojo Sauce (this Garlic & Basil Tahini sauce would be amazing too!). Or, try one of these 15+ Buddha Bowl Sauces.
Why is it called a buddha bowl?
- There are a couple theories on why the name buddha bowl is used. One is that it’s named after the bowl’s round, big shape – like a Buddha belly. The other, which I tend to lean towards as the true basis is that Buddha woke up every morning and carried his bowl through town, picking up little bits of donated food from locals. At the end of the day, he’d eat whatever was in his bowl.
You’ll also see buddha bowls called grain bowls, hippie bowls, power bowls and macro bowls.
Regardless of what you call this roasted sweet potato & chickpea bowl, you are going to love it.
Rick said this was one of his favorite meals that I’ve made… That actually shocked me because he’s definitely a meat eater. I think that because the sweet potatoes, roasted peppers and chickpeas are so hearty, he didn’t miss the meat at all.
Plus, can I just say that the seasoning on the roasted sweet potatoes is amazing…
I tossed them with cumin, chipotle pepper powder and some nutritional yeast. The result was crispy, well seasoned sweet potatoes with a flavor almost reminiscent of a nacho cheese sauce. Yum!
They definitely set the scene for a Buddha bowl that had a bit of spicy, tangy flair. Which is when I decided that my favorite Mojo sauce also needed to make an appearance.
Given the choice, I would have some of this Mojo sauce on hand at all times. It’s a bright green, tangy, spicy sauce that’s flecked with cilantro, garlic and parsley. I love it as a topping for roasted chicken, crispy smashed potatoes, grilled pork, even scrambled eggs.
How to build a sweet potato buddha bowl
Start with a grain base
- Start with a base of quinoa, brown rice, farro, couscous, white rice or barley. I love making my grains in the Instant Pot. Here’s my recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa and Instant Pot Rice.
Pile on the veggies
- I added some roasted sweet potatoes and red peppers to my vegan Buddha bowl. Really, you can pile on whatever you love best. This is also a great opportunity to use up any veggies that have been lingering in your veggie drawer. Or, try adding on these quick pickled onions!
- This Roasted Broccoli with Basil & Garlic Tahini Sauce would also make an amazing topping. Or try this Miso Cauliflower, roasted butternut squash, or Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts.
Add some protein
- To boost the protein, I added in some garbanzo beans. Here’s my recipe for Instant Pot (no soak) Chickpeas. You could also add in some black beans, tofu, or grilled chicken.
Dress it up
- I topped my bowl with a zesty, tangy green mojo sauce. You could also drizzle your bowl with this yumm sauce, jalapeno sesame salsa, tahini sauce, chipotle crema, cilantro lime crema or any creamy dressing that you love. Here’s 15+ Buddha Bowl Sauces!
Pile on the toppings
- Avocado
- Greens – Kale, arugula, spinach
- Seeds – Sesame seeds, pepitas, chia seeds
- Cilantro
- Jalapenos or Serrano Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Radishes
- Lime Wedges
- Sour Cream
Do you eat buddha bowls hot or cold?
- I prefer to eat my Buddha bowls at room temperature, after the quinoa and roasted veggies have cooled just a bit. However, these bowls are also amazing served cold or warm, making them super versatile. They’re perfect for meal prep!
Wine pairings
- Look for lighter-bodied, fruit-focused reds like Beaujolais or Grenache.
- Alternatively, a Malbec or Tempranillo will be a bit heavier, but compliment the smoky-spicy flavors in this dish.
More bowl recipes
More easy vegetarian recipes
Did you make this sweet potato chickpea buddha bowl?
Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this buddha bowl with sweet potatoes. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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MORE → 100+ Vegan Dinner Ideas
Full Recipe
Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups))
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 red bell peppers (sliced)
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- Zest of 1 lime
- Mojo Sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 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 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss potatoes with 3 Tablespoons olive oil, nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Add peppers to baking sheet and toss with remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and peppers are slightly charred.
- Remove from oven and toss with chickpeas and lime zest. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare the Mojo Sauce.
- To serve, top cooked quinoa with sweet potato-chickpea mixture, mojo sauce and additional toppings, as desired. Enjoy.
Notes
- I prefer to eat my Buddha bowls at room temperature, after the quinoa and roasted veggies have cooled just a bit. However, these bowls are also amazing served cold or warm, making them super versatile and perfect for a grab and go lunch.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2025 to add new information. The sweet potato power bowl recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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