Mexican Buddha Bowl with Fajita Veg - Vegan Recipes - Forkful of Plants (2024)

Perfect for meal prep, this Mexican buddha bowl is full of flavour; with sheet pan fajita vegetables, coriander lime quinoa, smoky spiced beans and corn, fresh salsa, lettuce, and of course, avocado! Better yet it comes together in just 30 minutes, is gluten free, and totally nutritious and filling.

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What is a buddha bowl?

A Buddha bowl is a balanced dish of protein, healthy fats, and veggies. Always healthy and abundant, they’re simple, one bowl meals, with a variety of textures and flavours.

They’re a great idea to use up what’s left in the fridge, or when you just need to throw something together fast. If I have little energy to do any complex cooking, I love that I can just throw together big batches of grains, beans, veggies and greens.

I find Buddha bowls really fun to make because I can get creative with combinations of ingredients and flavours. This Mexican variety is one of my favourite combos!

A wholesome meal prep lunch

This vegan Mexican bowl makes for a great meal prep lunch. Each of the components can be made in big quantities, and portioned up in advance for the week. The quantities can even be easily doubled to make enough for 2 people. It all comes together in just 30 minutes, and is gluten free so perfect for those with gluten allergies or intolerances.

It’s a well rounded meal which is packed with nutrition, so it even makes a great dinner. Better yet, by prepping ahead in batches, you can easily save money on meals. This recipe uses fresh veggies and canned beans, which are all super cheap.

What’s in this Mexican buddha bowl?

This Mexican burrito bowl has 4 main components:

• Black beans and corn- black beans are a Mexican food staple, and along with corn are really budget friendly.
• Coriander and lime quinoa- a healthy, gluten free grain which is high in protein, to help keep you going for longer.
• Sheet pan fajita veg- veggies are roasted with hot and smoked paprika until soft and slightly charred, keeping hands-on time to a minimum.
• Pico de gallo– fresh salsa adds a tangy finish, but swap this for store bought if you’d like.

These are all put together in a big bowl with chopped little gem or romaine lettuce, and topped with sliced avocado for a dose of healthy fats!

How to make your vegan mexican bowl

First, get the fajita vegetables on the go. Add your sliced peppers and onions to a large sheet pan or roasting dish.

Add the smoked and hot paprika, a little bit of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of oil. Cook them in the oven for 20 minutes, until soft and just starting to char.

Next, rinse the quinoa and add it to a medium saucepan with the water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed.

Once cooked, stir through the lime juice and chopped coriander, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the beans and corn. Add the chilli and garlic to a pan with a little oil, then fry over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the corn, black beans, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Stir, then increase the heat a little. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until there is no liquid in the pan. Remove from the heat.

Make the pico de gallo.

Now you can assemble your Mexican Buddha bowl. Fill the bottom of your bowl or meal prep container with lettuce, then top with the quinoa, fajita veg, beans and corn, and pico de gallo. Finish each bowl with sliced avocado, and enjoy!

How to store and reheat

These Mexican Buddha bowls can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. They are not suitable for freezing. However, the beans and fajita vegetables can be frozen separately, then defrosted and reheated in a pan or the microwave until piping hot through.

If you want to meal prep and eat your Mexican quinoa bowl hot, I would suggest keeping the salsa, lettuce and avocado separate from the other components. Heat the beans and corn, quinoa, and vegetables in the microwave for a couple of minutes, then add them to the cold items.

If you want to keep it really fresh, I would suggest cutting the avocado just before eating. Avocado tastes better this way, as it begins to oxidise once it’s sliced. If you do want to pre-slice it however, you can squeeze some lime over it to slow down this process.

Ingredient substitutes

This Mexican Buddha bowl recipe is super flexible and can be adapted around what you have in the house. Follow my suggestions below, or try your own!

• Change up the carb for your favourite healthy option- how about rice or roasted sweet potato?
• Any kind of beans would work great in place of black beans- try kidney, pinto, or even chickpeas! If you’d rather, you can also use cooked dried beans.
• I’ve used peppers and onions for my fajita veg, but these can be swapped or added to with veggies of your choice. Mushrooms and plum tomatoes would be delicious. You can even use frozen veg to keep the cost down (this may just take a little bit longer to cook).
• Change up the greens for spinach, kale, or your favourite salad mix.
• If you’re short on time, you can take shortcuts here. Precooked rice would do just fine, and you could use your favourite store bought salsa in place of fresh.
• Add in some raw veggies such as thinly sliced red cabbage or carrot.
• Top your vegan burrito bowl with vegan sour cream, yoghurt, or your favourite dressing.

Like to meal prep?

If like me, you like to meal prep, you might like to give these recipes a go:

• Baked teriyaki tofu and cauliflower
• Vegan rice salad with pecans and apples
• Miso edamame and cauliflower salad
• Vegan pasta salad with Mediterranean vegetables
• Thai-inspired tofu buddha bowls

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