Mexican Buddha Bowl

This Mexican Buddha Bowl recipe is packed with fresh real food ingredients like purple cabbage and avocado and drizzled with a yogurt-cilantro lime dressing. 

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I love food served in bowls (and sauces)

I much prefer to eat with a fork then pick something up, like a sandwich, or have to knife through a big meat on a plate. Not only is it neater, but I find it easier too!

I’ve been on a salad/soup/grain bowl kick all year. Here’s a second buddha bowl recipe after the Chickpea Buddha Bowl I posted earlier this spring. 

Needless to say, the sauce is the kicker in this one too! 

What’s a buddha bowl again?

I’m loosely defining a buddha bowl as a grain bowl with whole grains, protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and a delicious sauce, all artfully arranged in a big bowl. Although I admit the second I start eating it all gets mixed up! 

They’re packed with real food and very filling – ideal for lunch or dinner.

Because you can prep the components in advance, buddha bowls are great for busy weeknights and as meal prep lunches because of how quick and easy they are to make and assemble. 

While traditionally buddha bowls are suggested served cold and may lean vegetarian, let’s have a little fun with it! 

Mexican Buddha Bowl Recipe

This plant based recipe has a great variety of textures, from the roasted sweet potato to the creamy avocado to the super crunchy purple cabbage. Like most bowls that you assemble, you can add or subtract ingredients that you might have on hand. Store-bought guacamole, queso fresco, sour cream, or salsa would kick up the Mexican-inspired ingredients. 

This recipe is also gluten-free and can be made dairy-free by tweaking the dressing. A silken tofu might make a great substitute! 

If you feel that your dish needs more of a kick, feel free to add some pickled jalapeños, bell pepper, or – gasp – red onion : ) Serve with some tortilla chip strips for a bit of extra crunch. 

Feel free to make everything from scratch or to take some prep shortcuts by using canned beans and corn, microwavable rice, and pre-chopped cabbage. 

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes – these are just so good in warm bowls!
• Black Beans – sub in any beans you like
• Corn – canned or fresh
• Purple Cabbage – kale works too!
• Grape Tomatoes
• Avocado (obviously!) 
• Brown Rice – you can make this from scratch or use a microwave package. I like Seeds Of Change. You can also use quinoa, wild rice, or white rice. 
• Smoked Paprika – one of my favorite ingredients of all time! A Mexican seasoning or cumin works well too. 
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

For the Sauce

• Whole Milk Greek Yogurt 
• Fresh Cilantro
• Garlic
• Fresh Lime Juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Bake Sweet Potatoes

Toss sweet potatoes and olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the smoked paprika in a large bowl. Transfer to sheet pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until fork-tender (tossing once to prevent burning). 

A few tips for baking sweet potato slices:

• Look for sweet potatoes that are firm and free from blemishes. Choose medium-sized ones for more uniform slices.
• Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. You can peel them if you prefer, but leaving the skin on adds extra fiber and nutrients.
• Slice the sweet potatoes into uniform thickness to ensure even cooking. Aim for about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Arrange the sweet potato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Make sure there’s some space between each slice to allow for air circulation.
• About halfway through the baking time, flip the sweet potato slices over to ensure even browning on both sides.
• Baking times can vary depending on the thickness of your slices and your oven, so keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time to prevent them from burning.

3. Make The Sauce

Meanwhile make the sauce: add yogurt through lime juice to a food processor and run until well combined. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

4. Slice vegetables

Slice cabbage, halve tomatoes and thinly slice avocado. Use pre sliced cabbage to save time! 

5. Mix Beans and Corn; Cook Rice

Rinse and drain the beans. Mix beans and corn in a small bowl. Cook rice according to package. If you’re cooking from scratch, you will need about 2 cups cooked, which is about one cup dry. The Seeds of Change packet makes about 1.75 cups. 

Tips for cooking brown rice:

• Rinse the brown rice under cold water before cooking to remove any excess starch and debris. This helps prevent the rice from becoming too sticky.
• Typically, the ratio for brown rice is 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Start by bringing the water to a boil in the pot. Once boiling, add the rinsed rice, stir briefly, then reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Allow the rice to simmer gently.
• Resist the temptation to lift the lid and check on the rice frequently. This lets steam escape and can disrupt the cooking process. Keep the lid on and allow the rice to cook undisturbed.
• Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes. This allows any remaining moisture to be absorbed and helps ensure fluffy, evenly cooked rice.
• Fluff with a fork.

6. Assemble bowls

To serve, layer the cooked brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans & corn, cabbage, tomatoes and avocado slices in four bowls. Drizzle with cilantro lime sauce.

ENJOY!

If you have extra sauce, feel free to dunk some chips right in there ; ) 

Print Pin

Mexican Buddha Bowls with Cilantro Lime Sauce

This Mexican Buddha Bowl is packed with fresh ingredients like purple cabbage and avocado and drizzled with a yogurt-cilantro lime dressing. 

Course Lunch, prep day, weeknight dinners

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword avocado, black beans, brown rice, buddha bowl, cabbage, cilantro, corn, sweet potatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 38 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes sliced in half moons
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 8.75-ounce can corn drained and rinsed
• 1 cup purple cabbage thinly sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 8.5 ounce microwave brown rice packet like Seeds of Change or 1.75 cups cooked brown rice

For the sauce

• ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 limes juiced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Toss sweet potatoes and olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the smoked paprika in a large bowl. Transfer to sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until fork-tender (tossing once to prevent burning).
• Meanwhile make the sauce: add yogurt through lime juice to a food processor and run until well combined. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
• Mix beans and corn in a small bowl. Slice cabbage, tomatoes, and avocado.
• To serve, layer the cooked brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans & corn, cabbage, tomatoes and avocado slices in four bowls. Drizzle with cilantro lime sauce.

Thanks to Leanne of Healthyish Appetite for taking these photos!