Walnut Free Buddha Bowl with Tahini-Lemon Dressing
This bowl is a full-on feast of textures and flavors — nutty brown rice, crispy roasted chickpeas, charred vegetables, and golden seared tofu, all tied together with a creamy tahini-lemon dressing that you'll want to put on everything. The dressing is made from tahini, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of maple syrup, so it's rich and tangy without relying on any tree nuts whatsoever. For anyone navigating nut allergies or sensitivities, bowls like this can be a minefield at restaurants where walnut-based sauces or toppings sneak in uninvited — making this from-scratch version a genuinely stress-free option. Garlic-infused oil does a lot of heavy lifting here, adding depth to the chickpeas, vegetables, and tofu all at once. The trick to getting those chickpeas properly crispy is patting them completely dry before they hit the oven, and it's absolutely worth the extra minute. Everything roasts together on one pan while the rice simmers and the tofu sears, so the whole process feels manageable even on a busy weeknight. It's the kind of meal that looks impressive in the bowl but comes together with straightforward, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the rice
- 1 ½ cups brown rice, uncooked
- 3 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the roasted chickpeas
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
For the roasted vegetables
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch half-moons
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the tofu
- 14 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil
For the dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water, plus more to thin
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 4 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the brown rice, 3 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- 2
Pat the drained chickpeas very dry with paper towels — the drier they are, the crispier they will roast. Spread them on one half of a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil and sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp salt; toss to coat.
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