Black-Eyed Pea Buddha Bowl (Printable)

Hearty grain bowl with black-eyed peas, roasted vegetables, fresh greens, and velvety tahini drizzle.

# What 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss sweet potato, bell pepper, red onion, and zucchini with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet.
03 - Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and golden.
04 - 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.
05 - In a small skillet over medium heat, warm black-eyed peas with cumin and garlic powder for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
06 - In a bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, water, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Add more water as needed for desired consistency.
07 - Divide quinoa between four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, black-eyed peas, and fresh spinach or kale.
08 - Drizzle with tahini dressing. Garnish with avocado slices and chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling without that heavy, sluggish feeling you get from heavier meals.
  • You can prep everything while one pan does the work, making weeknight cooking feel manageable.
  • The flavors taste vibrant and alive, not like you're sacrificing anything for being plant-based.
02 -
  • Don't chop your vegetables too small—they need enough surface area to roast and caramelize instead of just steaming themselves into submission.
  • Tahini straight from the jar can taste weirdly bitter, but the lemon juice and maple syrup aren't optional ingredients; they're what makes it actually delicious and crave-worthy.
03 -
  • Buy your black-eyed peas canned and save yourself the overnight soaking—they taste just as good and your bowl comes together on an actual weeknight timeline.
  • The tahini dressing is best made just before serving, but you can make it up to an hour ahead if you need to—just add the extra water right before drizzling so it hasn't separated.
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