Mexican Buddha Bowl

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Everyone loves these popular Mexican Buddha Bowls! These power bowls are filled to the brim with whole grain brown rice, sweet potatoes, black beans, carrots, spinach, pumpkin seeds and avocado drizzled with an easy to make spicy cumin lime dressing. These healthy bowls are a sure way to fill your belly with good-for-you ingredients.

Looking for more ways to eat healthy vegetarian meals and amp up your protein intake? These nutrient-packed Buddha bowls are just what you need. There couldn’t be a more delicious way to practice a well balanced diet. Adaptable, easy to put together, filled with plenty of protein and healthy ingredients. These power bowls are ideal for weeknight dinners or lunches and will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours. And best of all you’ll feel better after eating them!

This low-effort recipe is a long-time favourite in our family. I personally love this easy and fun meal where everyone can fill a bowl with a rainbow of grains, proteins, veggies and greens. It packs a lot of goodness and nutrition into one bowl and appeals to everyone. There’s also the tangy, spicy, garlicky, cumin-infused lime dressing that is amazingly delicious and steals the show! I suggest you make a double batch of the dressing so you’ll conveniently have some on hand to dress other salads during the week. It’s that good!

What is a Buddha bowl?

A Buddha bowl is a vegetarian meal served in a bowl which is packed with small portions of nourishing food, typically whole grains, plant proteins, nuts, seeds and avocado. The ingredients are artfully arranged to give it a rounded “belly” appearance much like the belly of a Buddha. They are a feel-good meal that powers your body with nutrients.

Why this recipe is so popular

• Balanced, nourishing meal with Mexican-inspired flavours that encourages healthy eating.
• Extremely popular vegetarian family meal that can be served taco style and customized to everyone’s liking.
• All the components are fast and easy to prepare with simple ingredients and fun to get the family involved in meal prep.
• Bowls are finished off with the best spicy cumin lime dressing that will knock your socks off.

Ingredients needed for Mexican Buddha Bowls

• Sweet potatoes – Aka yams contain a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamins and other essential nutrients. For this recipe use medium-sized sweet potatoes and there’s no need to peel them.
• Olive oil – A heart-healthy oil used for coating and roasting the sweet potatoes.
• Granulated garlic, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper – These are the array of seasonings used in various elements of the recipe.
• Whole grain brown rice – Brown rice has a nutty toothsome flavour and is a healthy choice since it is less processed and contains most of the vitamins and minerals in the grain.
• Black Beans - Canned black beans are protein-rich with a hearty earthy flair. Be sure and drain and rinse them well before using.
• Spinach – The perfect leafy green for these bowls as it’s high in nutrients, including iron, and low in calories. Use fresh baby spinach typically purchased in clamshells.
• Carrots – Carrots claim to be the perfect healthy food. They’re a great source of nutrition containing carotenoids, beta carotene and lutein. Slice the carrots in ribbons or shred them on a box grater.
• Avocado – Avocados finish of the bowls nicely adding a creamy texture and flavour. They are an excellent source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, carotenoids and lutein.
• Green Onions – Sometimes referred to as scallions have a mild, onion-y zing. They’re loaded with essential nutrients and add a nice pop of flavour when used as a garnish.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds finish off the bowls and add a nutty flavour and crunch. They are highly nutritious packed with powerful antioxidants. Use natural pumpkin seeds or roasted ones but avoid salted ones.
• Limes – In this recipe limes are used for the zest and juice for the dressing and also extra lime wedges for garnish. Limes are a citrus fruit that pack a nutritional punch.
• Canola or Vegetable Oil – Used for the dressing. You can use either canola or vegetable oil which are both heart-healthy oils.
• Garlic – Garlic is a key ingredient in the dressing and is a powerhouse of flavour. Garlic is good for you as it’s known to have medicinal properties.
• Sour Cream or Yogurt – Used in the dressing to create a creamy rich consistency. Both sour cream and yogurt contain essential calcium.

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN BUDDHA BOWL

Dice sweet potatoes without peeling into ½” cubes and arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, granulated garlic, cumin and chili powder and toss to combine.

Bake sweet potatoes for 30 – 35 minutes in a preheated 375 degrees F oven until golden and crisp then keep them warm until needed.

Cook rice in 2 ¾ cups water in a covered medium saucepan for 20 minutes until the rice is tender then keep the rice warm.

Whisk dressing ingredients, oil, honey, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, pepper and sour cream (or yogurt) in a small bowl until smooth.

How to Assemble Mexican Buddha Bowls

In each of 4 bowls arrange rice in one quarter of the space, roasted sweet potatoes in the second quarter, black beans in the third quarter, and in the last quarter layer the spinach with shredded carrot on top. Arrange the avocado over top, sprinkle with green onions, pumpkin seeds and drizzle with the dressing. If you prefer, you can also serve the Buddha bowls taco style and let everyone arrange their own bowl.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes
• chickpeas instead of black beans
• arugula instead of spinach
• sliced almonds instead of pumpkin seeds
• make the recipe vegan – use maple syrup instead of honey and eliminate sour cream/yogurt ingredient in the dressing

Frequently asked questions

ARE MEXICAN BUDDHA BOWLS SPICY?

This recipe is rated as mild since there is only a total of about 1 ½ teaspoons of spicy seasoning spread over four bowls. Everyone’s spice sensitivity is different so feel free to use less or more spicy seasoning as desired!

CAN I MAKE MEXICAN BUDDHA BOWLS IN ADVANCE?

You can prepare each component of the recipe early in the day and have everything laid out for when you’re ready to serve.

HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVERS?

Any of the components you have left over that haven’t been drizzled with dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the dressing separately in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for a few days.

SHOULD MEXICAN BUDDHA BOWLS BE EATEN WARM OR COLD?

Ideally the bowls should be eaten warm or at room temperature. However, these bowls also taste great served cold out of the fridge making them a perfect and versatile grab and go meal.

More meals in a bowl to explore:

• Mediterranean Bulgur & Halloumi Bowl
• Southwest Black Bean & Corn Soup
• Mediterranean Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

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