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Chickpeas simmered in a delightful Indian-inspired masala sauce, served with black quinoa, sautéed spinach, and crushed cashews! A nourishing, flavorful, and easy plant-based Buddha bowl recipe!
I’m a huge fan of Buddha bowls. What I love the most is the fact that it’s never the same, you can change the toppings, the dressing, add nuts or crunchy veggies; it’s incredibly versatile.
⭐️ Why You Should Try It
- It’s packed with flavor and texture: From the tender chickpeas to the crunchy cashews and the super creamy masala sauce, these bowls are anything but boring.
- It’s easy and requires about just 1 hour to prepare.
- It packs 12g of protein + 10g of fiber per serving.
- The reviews speak for themselves: Angela said: “Your masala sauce recipe is a revelation, such creaminess in texture with no dairy. Absolutely loved it.”
🥣 How to Make It
Sauce
The masala sauce in this recipe is inspired by my Veggie Balls in Masala Sauce recipe. It’s super creamy, lightly sweet, and spicy without being too hot!
The process to make the sauce is about the same as making a soup. Start by sautéing onions with garlic and ginger, followed by carrots and bell peppers (for color and sweetness). Add spices and cover with water. When the vegetables are soft it’s time to blend everything into a thick and creamy sauce.
Chickpeas are then added to the skillet and coated with the sauce.
Quinoa
For the grains, I used black quinoa, which is a little bit crunchier than white quinoa and has an earthier taste. If you prefer, you can use white quinoa, brown rice or even buckwheat groats.
Toppings
For the toppings, I went with roasted cashews (feel free to use roasted peanuts or almonds!), red cabbage to add crunchiness, and cilantro for freshness.
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Masala Chickpea Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
Masala Chickpeas
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or olive oil
- 2 onions sliced
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 medium carrot chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp of each: garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika
- 2 and 1/2 cup (600 ml) water
- 1 15-oz (1 425g-can) can cooked chickpeas drained and rinced
Quinoa
- 1/2 cup (90 g) uncooked black quinoa or white quinoa
- 1 and 1/4 cup (300 ml) water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
Spinach
- 3 cups chopped spinach rinsed
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt, ground black pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- 1 cup red cabbage finely shredded
- 1/4 cup (30 g) slightly crushed roasted cashews
- fresh parsley or cilantro for topping
- crushed red pepper
Instructions
Masala chickpeas
- Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, and grated ginger and cook on medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the carrot and red bell pepper, continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add spices and salt and cover with the water.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In the meantime, you can start the quinoa.
- Remove from heat and process in a blender until silky smooth. Pour the sauce back into the skillet and stir in the chickpeas. Cover to keep warm.
Quinoa
- Combine the quinoa with the water and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and almost no liquid remains.
Spinach
- Heat some olive oil in a skillet, add the garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 5-7 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Bowls
- Divide the quinoa into 3 serving bowls, add sautéed spinach and masala chickpeas on top. Top with crushed cashews, red cabbage, and fresh herbs. Serve immediately!
Notes
- You can substitute chickpeas for black or navy beans or even lentils.
- Red cabbage is optional, if using, you can blanch it in boiling water for about 2 minutes to make it more tender.
- You can use black quinoa, white quinoa, or brown rice. Use what you have on hand.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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