Vegan Buddha Bowl with Tofu and Edamame

This Vegan Buddha Bowl with tofu and edamame features with brown rice, roasted red cabbage and grated carrot and is high in protein, full of flavor and works well for meal prep. This recipe can be oil-free and gluten-free if needed.

My Favourite Almond Satay Sauce

I’ve used this sauce in a number of recipes before. It’s my favorite almond butter satay sauce made from light coconut milk, almond butter, sweet chili sauce and soy sauce and it’s so easy to make. I love it because it tastes great, works with lots of different dishes and doesn’t require any blending. Simply mix the ingredients together in a container and it’s ready to go.

I’ve even made it with cashew milk and almond milk instead of coconut milk and it still tastes great. I also used it on my brown rice tofu bowls with coconut bacon and easy vegan spaghetti squash noodles.

How to Meal Prep Buddha Bowls

This high-protein dish is a good choice for vegan meal prep since everything can be made ahead of time. You can prep individual servings ready to grab-and-go but if possible, I’d suggest storing the ingredients separately until the day you plan to eat them.

To meal prep this:

• bake the tofu ahead of time
• cook the edamame ahead of time
• cook a batch of brown rice
• grate the carrot and cabbage
• prep the satay sauce

If you can store all that separately for easy assembly during the week, that’s the way to go. If you plan to have it for lunch the next day, assemble a serving the night before or the morning of.

Buddha Bowl Meal Prep Ingredients

I love buddha bowls for meal prep because you can mix and match ingredients all week, depending on what you feel like. Some of my favorite buddha bowl ingredients are:

• whole grains like rice or quinoa
• roasted sweet potato or potato
• pickled red onion
• raw grated or roasted carrot
• raw grated or roasted beet
• raw thinly sliced or roasted cabbage
• tahini dressing
• almond satay dressing
• olives
• roasted red peppers
• baked tofu
• tempeh
• edamame
• fresh or steamed greens like kale or spinach
• broccoli

By prepping these ingredients ahead of time, you can quickly throw together healthy buddha bowls like my Mediterranean farro bowls or teriyaki quinoa bowls. Buddha bowls seem like they have a lot of ingredients but they’re actually very easy to make if you do a bit of prep. For more meal prep ideas, check out my weekly prep posts.

How to Make Roasted Cabbage

There are two ways I love to cook cabbage: sauteing and roasting. For this recipe, I wanted to keep the method as simple as possible so I went with roasting. This way, you can have it cooking in the oven at the same time as the tofu.

To roast cabbage, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, chop and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper then spread on a baking tray and roast until starting to brown. It’s really good roasted in big slabs but for this recipe, since it’s getting mixed into a bowl, I went with slices. You can make it with or without a bit of olive oil, both are good.

To saute cabbage, I cook it in a pan with water, allowing the pan to dry out then adding a splash more water and repeating until the cabbage is caramelized. It’s so good! I make cabbage often like this for a snack.

Cabbage Health Benefits

I love cabbage for its nutritional benefits. I think cabbage is often underlooked but it’s such a nutritious and wonderful vegetable that has the most amazing flavor when roasted or sauteed. Cabbage is packed with nutrients and among other things:

• has anti-inflammatory properties
• is high in vitamin C
• the fiber it contains promotes healthy digestion, supports heart health and may help lower blood pressed and cholesterol levels
• is a good source of vitamin K
• has been shown to have cancer-fighting benefits much like it’s cruciferous friends, kale, cauliflower and brussel sprouts

Bonus: if you go for red cabbage because which is full of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant found in blue, purple, and red plants.

Tofu and Edamame Buddha Bowls

Alright, here’s what we’ve got going on in these yummy Asian-inspired vegan buddha bowls: shelled edamame, brown rice, baked tofu, roasted red cabbage, raw grated carrot and creamy, slightly sweet, coconut almond satay sauce. They’re high in protein, high in fiber, full of flavor and texture and make a filling, healthy plant-based dinner.

For more info on tofu and the different types, check out my post Guide to Tofu and Tempeh, for more info on brown rice and other whole grain benefits, check out my Guide to Whole Grains.More Buddha Bowl Recipes

For more yummy vegan buddha bowls, check out my list of easy vegan dinner ideas or try one of these recipes:

Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Bowls // Roasted Potato Avocado Buddha Bowls // Vegan BBQ Tofu Bowls // Sushi Bowl with Vegan Spicy Mayo // Brown Rice Burrito Bowl // Vegan Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl

Tofu Edamame Bowls with Cabbage and Carrot

• Author: Deryn Macey
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free

These yummy, healthy, high-protein buddha bowls loaded with flavor and texture and full of nutrition.

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Ingredients

For the Baked Tofu

• 1 package firm or extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Almond Satay Sauce

• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup light coconut milk

For the Bowls

• 2 cups cooked shelled edamame (1/2 a cup per bowl)
• 1 medium red or green cabbage, roughly sliced (1–2 cups per bowl)
• 4 medium carrots, grated (1 carrot per bowl)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 cup per bowl)

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the tofu, cube and toss with the soy sauce, black pepper and garlic powder. Prepare a baking sheet by either lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat or using some non-stick cooking spray (I like this avocado oil spray). Place the cubed tofu on the tray and bake for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
3. To make the roasted red cabbage, place the sliced cabbage on a large baking tray or two small ones in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until starting to brown and crisp.
4. To make the sauce, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a jar or container or add to a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until smooth and creamy.
5. Prepare 4 bowls or containers then divide the edamame, carrots and brown rice between them. Once the cabbage and tofu are cooked, add those as well. Finish them off with the sauce and serve right away or store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If storing leftovers,  I’d suggest storing the sauce separately so the bowls stay fresher.

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Keywords: healthy, vegan, easy