Sheet Pan Buddha Bowl with Magic Green Sauce
A deliciously easy way to meal prep.
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My favorite way to ensure I eat healthy lunches throughout the week is to prepare a bunch of different ingredients ahead of time that I can throw together in different combinations come lunchtime. The combination of ingredients in this particular recipe, though, is one I’m happy eating day after day. There’s tender sweet potatoes, kale and chickpeas made crispy, seasoned cauliflower and some zesty red onion – and a deliciously vibrant green sauce to top it all off. There’s tons of texture, a lot of delicious flavor, and since the components all bake together on a sheet pan, you can’t find an easier way to meal prep.
I have long been a fan of grain and buddha bowls because of all the different nourishing flavors you get to enjoy in one meal, and because they’re just so vibrant, but in the past I was hesitant to make them at home because the sheer number of components scared me off. This sheet pan method removes any need for fear; it lets you make a number of different components at the same time, so you get a flavorful and varied meal without putting a ton of time into it.
This will only take you about thirty minutes total to make, but the method is all in the timing. You start the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, onions, and the chickpeas first, and the kale heads into the oven to get crispy right when you’re ready to open the oven door to stir the rest.
Most of the components are seasoned with a simple cumin-chili powder mixture, but this bowl also gets a hit of flavor from what I affectionately call “Magic Green Sauce.” It’s magic because it will make anything taste good (not that these ingredients needed a ton of help in the first place).
You blend up the sauce while everything is in the oven, so it’s no extra trouble at all, just a quick blitz of tahini, parsley, cilantro, lemon, and garlic. Arrange everything in a bowl, drizzle that magic sauce over the top, and suddenly lunch is something to look forward to!
Sheet Pan Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
- Juice from one lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F and set aside two rimmed baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Arrange cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and red onion on one sheet pan. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with about 2/3 of the cumin seasoning mixture. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- Roll chickpeas between two paper towels or clean kitchen towels to remove outer skin. Arrange on empty baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Place both baking trays in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, season kale with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and massage. Set aside.
- At 20 minute mark, stir chickpeas and push to one side of baking sheet. Add kale to the other side and return to oven. Cook until kale is crispy, 5-10 minutes more.
- Also at 20 minute mark, stir cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and red onion. Cook until tender and browned on edges, about 10 minutes more.
- While veggies bake, make the sauce:
- To the bowl of a blender or food processor, add the tahini, 2 tablespoons water, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper. Process until smooth, adding more water by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached.
- Assemble veggies and chickpeas in bowl, drizzle with dressing, and enjoy!