Power Bowl

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 50

Servings: people

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

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!

Print Recipe

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:

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!

Notes

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

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.

Nutrition