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The main dish, Light and fresh

Festive Buddha bowl

This festive Buddha bowl is a vegetarian dish for 6 that combines quinoa, roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, avocado, red cabbage, and a lemony tahini sauce. It takes 35 minutes of active work out of 75 minutes total, with the quinoa and sauce made the day before and only the vegetables roasted right before guests arrive. It's easy and costs €3.60 per person, and the trick to getting it right is serving the warm components against the cold sauce.

A big bowl of color for your guests, with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, and a tahini sauce that quiets the whole table.

Festive Buddha bowl
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
1 h 15
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

This bowl brings together textures that play off each other, the softness of roasted sweet potato, the crunch of lemony red cabbage, the freshness of avocado, and the silkiness of tahini sauce. Smoked paprika warms everything up without ever covering the vegetables, and pumpkin seeds add a crunch that changes with every bite.

It's a great choice for a dinner with friends when you want something different from the usual saucy main, or for a family meal with guests who don't eat meat. It works year round, though it really shines in fall and winter thanks to the sweet potato, and still feels light in spring.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 30 min
  2. The same day Nothing to do
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 35 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps

The day before, cook the quinoa and make the tahini sauce, then keep it chilled in a sealed jar. Right before your guests arrive, roast the sweet potato and chickpeas, and slice the red cabbage. At serving time, build the bowls with avocado sliced at the last minute and drizzle the sauce in front of your guests.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Quinoa 300 g
  • Canned chickpeasoften in the pantry 480 g
  • Tahini 4 tbsp
  • Smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pumpkin seeds 40 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Sweet potato 900 g
  • Ripe avocados 3
  • Red cabbage 250 g
  • Lemons 2
  • Garlic 1 cloves

Allergens Sesame

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Rinse the quinoa, cook it in twice its volume of salted water, let it swell covered off the heat, then spread it on a plate to cool. 20 min

    After cooking, fluff it with a fork, the quinoa should never stick together in a clump.

  2. Blend the tahini with the lemon juice, crushed garlic, a little cold water, salt, and pepper until the sauce is smooth like cream, then keep it chilled. 10 min

    Add the water a spoonful at a time while whisking, the sauce thickens first then suddenly turns silky.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cut the sweet potato into cubes, toss it with the drained and dried chickpeas, smoked paprika, oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 210°C. 35 min

    Spread everything over two baking sheets without crowding, otherwise the sweet potato steams instead of caramelizing.

  2. Thinly slice the red cabbage and drizzle it with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt to soften it.

    The lemon brightens its purple color and keeps it nice and crisp until serving.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Arrange the quinoa in six bowls, add the warm sweet potato and chickpeas, the red cabbage, the avocado sliced thin, and the pumpkin seeds.

    Cut the avocado at the last minute and drizzle it with lemon so it stays nice and green.

  2. Spoon tahini sauce over each bowl and bring the rest to the table in a small jar so everyone can help themselves.

    Thin the sauce with a little water if it has thickened in the fridge.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain and dry the chickpeas thoroughly before roasting, any leftover moisture keeps them from turning crisp in the oven.
  • Make the tahini sauce a bit thinner than you want it, it thickens up once it chills in the fridge.
  • Keep a little lemon juice aside to drizzle over the avocado right before serving, otherwise it browns fast in the bowls.

The variations

  • Swap the chickpeas for cooked green lentils for a different texture and an even quicker prep.
  • For a faster version, use steamed sweet potato that you just brown for a few minutes in a pan.
  • Add crumbled feta or soft boiled eggs for guests who want something more indulgent in their bowl.

What to serve it with

  • Homemade iced tea with lemon and mint
  • Falafel as a starter to round out the menu
  • A glass of fresh lemonade

Storage

The components keep separately for 2 days in the fridge in sealed containers, except the avocado, which should be cut right before serving. The tahini sauce keeps for 3 days chilled. This dish doesn't freeze well, just warm the quinoa and roasted vegetables for a few minutes before assembling.

Questions about this recipe

Can I replace the tahini if I don't have any?

Yes, unsweetened almond or peanut butter works too, the flavor changes but the texture stays creamy. Adjust the lemon and salt to balance it out.

How do I arrange the bowls so they look good?

Place each ingredient in its own section instead of mixing everything together, the colors stand out better side by side. Finish with the pumpkin seeds on top right before serving.

Can I make this for more than 6 people?

Yes, all the quantities scale up easily, you'll just need an extra baking sheet for the roasted vegetables. Allow a bit more oven time if the sheets are full.

Do kids usually like this kind of bowl?

Not always, the tahini sauce and raw red cabbage can be unfamiliar to younger kids. You can serve the ingredients separately instead of mixed in a bowl, with a bit of sauce on the side.

Can a festive Buddha bowl be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a festive Buddha bowl?

Allow 1 h 15 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a festive Buddha bowl?

About 620 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a festive Buddha bowl cost?

About €3.60 per person, that's €21.60 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains sesame. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Veal tartare with herbs The starter

Light and fresh

Veal tartare with herbs

  • 35 min of work
  • Finished at the last minute
  • Medium, €4.60 per person

230 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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