This vegan buddha bowl with quinoa, pumpkin, and BBQ tempeh is not only super delicious but also packed with nutrients! It’s topped with a creamy cashew sauce that makes it even healthier! 
Fall is definitely here. I can’t believe it’s already getting this cold at night. I think we even have to turn on the heat in the next couple of days. Crazy! How could summer be over this quickly?! I’m more of a spring and summer person and I don’t like wearing winter jackets, boots, and hats at all. But well there’s no sense in complaining, right? It is what is is. And on the plus side, there’s tons of delicious fall recipes like this fall buddha bowl with quinoa, pumpkin, beet, and Brussels sprouts we had the other day. I also added carrots, pumpkin seeds, and crispy BBQ tempeh and it was so incredibly delicious and also pretty colorful!
What Is A Buddha Bowl?
The fall buddha bowl is packed with protein and vitamins and it’s a great flu fighter. For those of you who are wondering “what is a buddha bowl?”, the term is not motivated by my religious believes or anything. It’s just a huge bowl that is packed with food so its top resembles the laughing buddha’s belly. I’ve seen tons of buddha bowls lately and I just love the idea of putting all these delicious veggies and grains into a big bowl and top it all off with a creamy sauce.
Vegan Buddha Bowl with BBQ Tempeh
I absolutely loved this easy fall buddha bowl! It’s comforting, super healthy, packed with flavor, gluten free, and of course vegan! And it all comes together in about 45 minutes. I used a creamy sauce with cashews, nutritional yeast, and white miso paste, which I could eat on literally everything. And of course I also had to put in some homemade BBQ tempeh.
I also used this recipe for my vegan carbonara with tempeh bacon, which I posted a couple of months ago. All you need for the marinade is a tablespoon of BBQ sauce, soy sauce, some water, paprika powder, half an onion, and salt and pepper. I also added some liquid smoke
, but that’s totally optional and it’s also great without it. The best thing is that you don’t have to let it sit, you just put the marinade right into the pan and then you cook it for about 5-7 minutes until it’s all soaked up and the tempeh becomes lightly brown and crispy.
For the carrots, I used this spiral slicer
, which is also great for zoodles. I got it for Christmas two years ago and everybody thought I was kinda crazy, but I love it. It’s so easy to make julienne strips of carrots, radishes, cucumbers, and all kinds of other firm vegetables. You can either use them instead of wheat pasta or for salads and garnishes. There’s is also a smaller version
of the spiral slicer I got.
I hope you love this recipes as much as I do. Let me know if you give a try. As always, I love hearing from you guys.
Have a great start into the week!! Talk to you soon! xx
Fall Buddha Bowl with Quinoa
Ingredients
For the fall buddha bowl:
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 2 cups Brussel sprouts
- 4 cups Hokkaido squash
- 7 oz tempeh
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon BBQ-sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 carrots
- 2 cooked beetroots
- 1/2 cup sprouts (I used alfalfa, beetroot, and leek sprouts)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
For the creamy cashew sauce:
- 1/2 cup cashews If you want to make it easier for your blender soak them in water for about 15 minutes.
- 1/2 cup unsweetend almond or soy milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Place a large pot of water on the stove, add a pinch of salt, and wait a few minutes for the water to boil. Place the Brussels sprouts in the boiling water and cook them for about 12-15 minutes. Cut the Hokkaido squash into cubes and cook them for 8-10 minutes.
- Cut the beetroot into thin slices. Peel the carrots and create julienne strips by using a spiral slicer.
- Make the sauce: Place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
- Cut the tempeh into small cubes. In a medium pan, heat some olive oil and sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes until it's translucent. Then add the tempeh, the BBQ sauce, the water, the soy sauce, the paprika powder, salt, pepper, and if using the liquid smoke. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the marinade is all soaked up and the tempeh becomes lightly brown and crispy.
- Place the cooked Hokkaido squash, the Brussels sprouts, the carrots, the beet, and the quinoa in a big bowl. In a small pan, heat the cashew sauce for about 2 minutes. If it becomes to thick, add another splash of milk.
- Pour the sauce over the buddha bowl and sprinkle with sprouts and pumpkin seeds.
Howie Fox
WOOOWWW!! This buddha bowl looks soo full of life!! Amazing :D
I looove roasted pumpkin seeds, they should be on everything, haha
Sina
I totally agree with you, Howie! Roasted pumpkin seeds are amazing! :-)
Gin
I love the colors! This will be so fun to eat, and so healthy too. Great recipe Sina!
Sina
Thanks, Gin! :-) So glad you like it!
Natalie Slater
This dish looks too pretty to even eat! I love trying new things to eat and this has so many good foods in it. I’m going to have to try it out and cross my fingers it turns out as pretty as yours!
Sina
Haha! Thanks, Natalie! I totally know what you mean. I always used to never eat the chocolate bunnies I got for Easter because they just looked way too cute. :D Let me know how you liked it. :-) And I’m sure it will just look as pretty as mine. ;-)
Jeanine
Wow that is truly beautiful. Looks like a great dish I am sure my whole family would love to enjoy!
Sina
Thanks, Jeanine! I love how easy and healthy it is. :-)
kareenliez
This looks great! I wonder how it tastes like but it does look very yummy and healthy too!
Sina
Thanks, Kareenliez! :-) So glad you like it! You’re right it tastes like it looks. Delicious and really simple to make!
Emma @ The Happy Journal
Yum! I love the colours in this!
Sina
Thanks, Emma! :-)
Kelly @ TastingPage
That is indeed fall in a bowl. I love all of those flavors and need to get Buddha over to my house soon!
Sina
Haha! Thanks, Kelly! :-) Glad you like it!
pragati
Wow…this looks amazing!! I have to do one of these soon..they just burst with healthy stuff ?
Sina
Thanks, Pragati! :-) I love healthy bowls like this one, especially when it’s getting cold and flu season is starting. ;-)
Sophia @veggies dont bite
I seriously love the “throw it in a bowl” concept! So many great flavors in one dish. This looks amazing!
Sophia @veggies dont bite
Oh and I love your new header!! I’m just putting a new one up too!
Sina
Thanks! <3 I wanted to change it for like ever! Your header is awesome! I love the colorful veggies. So creative! :-)
Sina
Me too, Sophia! It’s so easy and so incredibly comforting! :-)
Kristina
my bowls are getting more fall flavors lately too – this sounds very good!
Sina
Thanks, Kristina! I just love to put different veggies and grains in a huge bowl and top it all off with a creamy sauce. So comforting! :-)
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
What a pretty and colorful bowl! Very healthy and delicious salad!
Sina
Thanks, Ilona! :-)
Linda @ Veganosity
Buddha bowls are the best. This looks delicious and so healthy, Sina. I’m with you, I’m a summer girl, although I love fall, it’s just that winter follows and that’s not so good.
Sina
Thanks, Linda! Haha! Right, that’s really not so good. :D It already feels like December, it’s so cold and grey.
Michele @ Two Raspberries
I love quinoa! and this bowl looks SO healthy and filling! YUM! ;-)
Sina
Thanks, Michele! Quinoa is one of my favorites too! :-)
Carly @ Fitliving blog
YUM! I have been loving Buddha bowls lately and the fall twist looks delicious. i made cashew cream for the first time the other day and it was so easy. Thanks for the recipe!
Sina
You’re welcome, Carly. So great to hear that you like it! Ohh I love cashew cream and you’re right. It really is super easy! :-)
Harriet Emily
I love Buddha bowls! This looks so healthy and delicious Sina! The cashew sauce sounds incredible! Yum!!!
Sina
Thanks, Harriet! I totally love cashew sauces, I could literally eat them with everything! :-)