Tofu Buddha Bowl

Do you seek something tasty, filling, and healthy, that can last for a couple of healthy meals, but usually end up with something that isn't easy to make? —Been there, friends! Luckily, there’s an easier option than making chaos in the kitchen. A Tofu Buddha Bowl with quinoa and both fresh and warm veggies!

This quinoa tofu bowl is my horse of battle. I just pick a cup of quinoa, a block of tofu, and whatever veggies I have in the kitchen and make it happen.

What works for us when lunch bowls with meal prep in mind is making a batch of cooked quinoa and a block of tofu marinating in the fridge that will be consumed during the week. Then, when we get hungry, we simply grab that tofu block and pan-fry it in 5-10 minutes while adding on top a couple of coarsely chopped veggies... whatever we have in the fridge.

This quinoa bowl was inspired by our vegan poke bowl and pairs well with delicious no-calorie pineapple water, that you can store in the fridge and even take with you in your water bottle.

If you have time to spare, try making this super easy and tangy, dairy-free ranch dressing and spoon a dollop on top of this tofu buddha bowl.

Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 📖 Variations
• 🥢 How to serve 
• 🥡 Storage 
• ❓ FAQ
• 📚 More quinoa recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

You don't need to be strict about the ingredients to make a tofu quinoa bowl; you just need to think about whatever veggies you can quickly stir fry, like peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, green beans, or asparagus, and then use them to assemble a bowl with nutritious quinoa, grilled tofu, and a handful of fresh ingredients like tomatoes, shredded carrots, and avocado.

Roasted veggies like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and butternut squash are also great tofu quinoa bowl additions.

• Quinoa - you can use any kind of quinoa; we like the tri-color kind: more colors = more nutrients.
• Vegetable broth - we like to boil the quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water because it helps infuse flavor. That's what sometimes makes me simply add 2 tablespoons of quinoa as a side dish next to a salad or grilled tempeh or seitan chunk. It's already tasty, and it needs, at most, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
• Extra-firm tofu - ideally, you marinate it for a couple of hours or overnight and simply and quickly grill it for a few minutes when you are ready to have lunch. If time is not an option, just pick a block, add soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger, and let set for 5 minutes; then grill.
• Soy sauce - helps to add depth and umami to your tofu.
• Garlic powder - works magic with tofu. If you have the time, use a clove of minced fresh garlic.
• Dried thyme - I love adding something extra to my tofu marinade; name it ginger or oregano; use what you have handy.
• Eggplant - I love its chunkiness, and it adds lots of nutrients, a few calories, and lots of volume to the bowl.
• Zucchini is another low-calorie friend that you can grill with zucchini or any other veggie you have forgotten in your fridge.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

• Eggplant - instead, use roasted broccoli, steamed or roasted cauliflower florets, or roasted vegetables.
• Zucchini - change if for sautéed red onion for extra depth.

🍽 Equipment

You don't need more than a small saucepan to make the quinoa and a grill or skillet to make the tofu and vegetables.

🔪 Instructions

Start by preparing the quinoa, marinating the tofu, and chopping eggplant and zucchini.

Hint: cook quinoa using a 2:1 proportion. Two cups of water for every cup of quinoa.

While grilling the veggies, half the cherry tomatoes and slice the avocado lengthwise.

5. To assemble the quinoa bowl, start by adding the quinoa to the bowl and then clockwise arrange the rest of the cooked and fresh ingredients on top.

📖 Variations

Tofu - we intentionally leave any type of oil behind to make this recipe oil-free. You can choose to bake the tofu to make it crispy on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and coat the dice with cornstarch, and then drizzle two tablespoons of olive or sesame oil. Then bake them until they are golden brown. Then add the baked tofu to the quinoa bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Marinade - if you want to imbue the tofu with a sweet note, you can add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the marinade, a maple tahini dressing, or teriyaki sauce and marinade tofu puffs with it.

Sweet potato - not only is it perfect for quinoa meal prep, but this delicious root vegetable is super filling and adds a delicious note to your quinoa salad. You can also simply add any leftovers you have from a sweet potato hash.

Deluxe - add homemade guacamole, Lebanese hummus, or sautéed spiced onions.

Extra carbs - if you are using this meal as a pre or post-workout meal, you can add extra calories, adding cooked brown rice to keep it gluten-free. This high-protein meal packs 24 g per serving, so you don't have to worry about that.

No tofu - and extra herbal flavor. See the vegan poke bowl with mint pesto sauce version of this dish. You can also add a dollop of hummus or any other delicious sauce you have, like this oil-free vegan Goddess sauce, which we use for everything.

🥢 How to serve 

Some of our favorite garnishing options include sesame seeds, black pepper, chopped fresh parsley, or green onions.

Add some lime juice or lemon juice for acidity or a tablespoon of your favorite homemade vinaigrette, like a strawberry dressing to make it taste more like a quinoa salad.

🥡 Storage 

You can store your buddha bowl or its components safely in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Leave avocado whole, or add lime juice if already opened to prevent it from getting brown too soon.

❓ FAQ

📚 More quinoa recipes

Try out these stuffed acorn squash with quinoa. It is a fantastic dish that is also great for meal prep.

If you like this recipe, try it also with our kale and quinoa salad for an extra dose of protein-rich quinoa and nutrient-packed kale. It's a match made in plant-based heaven.

⭐ If you try this vegan quinoa bowl recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe