Vegan protein Bowls (also known as buddha bowls) provide the best of all worlds: they’re quick and easy to make, absolutely delicious, and they’re nutritious. With the right ingredients, these bowls provide a high-protein meal.
The purpose of a buddha bowl is to get a little bit of everything in one serving: grains, veggies, fats, and protein. They’re also super versatile, and they can be easily modified to suit your dietary needs.
Here are 11 vegan bowl recipes with at least 15 grams of protein per bowl.
1. Vegan Oaxacan Buddha Bowl (16 grams protein)
Inspired by Mexican flavors, this bowl is great for those who like it spicy. The chipotle maple pecans make an excellent topping while adding some extra protein. The veggies and beans bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, and altogether this bowl takes about 40 minutes to make and one recipe serves 2.
2. Vegan Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl (18 grams protein)
Hummus and lentils pair up with sweet potato and avocado for a nutritious and filling vegan bowl. The lemon tahini sauce adds a nice touch, and the veggies are oven-roasted for about half an hour for a total time of about 50 minutes. It’s gluten-free as well.
3. Kale and Sweet Potato Brown Rice Buddha Bowl (18 grams protein)
A creamy peanut sauce gives this bowl an Asian spin, while quinoa and chickpeas round out the plant protein. The sweet potatoes are oven-roasted for half an hour, which the recipe suggests doing ahead of time for easy assembling.
4. Sweet Potato and Chickpea Buddha Bowl (18 grams protein)
Chickpeas and quinoa make this vegan bowl hearty, and its ginger tahini dressing adds a bright, flavorful touch. The sweet potato roasts for half and hour for a total cook time of just under an hour. This recipe serves 4.
5. Vegan Bibimbap Buddha Bowl (19 grams protein)
A vegan version of Korean- and Seoul-style bibimbap that utilizes high-protein tempeh and is packed with flavor. The rice cooks on the stovetop according to package directions, whereas the tempeh gets boiled for 6-8 minutes and then oven-baked in marinade for 20. In total, this recipe takes about 45 minutes and serves 3.
6. Nourishing Vegan Buddha Bowl (19 grams protein)
This vegan protein bowl has a little bit of everything (and lots of chickpeas), but what I really love is the hemp and pumpkin seed topping–a nice way to add texture and protein! The chickpeas supply even more texture because they’re oven-baked until crispy for about half an hour. The sweet potato gets microwaved for 3 minutes, though you could certainly oven-bake it instead.
7. Carribbean Voodoo Buddha Bowl (19 grams protein)
If you’re a fan of tropical flavors, then you’re going to like this vegan Buddha bowl. It features yam, mango, and lots of seasoning. Tofu and black beans provide the plant-based protein. The beans get heated on the stovetop while the tofu is oven-baked in the marinade with the veggies for about 25 minutes.
8. Thai Tempeh Buddha Bowl (20 grams protein)
This vegan protein bowl uses tempeh, freekeh (or quinoa), and a cashew curry sauce to help keep you satisfied. At 30 minutes total to make, this recipe is ideal for a busy night. The tempeh is pan-fried for 10 minutes while the freekeh/quinoa simmers on the stovetop for 20 minutes.
9. Sesame Balsamic Tofu Buddha Bowl (20 grams protein)
A bit of Asian fusion, this vegan Buddha bowl’s got tofu, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds to round out the plant protein. This is another ideal recipe for a busy night, as it only takes 30 minutes to make. The tofu is oven-broiled for about 20 minutes and the brown rice or other grain can be made ahead of time if necessary. Serves 4.
10. The Ultimate Vegan Protein Source Buddha Bowl (25 grams protein)
This bowl will clean out the fridge–but between the red kidney beans and quinoa, you’ll get all the protein you need. The sweet potato bakes in the oven for 20 minutes for a total preparation time of 30 minutes if you make the quinoa while the sweet potato bakes, and one recipe serves 2.
11. Roasted Veggie, Quinoa, and Avocado Buddha Bowl (28 grams protein)
The roasted veggies add great flavor to the bowl and are perfect for meal prep, while the quinoa and tofu come together with tahini dressing for this protein-packed bowl. The tofu and the veggies roast in separate pans but at the same time for a total cook time of about 25 minutes. In total, this vegan Buddha bowl recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.
