Rainbow Veggie Buddha Bowl (Printable)

Colorful vegetable bowl with grains and sesame ginger dressing, perfect for a healthy, balanced meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup brown rice or quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fresh Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
05 - 1 cup shredded carrots
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup broccoli florets, lightly steamed or raw
08 - 1 avocado, sliced

→ Protein

09 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed

→ Toppings

10 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
12 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Sesame Ginger Dressing

13 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
14 - 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
15 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - Juice of 1 lime

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse brown rice or quinoa under cold water. Add to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - While grains cook, wash and chop all vegetables as directed. Halve cherry tomatoes, shred red cabbage and carrots, slice bell pepper thinly, and arrange broccoli florets on a cutting board.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together toasted sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and lime juice until well combined and emulsified.
04 - Lightly steam broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes if desired for tenderness, or leave raw for extra crunch.
05 - Divide cooked grains equally among four serving bowls. Arrange cherry tomatoes, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, broccoli, avocado slices, and chickpeas on top in sections for a rainbow effect.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with sesame ginger dressing, distributing evenly across all components.
07 - Top each bowl with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro or parsley, and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinners that don't stress you out.
  • The dressing is so addictive you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything else you cook.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble bowls fresh, making it perfect for meal prep without the boredom.
02 -
  • Don't slice avocado until the last minute—once it hits air, it starts turning brown, and while it still tastes fine, it looks defeated.
  • The dressing should be equally balanced in your mouth between salt, sour, sweet, and heat—if one note overpowers, adjust before serving so you're not fixing it bowl by bowl.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a mason jar and shake it vigorously before serving—it seems unnecessary until you taste how much better it coats the vegetables.
  • If you're prepping for the week, keep grains, raw vegetables, and dressing in separate containers, then assemble fresh bowls each day so nothing gets soggy or brown.
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