Black-Eyed Pea Buddha Bowl (Printable Version)

Nourishing grain bowl with black-eyed peas, roasted vegetables, fresh greens, and tahini.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Grain Base

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
06 - 1 small red onion, sliced
07 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Black-Eyed Peas

11 - 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Fresh Ingredients

14 - 2 cups baby spinach or kale
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

→ Tahini Dressing

17 - 1/4 cup tahini
18 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
19 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
20 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
21 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
22 - Salt to taste

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
02 - Toss sweet potato, bell pepper, red onion, and zucchini with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and golden.
03 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small skillet over medium heat, warm black-eyed peas with cumin and garlic powder for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, water, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Add additional water for desired consistency.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa between four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, black-eyed peas, and fresh spinach or kale.
07 - Drizzle tahini dressing over bowl contents. Garnish with avocado slices and chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than delivery while tasting like you spent hours planning it.
  • Every component can be prepped ahead, making weeknight dinners feel less chaotic.
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy and tangy that even skeptics of plant-based eating find themselves scraping the bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or you'll end up with a slightly bitter, soapy taste that overshadows everything else—this single step makes an enormous difference.
  • If your tahini dressing breaks or separates, whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time while whisking vigorously, and it will come back together into silky perfection.
  • Black-eyed peas can turn mushy if reheated too aggressively, so warm them gently and briefly rather than simmering them for extended periods.
03 -
  • Roast your vegetables cut into varied sizes so some pieces get crispy edges while others stay tender—it creates more interesting texture throughout the bowl.
  • If you're making this for guests, assemble everything separately and let people build their own bowls so they control the dressing distribution and avocado-to-grain ratio.
  • Toast your grains in dry heat for one minute before cooking them to deepen their flavor and add subtle nuttiness that elevates the entire dish.
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