I love a good Buddha bowl! It always seems to hit the spot for a leisurely lunchtime or even a tasty dinner. The combination of my favorite foods plus the Instagram-worthy presentation always makes me feel like I’m succeeding at life, even when (in reality) I’ve just grabbed a handful of ingredients out of the fridge and arranged them nicely.
Although I love mixing up my Buddha bowls to ensure I get something different in each dish, this high-protein peanut tofu recipe is one I keep coming back to time and time again. Utterly delicious, really high in protein and fiber, super-healthy, easy to make, gluten-free, meat-free, dairy-free, and completely absent of any artificial ingredients or added white sugars… I definitely consider this one a win-win in every regard!
A vegan, gluten-free, healthy dish that’s also delicious? I was skeptical at first, too!
Top Tips
Before I share my favorite recipe for this tasty and high-protein vegan Buddha bowl, check out my top tips to make prep – and clean-up – a little easier:
- Always prep your tofu first by squeezing out any excess liquid. Although this step takes the longest, it is vital if you want your tofu to soak up all the tasty marinade sauce, as well as enable it to crisp up nicely. Using a Tofu Press, pressing tofu takes around 15 minutes. If you’re using a DIY method, allow longer to ensure every drop of liquid has been removed.
- Because Buddha bowls require several pots and pans, I like to cut down where I can. My favorite tip is to cook chopped kale using the steam from the quinoa. Once the quinoa is cooked, open the lid, pop the kale on top, then shut the lid. The steam will cook the kale perfectly without needing a whole extra pan!
- I find it easiest to cook quinoa in a rice cooker. To do this, you’ll need 4 cups of water to 2 cups of quinoa. If you don’t own a rice cooker, you could use a pressure cooker instead. Because pressure cookers don’t release steam, you’ll need less water: go for 1 ¼ cups of water to 1 cup of quinoa.
- If you don’t have all the ingredients for the tofu sauce on-hand, you can still make this recipe incredibly tasty with just peanut butter, soy sauce, and maple syrup.
Peanut Tofu Quinoa Bowl Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Tofu Sauce:
- 1 package Extra-Firm Tofu, pressed
- ¼ cup All-Natural Peanut Butter
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce, or Coconut Aminos
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup (or my homemade Maple Fiber Syrup to make it sugar-free)
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice (Lemon works too)
- 1 tsp Garlic-Ginger Paste OR 2 cloves of Garlic, minced, and ½ tsp Ginger
For the Quinoa Buddha Bowl:
- 2 cups dry Quinoa, rinsed
- 1 small Red Onion, quartered
- 2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup Broccoli Florets
- 1 cup Red Pepper, julienned
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- 1 Veggie Bouillon, cube or paste
- 16oz can of Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch Kale, stems removed, rinsed, and roughly chopped
- Cilantro and/or Green Onions, to serve (optional)
- Avocado, optional
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and press the tofu to remove any excess water.
- While your tofu presses, prepare the sweet potato by first mixing 1 tsp each of the garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and curry powder.
- Place the onion and diced sweet potatoes into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, mixing well.
- Sprinkle your prepared spice mixture over the onion and potatoes and mix until everything is thoroughly coated.
- Spread the onions and potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet and set them aside while preparing the tofu.
- Once the liquid has been pressed out of your tofu, cut it into large cubes and place it on another non-stick baking sheet.
- Place both baking sheets in the oven for 25 minutes.
- While your potatoes and tofu bake, place the quinoa in a rice cooker with 4 cups of water and a veggie bouillon cube. Press the white rice cooking option and leave. (If you don’t have a rice cooker, check out this post on cooking quinoa on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker)
- Once the quinoa is cooked, open the lid, and throw in your chopped kale. Shut the lid and leave to steam.
- Next, prepare your tofu sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Once the 25 minutes of baking is up, take the tofu out of the oven but leave the sweet potatoes cooking.
- Put the tofu in a bowl and coat with 1/3 of the peanut sauce mixture. Gently combine.
- While this is setting, gently spread the broccoli florets and red peppers on top of the cooking sweet potatoes and onions so they can slightly cook, as well.
- Leaving the tofu to marinate for 5 minutes, next, return it to the baking sheet and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Once it’s baked for 10 minutes further, remove the tofu and sweet potato from the oven. They should be slightly caramelized and golden brown in color. If not, feel free to keep them in a bit longer.
- Pour the remaining peanut sauce into a pan and cook on low, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the warm thick sauce over the tofu or in a pouring jug to pour over the whole dish.
- Assemble the bowl as artfully as possible, topping with a drizzle (or glug) of the peanut sauce and a sprinkling of cilantro and/or green onion. Oh, and some fresh avocado is always a nice addition here too 🙂
Final Notes
I usually double this recipe to keep myself well-stocked throughout the week. Simply cook everything up and store in airtight containers for an easy, delicious, and healthy vegan meal whenever your tummy rumbles.
